BNZ
Client
BNZ
Year
2021 - 2024
Summary
Embedding te ao Māori within a national banking brand — shaping how BNZ expresses itself across product, language, and customer experience.
Working across strategy, design development, and creative direction, I supported BNZ’s shift toward a more culturally grounded brand and customer experience.
This included:
Contributing to brand and design exploration across key platforms
Supporting the integration of te reo Māori within products and communications
Developing campaign work aligned to seasonal and cultural moments
Working across internal teams and partners to align intent with delivery
Working across strategy, design development, and creative direction, I supported BNZ’s shift toward a more culturally grounded brand and customer experience.
This included:
Contributing to brand and design exploration across key platforms
Supporting the integration of te reo Māori within products and communications
Developing campaign work aligned to seasonal and cultural moments
Working across internal teams and partners to align intent with delivery
The work focused on integrating te ao Māori into the brand in ways that were practical, considered, and scalable.
This included:
Brand and Design Development
Contributing to exploration and rollout across platforms such as Aurora and Let’s Find a Way — shaping how the brand expressed itself across visual systems and customer touchpoints.Language and Accessibility
Supporting Let’s Ako — enabling banking experiences and communications in te reo Māori, expanding accessibility and cultural relevance.Campaign and Cultural Moments
Developing Matariki-led campaign work, including radio and national media — embedding seasonal storytelling within a commercial context.Internal Alignment
Working across teams to ensure that cultural direction was understood, supported, and carried through into delivery — not isolated within a single campaign.
The focus was on integration — ensuring the work was not added on, but built into how the brand operates.
The work focused on integrating te ao Māori into the brand in ways that were practical, considered, and scalable.
This included:
Brand and Design Development
Contributing to exploration and rollout across platforms such as Aurora and Let’s Find a Way — shaping how the brand expressed itself across visual systems and customer touchpoints.Language and Accessibility
Supporting Let’s Ako — enabling banking experiences and communications in te reo Māori, expanding accessibility and cultural relevance.Campaign and Cultural Moments
Developing Matariki-led campaign work, including radio and national media — embedding seasonal storytelling within a commercial context.Internal Alignment
Working across teams to ensure that cultural direction was understood, supported, and carried through into delivery — not isolated within a single campaign.
The focus was on integration — ensuring the work was not added on, but built into how the brand operates.
Outcomes
The work contributed to a shift in how BNZ engages with culture, language, and identity:
Increased visibility and use of te reo Māori within customer-facing experiences
Stronger alignment between brand expression and cultural context
Development of campaigns that reflect Aotearoa’s seasonal and cultural rhythms
Improved internal capability and confidence in working with te ao Māori
Rather than a single output, the result is a system that continues to evolve — shaping how the brand communicates and connects over time.
Cultural and Strategic Shift
This work demonstrates how large organisations can move beyond symbolic inclusion toward embedded cultural practice.
It shows that:
cultural grounding can sit alongside commercial objectives
language and identity can be integrated into everyday systems
meaningful change requires internal alignment, not just external messaging
The shift is not just in what is seen — but in how decisions are made and carried through the organisation.
The work continues to influence how BNZ expresses itself — building a brand that reflects the place it operates within, and the people it serves.
Outcomes
The work contributed to a shift in how BNZ engages with culture, language, and identity:
Increased visibility and use of te reo Māori within customer-facing experiences
Stronger alignment between brand expression and cultural context
Development of campaigns that reflect Aotearoa’s seasonal and cultural rhythms
Improved internal capability and confidence in working with te ao Māori
Rather than a single output, the result is a system that continues to evolve — shaping how the brand communicates and connects over time.
Cultural and Strategic Shift
This work demonstrates how large organisations can move beyond symbolic inclusion toward embedded cultural practice.
It shows that:
cultural grounding can sit alongside commercial objectives
language and identity can be integrated into everyday systems
meaningful change requires internal alignment, not just external messaging
The shift is not just in what is seen — but in how decisions are made and carried through the organisation.
The work continues to influence how BNZ expresses itself — building a brand that reflects the place it operates within, and the people it serves.
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