Success Stories
We’ve applied Trust Psychology for over 20 years. Clients have ranged widely - size, sector, geography, market, non-profit, public services - yet trust is always key. It’s sold heavy mining equipment in brutally unstable 2025 to frightened American quarry owners, sold millions of ‘destroyed’ apples to Asian consumers, helped fandoms find Weta Workshop, launched skincare brands, and helped build a global coffee machine empire with a small tribe of cyclists and zero budget.
Hundreds of millions in revenue from building trust.
B2B, Global, Civil Construction and Mining equipment (Volumetric Scanning), Based in Hamilton, NZ
Loadscan faced the illogical: despite potential customers understanding the business case, sales weren’t happening. This ended up being the perfect case of Trust being 2 layered. While the value of Loadscan was understood, customers didn’t feel safe enough to buy. No safety = nothing happens. Our project focussed on how to make leads feel safe before delivering the business case.
Result: 13 sales (over $1m) 2 weeks after project conclusion.
Loadscan
FMG
B2C & culture alignment, NZ, Insurance, Nationwide
We’re currently partnering with FMG to build upon an already strong foundation of Trust. However a lot of uncertainty fuelled by climate change is impacting FMG, its clients and communities. Brave thinking and strong understanding of trust psychology is required more than ever.
Results (so far): FMG continues to grow market share and consolidate trust, while continuing to broaden their cultural thinking around trust.
Utemaster
B2C, NZ and AUS, Ute canopies and accessories, Based in Thames, NZ
Utemaster’s challenge was keeping a distinct identity in a saturated Ute accessory market. First we honed in on what made Utemaster the most trustworthy, which is by default the core of their identity. Using this, next step was bonding with their community, not fixating on beating competitors. Community needed to become the second voice of their unique identity, advocating why Utemaster are “the right guys to buy from.”
Weta Collectibles
B2C, Global, Figurines and games, based in Wellington, NZ
Weta Collectibles is a crucial part of Weta Workshop - a way for fans to hold a piece of their favourite worlds, yet they weren’t connecting as they knew they could. We partnered with them to dive into the human nature of fandoms, and understand how fans trust creators. With this knowledge Weta Collectibles built a far more intimate community with their fans, who were dying for the invitation!
Results: $21 million revenue increase in 6 months.
Sven’s Island
B2C (mainly ecommerce), Global, Natural skincare
Sven’s Island is a small skincare business from Great Barrier Island, where unique geological soil grow extremely potent plant oils that make powerful natural skincare. Hardwired understood Sven’s singular challenge was building trust in a category rife with misinformation, especially online. We concentrated on getting tangible artefacts (beautiful packaging/printed booklets) into real hands, to prompt advocacy. This migrated online, where Sven’s has exceptional customer testimonial.
Results: Sven’s continues to grow in offshore markets with over $150k in monthly sales
Golden Bay Fruit - Stormy Fruit
Export, SE Asia & China, Apples, Based in Motueka, NZ
No better example of what can happen when you understand the 2 layered nature of Trust. The story actually starts with tragedy - a Boxing Day hailstorm damaged 75% of Golden Bay Fruit’s apple harvest. They knew they could offset some loss by selling partially impacted fruit very cheaply. However, previous insight work into Asian consumers led us to a better solution - creating a brand that celebrated the hail impacted ‘imperfect’ fruit. Why? Because Asian consumers valued food safety highest - Safety is the foundation layer of Trust. The hailstone impacts were watermarked proof of the fruit’s origin: one storm, one day, one place.
Result: Recouped over $30 million otherwise believed lost
Immigrant’s Son
Our fondest case study proving the power of human connection and trust is timeless. A long while back, David helped a friend start a coffee business in Wellington - a competitive coffee market to say the least. It took off, became stocked nationally and is still going strong today, over 15 years later. The secret? Telling as human a story as possible.