Arna Craig, founder of rebranded change marketing agency Conscious is turning her business model on its head and wants other local businesses to follow her lead. 

“The world is in climate crisis and we as a business community are not doing enough. We are in the midst of a global climate emergency, one that is impossible to ignore. I believe we have both a moral and social responsibility to lead the way.”

“I have been part of the Queenstown Lakes commerce landscape for 15 years now as the founder of digital marketing agency Fever Pitch. One day it struck me that my entire job is to influence consumer behaviour so why shouldn’t I work with my clients to influence behaviour in a way that is good for the planet?” 

Arna says the decision to rebrand Fever Pitch as Conscious began as a small spark and evolved into a way of life. 

“Like many of us, when I became a parent, I viewed the world differently. Conscious developed over five years and was the result of deep introspection about corporate responsibility. We owe it to our community, to the beautiful environment we live in and to ourselves as business owners to utilise our skills in a positive way.”

“What will the future look like for my children? How can I shape this and inspire change in the businesses I work with now? Conscious is the evolution of these thoughts –  and action towards more vivid communication. We want to fix the current failures in communication and create a gateway for change with meaningful content and change marketing strategies that go beyond conventional thinking.” 

Arna co-founded the sustainability non-profit Wao, co-developed Wānaka’s business diversification agency SQL (originally CUBE) and established the town’s first working space The Cell. She also worked on Wānaka’s 2013 Gigatown entry which saw fibre rolled out two years ahead of schedule.

“Now more than ever consumers want to engage with sustainable practices and ethical brands. We have the opportunity to capture an audience in a meaningful way, to align our own values and to be a voice of change. I encourage all business owners to reflect and take steps for the collective benefit of everyone. Our community and our planet is counting on it.” 

Conscious is located at The Cell 34 Anderson Road  Wanaka