HelloFresh and The Blues ‘Take Back Dinnertime’ in new campaign via Augusto and CornerStore
Following the kick-off of The Blues’ 2026 season this past weekend, HelloFresh is celebrating its ongoing partnership with The Blues with the launch of an irresistibly fun content series developed by sister agencies Augusto and CornerStore, part of the UFO Rodeo.
The campaign playfully reimagines the modern family dinner as something worth protecting. In a series of entertaining moments, Blues players “sub in” to rescue dinnertime from the everyday distractions Kiwi families face and the risk of an uninspiring dinner! From busy schedules to digital interruptions, The Blues, in partnership with HelloFresh, rally everyone to the kitchen, ensuring the family comes together to enjoy fresh, quality food and meaningful connection.
Rather than a one-off activation, the work was designed as a strategic, season-long integrated content series that seamlessly connects the audience and product with the help of Kiwi cultural icons. Activity is timed to key moments across The Blues’ season, while also supporting the launch of a new and improved HelloFresh product that includes a bigger menu, with more variety and choice, and a range of exciting, higher-quality ingredients every week.
“This partnership allowed us to express our global Take Back Dinnertime! platform in a way that feels distinctly Kiwi,” says Chloe Painter, Director of Brand Marketing at HelloFresh. “The Blues are such an iconic part of family life in this country. Seeing the players step in to ‘save’ dinner in a way that’s entertaining and purposeful perfectly captures what HelloFresh stands for – making it easier for families to come together over fresh, delicious meals.”
The campaign builds on an ongoing relationship between HelloFresh, The Blues, and UFO Rodeo, reflecting a shared ambition to create partnership platforms that deliver long-term brand and fan value.
“Our ambition was to move beyond traditional sponsorship and create something with longer-term meaning,” says Caroline Logan, Head of Client Services at Augusto. “By anchoring the work in a real cultural tension – the battle to protect quality family time – we’ve created a platform that can flex across the season and beyond. It’s a great example of storytelling in sports unlocking deep meaning for brands.”
CornerStore’s agile approach to strategic content development played a critical role in bringing the idea to life, enabling the team to respond quickly and effectively, while maintaining consistency and craft across every touchpoint.
“At The Blues, we’re always looking for partnerships that genuinely connect with our community,” says Katie Smith, Head of Partner Relations at The Blues. “This campaign shows how our players can engage with fans off the field in a way that feels authentic, positive and fun, while championing something incredibly important as family dinnertime.”
Together, HelloFresh, The Blues, and UFO Rodeo have created a partnership that celebrates more than just rugby. It celebrates the simple but powerful idea that dinnertime is sacred and worth defending in a world full of distractions.
THE TEAM
HelloFresh
Director – Brand Marketing ANZ – Chloe Painter
Associate Director Brand & Communications ANZ – Alice Mansell
Brand Manager NZ – Julia Newsome-White
THE BLUES
CCO – Todd Hewitt
Head of Partner Relations – Katie Smith
UFO RODEO
Strategy – Wade Beeby
Head of Client Services – Caroline Logan
GM CornerStore – Lara Marshall
Creative Team – Sasha Arandelovic and Nick Skelton-Kyd
Stills Director / Designer – James Davison
Producer – Robyn Nicholls
Editor – Marcus Brill
Social Producer – Sean Fleet
Social Editor – Darcy Parr
Camera Operator – Nan Sirisamphan
HERO TVC
Director – James Anderson
DOP – Joe Rixon
1st AC/Focus – Matt Hunt
Gaffer – Kyle Van Tonder
Food Stylist – Bronwyn Bryne
Art Director – Dion Booth
Colour Grader – Mike Carpinter
STILLS PHOTOGRAPHY: The Collective Force
Photographer – Simeon Patience
Stills Assistant – Jamie Bowering
MEDIA: Initiative
Group Business Director – Shona Foster
Business Director – Moniquea Somers
Senior Account Manager – João Erceg
Investment Executive – Regan Neville
Account Executive – Alexander Grant
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