The Work 2024 Contenders: RUN
Campaign Brief recognises and showcases the great work that is being produced in the region with The Work 2024 Contenders. Here is RUN’s Top Contender…
The Manaakitanga Pencil
RUN
Our indigenous Māori Chief Creative Officer became the target of anonymous, racist comments on industry blogs when it was announced he was judging the prestigious D&AD Awards – a privilege that until recently was only offered to those who had already won a D&AD Pencil. D&AD however had identified the lack of diversity among previous winners and had cast the net wider to include a broader range of perspectives.
So we turned that negativity into something positive, with the idea to ‘expand the space’ to indigenous peoples and other under-served communities, highlighting the importance of diversity.
‘Manaakitanga’ means to elevate another person or group’s prestige by showing them generous hospitality. We created a bespoke version of the famous Pencil to award back to D&AD for their much welcomed efforts in diversifying the judging pool.
Crafted from native mataī wood, the hand carved Pencil features the taratara ā Kai pattern most commonly used on pātaka kai (food storehouses) to symbolise a wealth of resources and hospitality.
It now sits on the front desk of D&AD’s London offices as a reminder that it is manaakitanga and inclusion that makes our creativity communities stronger.
The deadline for Campaign Brief’s The Work 2024 is Monday May 13. Entries are FREE with only an acceptance fee charged for those that make the cut. See full details and enter here… If your company has entered The Work and would like to showcase your Top 3, email ricki@campaignbrief.com.