Waitapu Group wins Ministry of Education pitch

AUCKLAND, Wednesday: After a competitive pitch, the Ministry of Education ELSA Education Workforce Team has chosen Stanley St (Waitapu Group) as the marketing partner to handle their account. The incumbent was VMLY&R.

“This win is significant for our group, for a number of reasons,” ssaidays Greg Partington, shareholder of the Waitapu Group, in a widely distributed email.

“Firstly, to be awarded such an important body of work speaks to the calibre of the people on the team who are all passionate about the opportunities to support teachers and learners in both English and Māori mediums. This will be an important part of the future for all of Aotearoa.

“As marketing partner, the Waitapu Group will work with the ministry to co-design innovative and culturally-driven strategic communications that will stimulate interest and attract a new generation of teachers and kaiako into the workforce, creating a better future for all learners and ākonga in Aotearoa. This programme is intended to run over two years.

“Stanley St Wellington’s Aaron White, and Rutherford Consulting ceo Eamon O’Rourke acknowledged the win as a career highlight.”

“The purpose of creating the Waitapu Group was in recognition of the growing need to be responsive to clients beyond the traditional brief answered by an advertising agency. The strength of the Waitapu Group – including Stanley St, Tātou and Rutherford Consulting – came to the fore, with a unique proposition and approach that drew upon cultural intelligence, human-centred design and advertising expertise, the specialisms that sits within the three different business units.”

Tātou ceo Skye Kimura said: “Collaborating on this response is very much the way Tātou works with clients, and joining forces with our Waitapu colleagues added another dimension to the solution, nā tō rourou, nā tōku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi, bringing a true collaborative approach.”

Stanley St Wellington’s Aaron White, and Rutherford Consulting ceo Eamon O’Rourke acknowledged the win as a career highlight, supporting such a critical step change in education.

“The win comes off the strategic decision to move away from the one-dimensional approach of an advertising agency, and we’re delighted to be able to use the group’s wide-ranging mix of skills on this important account,” says Partington.