Nikky Lee

Content writer, freelancer

New Zealand

I have worked for 10 years as a marketing and content writer in the business, tertiary, tourism and events sectors. I am a big fan of Plain English and enjoy communicating complex ideas to the everyday reader.

Prior to moving to New Zealand, I worked as a content writer for Curtin University marketing (servicing all five faculties). I also spent eight months on contract with Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) rewriting their website as part of their website revamp project.

I currently work as a communications and content specialist at Perceptive, one of New Zealand’s leading market research agencies, and have written for clients from a range of industries, including education, real estate, insurance, construction and sales.

In my free time, I write speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy and horror) and occasionally blog about life in the creative lane.

Portfolio

Awards

Perceptive
03/31/2023
Perceptive wins at 2023 REAWARDS

I was responsible for writing eight award entries (6 business and 2 individual) for this round of REAWARDS—ranging from 2,500 words to 500 words. These entries involved interviewing both client and business directors, reviewing research findings and bringing it all together showcase the effectiveness of the research and meet various award criteria. Perceptive won five business awards—four platinum and one gold—and had two junior researchers recognised as finalists in the Rising Star...

Perceptive
04/11/2021
Trifecta win at RAEAWARDS

I was involved in writing four award submissions for the 2021 RAEAWARDS—three of which won in their categories. These submissions involved numerous interviews with clients, account managers and data and research specialists to translate several years worth of research and results into 2,500 words for each submission. My article linked here goes into more detail about the winning submissions and was used as a press release that went out to various media including Stoppress, M+AD Daily,...

Whitepapers and Case Studies

Perceptive
11/03/2021
Burger King App Case Study | Data Science

A case study on how Perceptive used data science and app data to help Burger King: Identify its most valuable customers, segment customers according to their in-app behaviours, increase its average cheque by over 30 per cent, double the BK App's monthly sales, and grow app revenue by over 90 per cent.

Perceptive
03/08/2022
Salt | Voice of Customer and Employee Case Study

A case study on how Salt used Perceptive's Voice of Customer and Voice of Employee programmes to stay connected to their customers as they scaled, identify strengths and weaknesses in their customer and employee experiences, embed the Net Promoter Score across 15 office locations and give their employees a voice and encourage open dialogue between leadership and staff.

Perceptive
02/21/2022
Jaguar Land Rover | Brand Health Tracking Case Study

A case study on how Jaguar Land Rover used Perceptive's brand tracking to re-invent their marketing strategy, identify strengths and weaknesses in Jaguar Land Rover's brands, measure and track brand perception, brand equity and brand conversion across its two brands, and change up their marketing messaging and activities to revitalise their brands.

Perceptive
03/03/2021
Kotahi Case Study

A case study on how Kotahi reinvigorated their customer experience with a combined voice of customer and employee engagement programme with Perceptive.

Perceptive/Sapien
01/09/2020
Sapien-Sealord Case Study

Sealord has long been New Zealand’s number one brand for frozen and tinned fish. But in 2017, it became apparent that being number one in seafood was not enough. Discover how Sapien helped Sealord uncover the unconscious decisions their customers were making about their products and capitalise on them to take the wider protein market by storm.

Palliside
Palliside cladding system delivers an award-winning "chic" look

At a distance, one might be forgiven for thinking this Beachlands home is clad in timber weatherboard. But it's not. Those classic white weatherboards are in fact Palliside uPVC-and they've helped earn this beachside home Registered Master Builder House of the Year 2018 Silver Award.

Palliside
Palliside uPVC weatherboards deliver seamless home extension

When Ralf Fields brought his home in 2010, he had a vision: extend the Golflands villa to make room for an office for his architectural design business. The challenge: make the extension appear as if it was always part of the original home design-down to the Palliside weatherboard cladding used on the original build.

Customermonitor
01/18/2019
The CX flywheel: A customer experience strategy revolution

The CX flywheel represents a customer experience strategy revolution. Learn how to use your customers as your growth compass, eliminate customer friction and align your marketing, sales, services and HR teams for customer success.

Braveday
The right income protection "saved our lives" says Auckland musician

For the self-employed, prolonged illness can turn into a business disaster. A week off sick is manageable, but what if it was two years? Learn how the right income protection advice kept one Auckland musician's world from coming crashing down when his health took a turn for the worse.

Braveday
Once bitten, twice shy: why it pays to insure your tools of trade

Since the age of 17, Sam Israelson has worked in the trade industry: first as a qualified boat builder, before becoming a specialised builder at the head of his own business. In all that time, he never had an issue with theft. Unfortunately, his lucky streak didn't last.

