For Māori-owned, independent creative agency RUN, te reo Māori (the Māori language) is something they’re working on
every day. So to celebrate Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) this year they’re honouring the language by
doing something true to it’s origin - being an oral, not written language.
RUN are releasing a series of te reo vignettes, created to tautoko the language, drawing upon its roots as an oral
language, with a cool visual twist to capture viewers’ attention. The vignettes are focused in on a pair of floating
lips delivering kupu and kīwaha to the audience while explaining them in te reo Pākeha (English).
In previous, years RUN have renamed their agency ‘Oma’ during Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, and also created Māori language
posters to celebrate their whakapapa. The agency is positioned in the industry as a specialist agency across Māori and
Pasifika kaupapa, with a unique indigenous lens. Many of their clients are Māori and Pasifika organisations, or
businesses wanting to reach that audience.
RUN’s Kaiwhakahaere Matua, Raymond Otene McKay, is Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu and Waikato. He says, “we bring a real
authenticity to all the work we produce, aligning with taha Māori processes and true to the Te Ao Māori values of our
agency.”
Released across the week via the RUN agency social media channels, the six videos are true to the RUN aesthetic — using
bright colours and positive messages to celebrate te reo Māori.