As one of New Zealand’s most progressive councils, the Western Bay of Plenty’s identity – designed in 1989 – was out of touch with where they wanted to go. We partnered with them on their first proper brand redesign in over 30 years.
A brand to inspire
The new brand had two key deliverables: to show the community that the council is here to enable them to do great things; and to inspire the council team by highlighting the impact their work has on local people.
A human face
Throughout Aotearoa, council brands are functional and corporate. This brand humanises the organisation – focusing on the people behind the council and how they are just like the communities they serve.
Modern Kiwiana
One big challenge was evolving the Kiwiana theme that resonated so much with the previous identity. We explored the essence of Kiwiana, and how it could express itself in many ways, including photography, colour, tone of voice and illustration.
Timeless and flexible identity
The new brand reflects a modern, progressive council, pairing a dynamic logo with a colourful palette, flexible illustration mural, and a simple ‘For our …’ storytelling device. The result is a brand that is timeless, simple and (most importantly) human.
