Ocean Design

The team have been busy! Over the past 18 months we have been prototyping an exciting new tool which we are calling ‘the Atua Cards’. Today, we are proud to publish a positioning paper on these Atua Cards. This paper has been crafted by our Te Kaiwhakatere, Ria Hodges (Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāi Te Ruahikihiki, Kai Tahu) to complement the Atua cards that have been thoughtfully led by her, and developed under her guidance in our design studio. The primary intention of Ria’s paper is to explore the essential role of Māori indigenous traditions, specifically investigating how Atua cards serve as a culturally sensitive instrument in shaping organisational or brand identity. The paper offers an overview of our approach to creating the Atua cards and aims to be a valuable resource for those utilising the Atua cards and seeking insights into their intended purpose. It highlights the importance of a genuine effort to understand and appreciate the Māori point of view, urging readers to approach this content with good intentions. The paper is downloadable from Ocean’s website. The cards are still in development - so watch this space! https://lnkd.in/g6TN_GEY

Want to make change happen? Meet Digby Scott. A leadership expert whose practice is centred on developing bold future shapers, leaders and change-makers for interesting times. We recently redesigned Digby Scott’s visual identity. There is something genuinely special about working with a client who exudes passion and purpose. Digby’s energy is contagious and coupled with his down-to-earth charm, Digby is very much our ideal client. Digby’s brand is built from a te ao Māori insight: Ka uhia te maunga teitei ki te kohu. When a clarity of purpose emerges, change can happen. Digby’s new logo mark is simply type, yet it is slightly surprising, creating a deliberate visual tension that reflects his down-to-earth yet provocative style. The graphic pattern used as a design element speaks to Digby’s whakapapa: “Ko Gnaraloo te moana e mahea nei aku māharahara, I tipu ake ahau ki Ahitereiria ki te tāone o Dunsborough.” As Digby says, he is a boy from Dunsborough in Western Australia. The warmth in his palette comes from the earth of his native Australia. The blues from the ocean. Digby is a surfer, and a world traveller, so the ocean is incredibly important to him. Digby’s identity is authentic, dynamic and purposeful.

Building community is something we believe passionately about at Ocean. This month we hosted our first B Corp event, celebrating our certification and all things B Corp. Our event ‘This Way Forward’ was our contribution to the global ‘B Corp month’. We promised our manuhiri an Ocean twist and so it was fun to surprise them with crayons on a Thursday evening! Featuring a panel of leaders from Method Recycling, Runn, and Write Limited, we discussed the certification process, good business practices, and how to drive sustainable progress. Guests expressed themselves through drawing, notes, diagrams, quotes, and questions creating a buzz of creativity. Thanks to all who joined us – you made it such a cool event. Stay tuned for ways to share this experience with the wider B Corp community. And as Blair said, "if we can change business, we can change the world". This is a challenge that we're committed to. Will you join us? B Lab Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand #bcorp #community #poneke

He iti kōpara kai te rerere ana i runga i te puhi o te kahika Although the bellbird is small it flies to the crown of the white pine This whakataukī reminds us that achievement is not the result of stature and even a person of humble station can attain success. In 2022, we changed our company constitution and adopted a new purpose statement.  Ocean’s constitution is now firmly based on having a positive impact on society and the environment and being committed to upholding the values and principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We recognise Māori as Tāngata Whenua and work in the spirit of cooperation and partnership as defined in Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Find out more https://lnkd.in/gKJEMf3A

Age and expertise is pretty hard to beat. And it’s pretty valuable when you’re facing change. Ocean partner, Blair Mainwaring has teamed up with a former Ocean colleague, Aaron White and together they have created a bespoke service for leaders facing organisational change. Blair has described it as being a combination of Aaron’s smarts and his (Blair’s) good looks. We happen to think they’re both pretty clever. They’ve put their thoughts down in a concise blog post that you can read here: https://lnkd.in/gKHW8QkT We recommend checking it out - esp if you’re needing to lead change and need help to craft a story that galvanizes your organisation. #Leadership #ChangeManagement #Storytelling