Blogs and feature articles

NZ Herald
05/23/2022
See the sights and meet the quokkas in sunny Perth

Author Nikky Lee now lives in Auckland, but she always keeps a close eye on what's hot in her hometown of Perth. Aside from the fact it is Australia's sunniest state capital, averaging 8.8 hours of bright sunlight every day of the year, Perth is a playground for the active traveller.

Stuff
05/07/2022
Important reading and writing questions for young adult author Nikky Lee

Nikky Lee is an award winning young adult writer whose latest book, The Rarkyn's Familiar, was published as the result of a Twitter pitching competition, PitDark. Over 12 hours authors pitched manuscripts to agents and publishers - essentially jumping ahead of the slush pile. What prompted you to pitch on Twitter?

NZ Marketing Magazine
06/11/2021
The Limits of Loyalty

A ghost written thought leadership article. "Perceptive's Oliver Allen says there's a pervading theory that customer loyalty is a myth—that if it ever existed, it's gone the way of Blockbuster. But maybe it's just not for everyone or forever."

Customermonitor
The power of claimed versus actual behaviour

Know your customer. It has become a mantra for marketers around the world. To be competitive in today's marketplace, businesses need to stay relevant and understand the needs of their customers. And what better way to plump the depths of customer behaviour than to ask the customers themselves?

New Zealand Marketing Magazine
11/11/2020
Businesses Need to Reassess Their Customer Segments After Covid-19 - New Zealand Marketing Magazine

[A ghost written thought leadership article] Covid-19 has been a time for customers to step back and reconsider what really matters, both from a financial standpoint and from a values one. If you're relying on outdated customer segments - or worse, unverified assumptions - to guide your marketing, Rachael Weaver says you need to consider how those communications might land in the current climate.

Customermonitor
Data analytics provides certainty in a time of uncertainty

[Ghost written thought leadership article] COVID-19 has rocked the business world. Priorities have changed and consumer behaviours and attitudes have shifted. Business has slowed; budgets have tightened. The consensus: now is not the time for assumptions and ineffective spending. It's time for smart, evidence-based decisions. To survive the predicted post-COVID slump, businesses need data analytics and business intelligence to light the way.

Linkedin
03/03/2020
Businesses that embrace data science are set to come out ahead

[A ghostwritten thought leadership article] Data science has come ahead in leaps and bounds in the last decade. With the increase in technologies and computing power, algorithm designs have become more sophisticated, data infrastructure less costly, and the automation of many business functions suddenly viable.

InterVIEW Q4 December 2019, Research Association New Zealand
12/13/2019
Intelligence with Heart

A ghost written article that reflects on the evolution of market research in the last decade and where to from here.

Linkedin
Want better CX? Look at your employee experience (EX)

[Ghost written thought leadership article]. Customer Experience (CX) is the latest business buzzword-I hear it everywhere-and with good reason: by next year, it's set to overtake price, product and expertise as a key brand differentiator. But if you're only focusing on customer experience (CX), you could be short changing yourself.

News and Events | Curtin University
04/06/2016
Reaching for the red planet

A feature article to promote further interest in science and engineering after a public lecture from NASA engineer Dr Ravi Margasahayam.

News and Events | Curtin University
05/07/2015
I like big data and I cannot lie

Part 1 of a big data feature to promote Curtin's HIVE facility and the research being done in it.

News and Events | Curtin University
05/27/2015
Big data: big ideas at the helm

Part 2 of a big data feature to promote Curtin's HIVE facility and the research it involves.

Braveday
The top 7 cyber security risks for businesses in New Zealand

The number of cyber attacks has boomed in New Zealand. In Q1 of 2018 alone, there was a 34 per cent increase in incidents from the end of 2017. The victims? It's not just limited to individuals; small business is the target of 43 per cent of cybercrime.

Lodge
How to evaluate the Hamilton Property market

No matter whether you're looking to buy, sell or invest, it is essential to understand how your local real estate market is behaving. This online guide is designed to provide you with a starting point for your Hamilton property market research.

Perceptiveinbound
The way we sell needs to change: the emergence of millennial consumers

Millennials are the largest generation in history, out surpassing even the Baby Boomers. By 2020, they will make up 50 per cent of the global workforce and, as the first of the digital generations to move into their prime spending years, a different marketing approach is needed to get their attention.

Perceptiveinbound
Marketing automation software: the secret to saving time and money

Marketing automation takes away the time-consuming and repetitive tasks such as emails, social media and website management. It helps marketers reach audiences at the right time; allows them to transcend time zones and working hours and, on the whole, makes their marketing more efficient.

News and Events | Curtin University
08/18/2015
The man who hears colour

A feature to accompany a guest lecture from Neil Harbisson.

