Special secures major private‑equity boost to double staff and go global

Special, one of New Zealand’s top creative advertising agencies, has landed a major private‑equity investment from Waterman Capital to speed up its worldwide push. Waterman will become a significant shareholder, though the deal size and exact ownership share were not disclosed. Founder Tony Bradbourne called the partnership the biggest deal ever in New Zealand’s creative and marketing sector and said it will fund talent, technology, design, public‑relations and strategic consultancy growth. Special currently employs 342 people across eight offices – about 75 in New Zealand and locations in Los Angeles, New York, London and Tokyo – and aims to double that headcount to roughly 700 within five years, adding 30‑40 staff locally. The firm’s client roster includes Uber, Tourism New Zealand, DB Export and recent high‑profile work for Kiwibank’s Buck the sheep mascot. Bradbourne declined to discuss the exact financial terms, stressing the focus is on expansion rather than dollars. Waterman Capital executive director Jacques Venter described Special as a “compelling investment opportunity” citing its global footprint, talent pool and strong client relationships. The deal follows ten months of talks and comes after Special, founded in 2007 in a disused Kingsland movie‑theatre with three chairs and no clients, built a reputation for award‑winning work. The agency has won Campaign’s Global Creative Agency of the Year three times, Global Independent Agency of the Year in 2026 and AdAge Independent Agency of the Year. ## Context The investment runs counter to a wave of consolidation and cost‑cutting in the advertising industry, highlighting that New Zealand‑based creative firms can still attract large‑scale private‑equity backing to fuel growth.