Spark helps Kiwis find Matariki all around them in latest Kupu campaign via Colenso BBDO

Kupu, Spark’s te reo Māori translation app, gets a refresh in time for Matariki via agency Colenso BBDO. The app, which launched in 2018, translates the world around you into te reo Māori with a photo. This year, it reveals nine Matariki stars in objects found in your home, backyard or neighbourhood.

The campaign, in guidance with renowned Māori astronomer Dr Rangi Matamua (Tūhoe), is designed to help New Zealanders better understand the intrinsic connection between Māori astronomy and the physical world.

For the month of July, New Zealanders can find Matariki stars hiding in plain sight by taking a photo in Kupu. Once a star is found, audio of its origin story can be played in either te reo Māori or English.

It’s a clever marriage between previous campaigns, Kupu, the te reo Māori translation app, and 0800 Matariki, a suite of nine audio stories – one for each star in the cluster – rich in folklore and voiced by prominent Kiwi orators.

Says Spark Māori Development Lead, Riki Hollings (Ngāti Ranginui): “We’re honoured to bring these nine Matariki stories to life in a new way by uniting them with Kupu this year. By utilising Augmented Reality (AR) anyone with the Kupu app can learn more about Matariki in the world around them. Taking everyday objects and connecting them with the origins of Matariki is hopefully going to be a special learning experience for many Kiwis.

“We see Māori culture as unique to us and something we want to celebrate and share as a New Zealand business. It is so humbling to have the opportunity to work with Dr Rangi Matamua on this campaign — to ensure we’re guided in the right direction in this space and so our tamariki are learning the stories that were passed down through generations.

Says Dan Wright, Group Executive Creative Director at Colenso: “We launched Kupu in 2018 to make it easier for New Zealanders to learn a little te reo Māori every day. And now we’re incredibly excited to use it to help share the amazing stories of the Matariki stars. These stories hold enormous value as part of what makes New Zealand special and it’s a privilege to help more Kiwis reconnect with them during Matariki.”

View the campaign on Spark’s Facebook page

You can download or update the Kupu app on the App Store or Google Play and learn how to find Matariki stars all around you, and hear the stories.

Client: Spark
Client: Caitlin Hayns, Social Brand Partner
Client: Riki Hollings, Māori Development Lead
Creative Agency: Colenso BBDO, Auckland
Media Agency: Spark and PHD Media
Any other partners: Dr Rangi Matamua