Mānuka Phuel NZ approached us to build a custom trailer and brand a new Amarok to support the launch of their new energy drink. Not only did we construct a larger-than-life Big Buzz supercan aboard a purpose-built trailer bed, we also partnered with Mānuka to assist with their setup as a headline sponsor for Synthony Festival 2025.

 

Mānuka Phuel is a New Zealand-made energy drink with all-natural caffeine, ginseng and guarana extract, and a hint of mānuka honey – no synthetic ingredients, no nasty aftertaste. The brand essence is about more than just selling a product. Co-creator Alex McDonald says, “Mānuka Phuel is inspired by music and the arts – things people turn to every day for a natural boost.” These are the kinds of clients we love to align with, who share our vision for injecting excitement, vibrance, and enthusiasm into everyday life.

 

The Mānuka Phuel brand has a unique identity, particularly with its primary colour: a chartreuse shade of yellow. In addition to the logo, signature graphic assets include the iconic Mānuka Phuel Bee and dynamic “energy waves.”

 

We became instrumental in the project management for the Synthony event – sourcing and branding a huge range of signage, graphics, merchandise, and giveaways to create an unforgettable experience for three tiers of VIPs. For guests, we designed, supplied, and printed wristbands, lanyards, tote bags, and gift boxes. Additionally, we imported 20,000 bright yellow glow sticks and sourced a large quantity of ponchos at the last minute when the weather started to look dodgy.

 

There were numerous branding opportunities, and we were enthused (yet under the pump) to come up with creative solutions for integrating the graphic assets. Tabletops, cushions, ice buckets, freestanding umbrellas, and glassware were all sourced and branded in-house. We arranged gobos with four custom Phuel designs for inside the VIP marquee and designed and imported eight fully inflatable Phuel cans ranging from two metres to six metres high for the outside areas. For signage, we coordinated various large digitally printed PVC banners and vinyl-cut floor and stair graphics. Finally, we printed a selection of logos, taglines, and icons that could be positioned during setup wherever needed.

 

One of the main features was the 2- and 3-bay fridges displaying their products. These were purchased second-hand from PAK’nSAVE, and we arranged Tutill Carriers to pick them up and deliver them to our workshop. There, we deep cleaned and refurbished the fridges before wrapping the entire carcasses in black vinyl. We digitally printed oversized Phuel cans and applied them to the glass sides, then ran tickertape-style logos and taglines across the front of the shelves, pulling the existing faces off and replacing them with new ACM panels. To give the fridges greater presence, we constructed fascia panels with vinyl-cut logos and secured them to the tops. We also fabricated a round, double-sided illuminated sign for the top of each fridge that could be disassembled for transport.

 

Mānuka Phuel commissioned Rachel Rush to create a stunning mural for a photo op. We built the frame to create a freestanding structure and added depth to the art with LED neon strip lighting that enhanced the energy waves around the bee. Finally, we cut and applied white Instagram logos to the floor in front to define the photo opportunity space.

 

The hero of the event was the ute and trailer showpiece, branded with bold Mānuka Phuel livery. The bed of the ute was kitted out with a freestanding DJ booth, built in-house. The roof is mounted on wind-up poles and carries stage LEDs and four sound-activated moving-head LED party lights. When lowered, the structure is housed inside the tray of the ute, and the poles are stored in the trailer. We designed and made a roadie case to carry a mixer and two turntables, which attaches to the roof structure when packed down and becomes an integral part of strengthening the deconstructed unit. The bee roundel remains proudly visible above the roof, even when stored.

 

For the Synthony event, we made a four-sided totem to sit on top of the ute for a social media call-to-action. This was constructed from folded ACM screwed to Multiboard at the base and weighted with a sandbag.

 

The trailer was purchased brand new from a retailer in Christchurch. We designed the graphic branding and the supercan, which is a showpiece to promote the Phuel product. Functionally, the trailer includes two large ice troughs for dispensing energy drinks, and the interior was fully modified to house the DJ equipment securely while travelling. The trailer refit and supercan construction were completed by Industrial Fibreglass Solutions in Timaru.

 

The supercan was constructed – matching our visual rendering – from a 25mm rolled aluminium internal frame, wrapped in a fibreglass sheet. We created a simplified version of the supplied can artwork for maximum visual impact, which we digitally printed and wrapped. The top and bottom of the can were formed from a fibreglass mould, shaped from custom wood using a 5D router jig. These were prepped and painted in silver 2-pot automotive paint and attached to the can’s internal frame.

 

The ute and trailer are designed to be set up at events, not just as a show-stopping branding exercise but also as a totally self-contained product dispenser and party machine. The DJ even has the ability to hop off the back of the ute, bolt the monitor to their back with a harness, and walk around the event as a mobile DJ unit — taking the party to the crowd.

 

We transported all elements to the Synthony event for setup, and the next morning we had a team of 12 people onsite to strip everything down and remove it from the site.