Whare Creative and DDB Aotearoa launch Takitoru

Advertising agency DDB Aotearoa and kaupapa Māori agency Whare Creative have today announced a unique partnership that will see them working together under a new brand, Takitoru.

Takitoru will provide a full communications suite from strategic consultation to ideation, design and execution. It will offer existing and new clients the powerful combination of two award-winning creative teams utilising te ao Māori frameworks with the tautoko (support) of a joint workforce of 240.

After working together for 18 months, Whare Creative and DDB Aotearoa saw benefits in coming together to offer more value to clients.

Bridgette Tapsell, founder of Mount Maunganui-based Whare Creative says the partnership demonstrates DDB Aotearoa’s commitment to being a tangata tiriti/genuine ally to Māori and shows Whare Creative’s promise to its kaupapa to offer the world an indigenous, creative solution to pressing issues around equity and diversity, climate change, affordable housing and, most importantly, the hauora of its people.

“This world view has resonated with many non-Māori clients and has widened our scope of mahi and impact. For us this next step makes perfect sense,” add Tapsell.

CEO of DDB Aotearoa, Priya Patel says the partnership is a “meeting of minds, hearts, and wairua”.

“This model sees us join together to create a third entity, which will give us and our clients unexpected opportunities,” Patel says.

Tapsell maintains mana motuhake/ownership of her agency, and will continue to service existing clients, but the holding company behind Takitoru will have respected kaiārahi Rangi Ahipene, who works at Whare Creative, join as an equal partner.

“Whakareia tō kura ahurea Māori hei tauira mō te ao. We are thrilled to be entering into this partnership brand, to continue our vision of sharing our culture and values with the world,” says Ahipene.

He explains that Takitoru is a Māori word (noun) which means a group of three; the three being created from the combination of Whare Creative and DDB Aotearoa, that when twisted together like two strands of flax fibre (muka), create a third, much stronger fibre.

“The third aspect has its own magic and special quality, creating new stories and relationships that are only possible through our shared thinking and knowledge,” he says.

Patel said the arrangement will also see DDB utilise Whare Creative’s cultural uplift services, where employees will have access to te reo Māori and tikanga courses, and cultural development related directly to the media industry.

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