Aligning multiple Trans-Tasman government agencies to develop a shared brand story

New Zealand Story & MFAT — Strategy

With the advent of the 40th anniversary of New Zealand-Australia Closer Economic Relations (CER) and other trade relationships with Australia, several initiatives were planned to celebrate on both sides of the Tasman. We worked with New Zealand Story to navigate the process of developing a shared brand identity for both Australia and New Zealand government agency events; including New Zealand Story, Ministry Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT), New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE), Tourism New Zealand (TNZ), Te Puni Kōkiri (TPK), Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC), and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT). Critical to this identity was how it was developed; in particular the management and navigation of stakeholder expectations throughout the conceptual journey, ensuring the final identity was acceptable on both sides of the Tasman.

The starting point

We began by working with a stakeholder group gathered from a number of Trans-Tasman agencies involved in the project.

Our core objective was to develop an overarching brand and visual identity that supported a programme of activities that spoke to the success, value and future vision of the relationship between our countries – a gold standard internationally.

Engaging Ghost's Te Ao Māori creative partner to create a series of whakataukī allowed us to start to explore different creative territories that could apply to both countries. As government agencies on both sides of the Tasman would apply the branding to their own promotional work, we needed to ensure adaptability across different activities.

Carefully crafted whakataukī were used as starting points, with a range of broad themes created to conceptually work on both sides of the Tasman.

Creative Process

Using a whakataukī as the starting point allowed for a rich metaphorical territory to kick-start our process. Our explorations needed to be broad enough to ensure inclusivity across both countries, with concepts working for everyone, including Māori and the First Nations Peoples of Australia.

After exploring where the most fertile creative ground could lead us, we presented our directions to a quorum of the working group. Through a process of consensus, two territories were selected for further exploration.

Bringing it to life through activation

Part of the brief required us to explore ways in which the two selected directions could be activated visually.

We had fun with this! We wanted to acknowledge the shared aspects of our cultures and looked to create events that highlighted the unique elements we share as countries that make up our identity.

Ideas to ignite and expand on how events came to life became really important in building Trans-Tasman activation for the celebration, whether it was our commonalities or combining things we share as different nations.

The final direction

Through the process of working alongside the stakeholder group from New Zealand Story, MFAT, NZTE, TNZ, TPK, DPMC and DFAT, an entity name and vision statement was selected; the night skies we share, and how we are uniquely bound by a set of common values.

The night sky & stars are both aspirational and metaphorical, while also speaking to our combined histories. Both indigenous peoples and settlers have used them for navigation, myth and story telling, with stars seen to convey hope and vision for the future.

The entity name & statement was further crafted into the final concept and accompanying assets; Forward Together, Celebrating the bonds that guide us.

Fleshing out the solution

Our deliverables included a final phase of work which required the output of a series of adaptable assets that could be easily distributed among Trans-Tasman agency groups.

We developed different output formats of the visual properties and marks so they could work in various spaces.

We created a series of elements with a high degree of flexibility, ensuring simple application for brand consistency.

The brand became the centerpiece for all media events on both sides of the Tasman during the campaign period of several months.

Unique templates covering a variety of application instances were supplied.

Collaborating with a partner who understood the importance of stakeholder dynamics on both sides of the Tasman was invaluable for this important project.

Amy Knightley

Director of Marketing & Communications, New Zealand Story

Key value delivered

Ghost and the New Zealand Story team collaborated closely to navigate several stakeholder relationships, while remaining mindful of political and cultural challenges and delivering flexible high-level design solutions.