Background
Marketing Impact Limited is a New Zealand-based marketing services firm that specialises in delivering smart, strategic communication programmes. With expertise in direct mail, email marketing, data management, and fulfilment, they help businesses engage customers and build loyalty at scale.
With a reputation built on consistency and quality, MIL works with a wide range of clients to deliver personalised, effective communication — across both print and digital channels. Their long-standing team and results-driven approach have made them a trusted partner for organisations seeking reliable, high-impact customer outreach.
The Challenge
As Marketing Impact began working with government agencies, and larger financial and commercial clients, security audits became more frequent and intense. The very first question in these engagements was increasingly the same: “Are you ISO 27001 certified?”
If the answer was yes, audits were quick and straightforward. If not, the business faced a burdensome process — draining internal resources and slowing down growth.
Leadership recognised this trend as more than a compliance hurdle; it was becoming a competitive battleground. Over two years, the cost of managing these growing requirements had already approached $600K — a figure many competitors wouldn’t be able to absorb.
There were four main drivers for change:
- Continuous improvement – Embed a culture of ongoing growth and risk management.
- Customer retention – Maintain trust and meet rising client expectations.
- Client acquisition – Turn infosec into a marketing and sales advantage.
- Peace of mind – Provide confidence to shareholders and stakeholders.
“It has been fantastic, we achieved ISO certification in 18 months, an unprecedented result. A credit to Lisa and our team working together to get the result.”
Alan Hard — Managing Director, Marketing Impact Limited
The Solution
Axenic was selected through a competitive tender process — not just for capability, but for chemistry. With a long-standing internal team (average tenure: 19 years), it was critical to find a partner who could fit seamlessly into the culture and work rhythm.
Axenic delivered a clear and achievable roadmap, led by their expert Lisa, who became a key driver of the programme. With 91 new security controls introduced, the organisation achieved ISO 27001 certification in just 18 months — an exceptional result.
The project was delivered within budget, without surprises, and supported by strong internal project management. Lisa is now embedded as Marketing Impact’s virtual CISO (vCISO), continuing to support and guide their ongoing security efforts.
The Results
Working with Axenic enabled MIL to:
- Achieved ISO 27001 certification in record time (18 months).
- Gained 6–7 major new business opportunities post-certification.
- Created a strong foundation for growth — with the potential to double in size over the next 12 months.
- Improved operational efficiency and internal confidence.
- Positioned ISO 27001 at the core of commercial operations.
- Maintained a seamless, trusted partnership through vCISO support.
“Being part of the MIL ISO journey as vCISO continues to be a very rewarding experience for me. I’m privileged to have had the opportunity to work alongside such a terrific team of people, who remain so focussed and committed to maintaining the high bar of assurance which has been adopted as their ‘new normal’.”
Lisa Zannino – vCISO, and Axenic Consulting Lead.
