Kia Ora, DDB Aotearoa

AUCKLAND, Today: DDB NZ has changed its name to DDB Aotearoa – a meaningful signal in the context of New Zealand society in the 2020s.

DDB Group Aotearoa ceo Justin Mowday said: “As we mark the end of Mahuru Māori, Tāmaki Makaurau hapū, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, today laid a wero to local businesses.

“The hapū’s Aotearoa Oha initiative encourages businesses and individuals to embrace Te Ao Māori by incorporating reo and tikanga in tangible ways in their lives and business.

“DDB Group New Zealand has committed to joining Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and other partners – including Vodafone Aotearoa – and this applies across the group of agencies, encompassing DDB Aotearoa, Track Aotearoa, Mango Aotearoa and Tribal Aotearoa.

Mowday says the agency is on a journey and this gesture is an important step in the haerenga.

“When we moved into our new DDB whare early last year, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei kaumatua honoured us by blessing the building and giving us a real sense of context and grounding on this whenua.

“It’s galvanised our resolve to not just be passengers on the journey to creating an Aotearoa more embracing of Te Ao Māori – we want to be actively involved in making it a reality, sooner.”

“It was a good reset for us and galvanised our resolve to not just be passengers on the journey to creating an Aotearoa more embracing of Te Ao Māori – we want to be actively involved in making it a reality, sooner.”

Head of culture and external relations at Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa, Anahera Rawiri, says she’s thrilled to have DDB Group Aotearoa support this kaupapa.

“It’s really meaningful to have a business like DDB Group Aotearoa tautoko what we are doing.

Agencies like DDB play a key role in shaping the kōrero that determines how we as people of Aotearoa see ourselves. It’s exciting to see businesses like this embrace our reo and our tikanga and embed it both in their organisations and in the messages they put out to the public.”

DDB Group Aotearoa people experience director Karen Sew Hoy says she’s excited to see the business on this journey.

“I have to acknowledge the fantastic work of our DDB Group Aotearoa cultural committee who have throughout Mahuru Māori and the entire year provided resources, opportunities and experiences to enrich the cultural environment of our agency.

“We’re at the beginning of our journey, but we’re very clear on where we want to be.”

• ngatiwhatuaorakei.com/oha