Te Herenga Waka needed two different but connected campaigns to recruit new undergraduate and postgraduate students, and a third campaign to reinforce the University’s reputation for high-quality research.
To attract Aotearoa New Zealand’s brightest and most creative students to study, Te Herenga Waka needed to stand out. It’s impossible to get cut-through in a crowded market when you look and sound the same as your competitors. To stand out in a competitive tertiary market, Te Herenga Waka needed a new way to reach their audiences and a fresh way to present themselves.
We looked closely at the words, imagery, and illustrations that Te Herenga Waka used. And we looked at how their competitors used language and visuals. And we found a new place for Te Herenga Waka to stand with a creative and poetic approach to words and illustrations.
We built on the existing campaign proposition (Where Do You Stand?) with the introduction of ‘Maranga ake ai’. 'Maranga’ is a call to rise up, to stand. It’s also the title of a song by pioneer Māori reggae band, Aotearoa. This song has a connection to the University as it was co-written by Te Herenga Waka alumni, The Honourable Justice Joe Williams, who also appears on vocals on the track.
We made words the hero of the undergraduate campaign — appropriate for a university in a city that’s been home to some of Aotearoa’s best and most-famous writers.
Alongside our words, a collection of illustrations by our in-house illustrator and another Te Herenga Waka alumni, Maraea Gourlay (Tühoe) conveys the creativity and diversity of the University and Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington.