What the actual B Corp? B Corp measures a company’s entire social and environmental impact. In short: it’s very comprehensive! So it makes sense that the process of getting B Corp certification is a rigorous process of answering questions and showing proof. And being verified. But it’s 100 percent worth it. To inform their assessment, B Lab focus on five key areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers. Ocean’s B Keeper Charlotte Mason (we borrowed this term from our friends at Sharesies) gave us her top three insights about the certification process: Ask for help - The B Corp community is amazingly friendly and willing to help. Simply by picking up the phone we received insightful help from Lee, the B Keeper at Method which was invaluable in navigating the B Corp  Settle in for the long haul - There’s no disguising it. The Certification process takes time and effort. Because it is so thorough, it is a rigorous process and there are really no shortcuts. Duo’s work best - We found having two team members committed to the process worked well. They were able to work together and divide an conquer the questions - and were able to support each other. #Thiswayforward #BCorpmonth2024

What does B Corp certification mean for Ocean? Te oranga o te tāngata, he whenua, he moana  Our wellbeing is drawn from the land and the sea At Ocean, we’ve always believed our work should create a positive impact. For tāngata (people), for whenua (land), for te taiao (nature). B Corp certification was a long-term goal of ours. Not because it marks a shift, but because it reflects our whakapapa as an organisation and where we’re heading in the future. And becoming a B Corp is tangible proof of the effort we take to ensure that we’re acting in the most responsible way possible. We attained a 85.4 rating score across the five B Corp assessment criteria:  governance, workers, community, environment and customers. This is a good start but we have lots of ways we can continue to improve our business. Find out more https://lnkd.in/gKJEMf3A #bcorpmonth B Lab Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand

Te ara ki mua tēnei - This way forward Ocean is celebrating B Corp Month with an event next week… 5pm, Thursday 14th March. Come listen, learn and be inspired by three iconic Wellington B Corp leaders. Our speakers are: ✍️ Anne-Marie Chisnall, Deputy Chief Executive at Write. 🗑️ Steven Korner, CEO & Founder at Method Recycling. 🏃♀️Clare Everett, People Experience Specialist at Runn. The event will be an interactive, creative experience … but tickets are very limited so you’ll need to get in VERY quick. #bcorpmonth

This month is B Corp month. And as proud B Corpers we want to share our passion for this world changing global network of ‘good’ businesses.  Ocean gained our B Corp certification last year. Becoming a B Corp was a long-term goal of ours and we’ve been absolutely delighted to join the community of other B Corp brands and organisations both here in Aotearoa and around the globe — including some of our amazing B Corp certified clients including Sharesies Method Recycling Kin Maynard Marks and Springload Te Pipītanga 
Over the next three weeks we will be sharing more about what becoming a B Corp means … hopefully encouraging many other like-minded businesses to come onboard! Find out more https://lnkd.in/gKJEMf3A #bcorpmonth B Lab Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand

Our Junior Designer at Ocean Design, Amrita Marks, has been reflecting on her brief career at Ocean, and she has five pieces of advice for a young designer starting out on their first agency gig. We thought it was pretty insightful so thought we’d share. If you have a young creative in your team, then this may also provide you with some insight on how to help them flourish and develop. Amrita’s top tips are: Seek feedback - Senior designers don’t expect work to be polished straight away. Communicate what stage you’re at in the process, and what you’re specifically seeking feedback on. The more you can connect with people in the industry, the more you’ll learn. A different perspective is priceless. Your portfolio isn’t everything - It’s important, but your design eye will sharpen with experience. Excitement and passion doesn’t go unnoticed so stay curious. Make time for inspiration - Creativity comes from inspiration. Feel too busy to go for that run? I bet the break will unlock an idea. Make time for hobbies and your work will thank you for it. You learn more after university - You might think you know how to use InDesign, but you’ll see your Creative Director move some text and realise you’ve been doing it the hard way. Don’t get complacent – the more you learn, the more you can focus on the good stuff. Every project is different - You’ll learn more with every project, but be careful about making assumptions just because you’ve done this before. Every client has an individual purpose and should be taken on their own journey. Stay open. Amrita is an emerging rock star, and we are so thrilled she is part of our Ocean tīma!