New Nielsen Rural Survey Highlights Shifting Demographics And Media Habits Of New Zealand’s Agricultural Workforce

Auckland, 7 August, 2025: Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement and data analytics, has today released its latest Rural Survey, offering insights into the evolving composition, media consumption, and technology adoption trends within New Zealand’s rural workforce.

The survey reveals a sector in transition, with age emerging as a defining demographic characteristic. More than half of the population is now aged 55 or older - an ageing and powerful workforce that presents unique challenges and opportunities for brands, service providers, and policymakers.

Nielsen’s Head of Insights for Australia and New Zealand, Kirsten Riolo said: “This is not just a demographic observation - it’s a strategic signal. To effectively engage New Zealand’s rural workforce, organisations need to acknowledge the maturity and experience of this audience and tailor communications accordingly. That means integrating traditional media that retains trust, while harnessing digital platforms for immediacy and accessibility.”

The findings indicate that while modern personal devices are widely adopted among farmers, the use of dedicated smart farming (machine-to-machine or M2M) technology remains untapped. Two thirds of respondents reported using none of the listed M2M technologies, underscoring the importance of addressing connectivity gaps and offering support and services that bridges generational learning preferences.

Nielsen’s data also reveals a distinctive “hybrid media consumer” profile - a rural community that actively engages with both digital and traditional channels but uses each medium differently. Social media (46.0%) and websites (45.3%) dominate for discovering what’s new, while Rural Newspapers & Magazines (33.1%) and Television (31.7%) are rated highly for being trustworthy.

Helene Maurer, Nielsen’s NZ’s Director of Agencies and Advertisers added: “This hybrid behaviour means there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy. Effective marketing in the rural sector must blend immediacy with authority. Social and digital are great for announcements and product launches, but print and TV still carry weight when it comes to building credibility and trust.”

The Rural Survey also highlights the complexity of the rural customer journey, with preferred information sources varying widely depending on the type of purchase. This non-linear path to purchase reinforces the need for an integrated marketing approach that reflects both category dynamics and audience preferences.

As rural New Zealand continues to adapt to economic, technological, and generational change, Nielsen’s insights offer a valuable roadmap for brands looking to connect with one of the country’s most essential, yet evolving, workforces.

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