Our brief was to create an entirely new brand to represent the National Wallaby Eradication Programme, an extension of the National Pest Management Programme initiated by Biosecurity New Zealand. We were faced with the challenge of creating an identity that embodied the ambition of the programme, whilst also engaging the public on a tough topic. Tipu Mātoro | Wallaby-free Aotearoa is not only a call to eradicate wallabies, but also to empower action and restore our land.
We worked on
- Brand strategy
- Illustration
- Brand identity
- Print design
Process
The Tipu Mātoro | Wallaby-free Aotearoa identity was created following an extension of the collaborative engagement strategy we used at MPI during the Tiakina Kauri | Kauri Protection rebrand (see here). This process included three comprehensive discovery workshops, including an Iwi engagement hui led by Atawhai Tibble. We also collaborated with Ben Thomason, an award-winning Māori designer and moko artist to weave contemporary Māori values into the new brand.
The brand
Inspired by fundamental elements of toi whakairo (Māori art of carving) we used light and shadow to convey the vulnerability of the plants in our landscapes – a natural consequence of grazing pests like wallabies. We used koru to represent the process of growth, each cast in shadow to show that at every stage in the cycle there is a chance that growth may be hindered by wallabies and continue to permanently devastate our landscapes.
We also used the Māori design element of niho taniwha (teeth) to symbolise strength, leadership, and resilience – all values demonstrated by the programme.
