An exclusive drop that helped combat the drop in census numbers.

The census is long, time-consuming and the very real benefits of completing it go largely uncommunicated. So, it’s no surprise that the 2023 census numbers were down. Whānau Ora approached us needing a way to connect to Māori and Pasifika Whānau who weren’t filling out the census. Many of whom were living in overlooked communities most in need of the resources that the census helps allocate - everything from street lights to healthcare.

Place has always played an important role in Māori culture, while this has become diluted in urban settings - we reasoned a connection to your suburb, had come to replace what would once have been a connection to your iwi. An idea seemingly enforced by the fact area codes had become a badge of pride across many parts of the country,  meant to represent who you are and where you’re from. 

So, in order to encourage people to complete the census, we drew on people’s sense of pride in their suburb. Creating a pop-up store with merch branded with local post codes. Merch that allowed you to rep your area not only now but into the future, in requiring you to first be counted in order to get your hands on it. Because, of course, that we didn’t want people’s money but a completed census form.