A Tohu Full of Meaning.

- Oranga Tamaiki | Ministry for Children -

Working with tamariki, to create a brand for tamariki

The Ministry for Children, Oranga Tamariki was formed in 2017, to ensure the welfare of New Zealand's most at-risk tamariki. A symbol and brand identity was needed that would resonate deeply with young people. Instead of imposing our ideas of what the brand and behaviours should be, we worked with the Ministry and Te Whānau Aroha, a Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) made up of care-experienced young people. Teenagers who had experienced the system first-hand became an essential sounding-board, ensuring our creative approach was underlined by a reality that simply couldn’t be argued with.

The resulting identity isn’t just a tohu (mark) that Ministry staff, caregivers, parents and social workers could feel comfortable being associated with. It’s a brand for youth: young and energetic, brave, fresh and colourful. More than just a logo, the result represents our tamariki in both mind and spirit. A tohu, full of meaning.