Creative Communications with Māia

Effective communications are a priority for community organisations and other not-for-profits. 

This year, following the demand for our earlier communications webinars, we are inviting some of New Zealand’s exceptional communicators to share their insights and experience in creating outstanding communications.

Our first webinar featured Bee Stevenson, Mihi Blake (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngai Tuhoe, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Awa) and Tilly van Eeden from leading communications studio, Māia.

Co-founded in 2020 by Bee and Mihi, the communications mahi of Māia is focused around four pou: kaupapa Māori; causes; music and entertainment, and; conscious commerce. In 2023, Māia was part of a team which won a prestigious Public Relations Institute Gold Award for Government Relations and Public Affairs for the MindTheGap campaign. This important campaign raised awareness of gender-related and Māori and Pacific peoples’ pay equity issues.

In the webinar, Bee, Mihi and Tilly shared the Māia ‘conscious communications framework’ which guides the development of their communications plans and brand strategies. Bee and Tilly presented case studies of the MindTheGap campaign, and another example of their cause-related mahi, communications for Rare Disorders Month. Mihi’s kaupapa Māori case studies included supporting Ezra Hirawani and Ben Armstrong to build the profile of kaupapa Māori energy retailer Nau Mai Rā, an iwi resilience and vaccination campaign with Ngāti Kuri, and communications for M9, a series of events each of which brings nine Māori voices together to share ‘stories chosen to inspire, empower and entertain.’

Click below to access the webinar slide deck and watch the informative and inspiring presentation from the Māia team.

The Māia team are in the process of developing downloadable resources for social impact communications teams. If you’d be interested in hearing about these, or if you’d like a 1:1 kōrero, you can reach them at kiaora@maiastudio.co