Mid-Tier Agency Declares Westfield Food Court a ‘Sanctuary of Strategic Alignment’
Auckland-based creative shop Lantern & Vale has today announced the successful completion of its annual Strategic Reset, held this year in the food court of Westfield Manukau between a kebab outlet and a discount sock kiosk. The agency described the venue as “a neutral territory of authentic consumer energy,” citing the 11.47am rush at Tank Juice as a breakthrough moment for brand empathy.
According to the official release, the decision followed months of soul searching and one slightly tense Slack thread about whether Queenstown had become “too insight-adjacent.” Managing Partner Clive Hatherley said the team wanted to immerse themselves in “real purchase behaviour,” which in this case meant watching a dad negotiate one scoop versus two while holding a buzzing pager from Noodle Canteen. Staff were encouraged to document key learnings in a shared Google Doc titled Growth Vibes 2026 Final FINAL v3.
The day’s highlights included a keynote from the agency’s Head of Cultural Foresight, who presented a 42-slide deck on the strategic significance of mall seating configurations. “Circular tables suggest community,” she explained, gesturing toward a slightly sticky four-top near the bins. “Fixed benches communicate brand commitment.” The talk was briefly interrupted by a child dropping a lime thickshake, which the agency later described as “a live case study in fluid brand storytelling.”
Lantern & Vale confirmed the offsite has already resulted in two transformative shifts. First, all brainstorms will now be capped at 27 minutes, the average wait time for a butter chicken combo at peak. Second, the agency will refer to clients as “diners” to better reflect the shared table of collaboration. Early feedback from staff has been positive, with one senior account manager noting the experience felt “deeply strategic” and “significantly cheaper than Waiheke.” The agency is currently exploring Sylvia Park for Q3, pending availability near the sushi train.
According to the official release, the decision followed months of soul searching and one slightly tense Slack thread about whether Queenstown had become “too insight-adjacent.” Managing Partner Clive Hatherley said the team wanted to immerse themselves in “real purchase behaviour,” which in this case meant watching a dad negotiate one scoop versus two while holding a buzzing pager from Noodle Canteen. Staff were encouraged to document key learnings in a shared Google Doc titled Growth Vibes 2026 Final FINAL v3.
The day’s highlights included a keynote from the agency’s Head of Cultural Foresight, who presented a 42-slide deck on the strategic significance of mall seating configurations. “Circular tables suggest community,” she explained, gesturing toward a slightly sticky four-top near the bins. “Fixed benches communicate brand commitment.” The talk was briefly interrupted by a child dropping a lime thickshake, which the agency later described as “a live case study in fluid brand storytelling.”
Lantern & Vale confirmed the offsite has already resulted in two transformative shifts. First, all brainstorms will now be capped at 27 minutes, the average wait time for a butter chicken combo at peak. Second, the agency will refer to clients as “diners” to better reflect the shared table of collaboration. Early feedback from staff has been positive, with one senior account manager noting the experience felt “deeply strategic” and “significantly cheaper than Waiheke.” The agency is currently exploring Sylvia Park for Q3, pending availability near the sushi train.