News and Events | Curtin University
07/17/2015
Power to the people

A two-part feature about the initiatives led by Curtin Sarawak to empower communities in the highlands of northern Sarawak on the island of Borneo.

AucklandNZ.com
10 things you can only do in Auckland

With an ultimate combination of vibrant cultures and natural wonders, here's 10 things that you can't see or do anywhere else but here.

News and Events | Curtin University
07/21/2015
Old traditions for a new market

Part 2 of a feature about the initiatives led by Curtin Sarawak to empower communities in the highlands of northern Sarawak on the island of Borneo.

News and Events | Curtin University
03/08/2016
Welcome to the future

A piece to promote Curtin's visualisation technology and interactive media course.

News and Events | Curtin University
09/17/2015
The food whisperers

A piece about two Curtin graduates who are giving Hong Kong food lovers something new to rave about.

News and Events | Curtin University
04/05/2016
8000 miles to Malta

An article about Curtin student, Natasha Howells, who is working as an executive assistant and public affairs officer for the Australian High Commission in Malta.

News and Events | Curtin University
01/27/2016
Memories cast in stone

A profile of one of Curtin's successful art graduates.

Advertorials and Sponsored Content

Nature Jobs: Spotlight on Australia
10/15/2015
A rising star in astronomy

An advertorial about Curtin's astronomy research for Nature Journal. This article required me to translate academic research papers about black holes into plain English. https://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/articles/10.1038/nj0465#curtin-university

The West Australian
09/22/2015
West Australian Newspaper Wrap - Entrepreneurship

A wrap-around cover for an issue of The West Australian newspaper. My articles were: - Why so Empty? - Schools turn on the green switch - The intellectual economy - Out of the tank.

The West Australian
West Australian Newspapers Wrap - Innovation

A wrap-around cover for an issue of The West Australian newspaper. My articles were: - Changing the game - Armour up for the cyber-world - Cosmic time machine - Power to the people - Fit for the future.

Web projects

The French Villa
The French Villa | Furniture & Homewares Store NZ

The French Villa is an Auckland-based specialty retailer of Hamptons, Coastal, French Country and Plantation style furniture and homewares. I provided the written content for the Our Story and the various furniture collection pages.

Aucklandnz.com
04/01/2017
ATEED web redevelopment project

ATEED web redevelopment project: This project involved working alongside the six branches of Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development (ATEED) to write and edit content for the new website of approximately 200 pages.

Tumblr
07/09/2015
Sculptures of Curtin

A copywriting job to develop content from the Curtin Artworks and Gardens Map for distribution on Tumblr and Curtin's social media channels.

Interactive content

Perceptive
COVID-19: Insights Tracker | Interactive Dashboard

A collaborative project between Perceptive's creative and research teams to generate weekly customer insights to help New Zealand businesses during COVID-19. Weekly updates were also send out to subscribers via email.

Print

Curtin University Faculty of Health Sciences
07/24/2014
Enhancing your future in health

A publication management job that involved copywriting, editing and print coordination of an eight-page brochure for the Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University. This brochure was awarded Gold in the 2014 PICA awards in the leaflets/folded leaflet category.

Curtin University
03/16/2016
Around the world, and beyond

A copywriting job for a four-page brochure to promote a public lecture from NASA engineer Dr Ravi Margasahayam.

2017 Health Sciences Undergraduate Guide for Domestic Students
03/03/2016
Health Sciences Undergraduate Course Guide

A publication management job for the Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University. This job involved copywriting, editing and liaising with designers and various stakeholders from across the university.

2017 Health Sciences Undergraduate Guide for International Students
03/15/2016
Health Sciences International Undergraduate Guide

A publication management job for the Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University. This job involved copywriting, editing and liaising with designers and various stakeholders from across the university.

2017 Health Sciences Postgraduate Guide
04/05/2016
Health Sciences Postgraduate Guide for Domestic Students

A publication management job for the Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University. This job involved copywriting, editing and liaising with designers and various stakeholders from across the university.

Video Scripts

Youtube
30/04/2014
Study Psychology at Curtin University

A video to help promote undergraduate studies in psychology. This job involved interviewing a current student of the course, writing the script and managing the film shoot.

Youtube
05/12/2014
The next big superfood? Lupin bread research at Curtin

Part of a video series to help promote postgraduate research at Curtin. This job involved interviewing PhD students about their research, writing up a script and running a film shoot with an external provider.

Youtube
06/12/2014
Study Nutrition at Curtin University

A video to help promote undergraduate studies in nutrition. This job involved interviewing a current student of the course, writing the script and managing the film shoot.

Social Media