Woods said the team was delighted to be shortlisted for so many award categories during what had been a challenging year for businesses.
“This is a testament to our team's talent and the willingness of the businesses we work with. It also shows how successful the business environment is in the regions.
“Key to this success is our open and collaborative relationships with our awesome clients. This established trust allows the team to push boundaries and create outstanding work with real impact.”
While they have repackaged and rebranded a huge range of clients, they have always focused on doing good work in the economic development space, partnering with brands driving meaningful social and behavioural change in Aotearoa.
They have applied their creative talents to a company producing biodegradable baby wipes with natural ingredients, breweries including Gisborne's Sunshine, a health magazine, regional tertiary institutions, councils and food producers.
“Why not partner with them? It was a point of difference for us that everyone was looking outside the regions, so that was an opening for us,” Woods said.
“We're working with the bigger organisations that are either based in the regions and have a national presence, or have a product or service exporting internationally.
“The organisations that we've worked with on the projects in the finals are purpose- and impact-driven. These are the brands and the people that we love to work alongside. They share our aims to take action around culture, community, people, wellbeing and sustainability. We're setting out to use our creativity to be a catalyst for good, to build a better future for whanau and whenua.”
Some of the Woods Agency clients included in the awards entries this year include the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, whose colourful rebrand — the first in 30 years for the organisation — is a finalist in the Large Brand Identity and the Colour Award Graphics categories. The team created an inspirational, timeless brand reimagining the Kiwiana concepts central to the WBOPDC's original look, while adding a human dimension to link the organisation to the community.
Woods is particularly proud of the work the team put into branding for the Young Innovator Award (YIA), a finalist for both the Small Brand Identity and the Public Good Award.
“YIA is close to our hearts,” he said.
“We co-founded the programme 12 years ago to foster a culture of innovation among rangatahi in our region and remain major sponsors of the annual event.
“We were excited to have the chance to rebrand YIA for the first time since its inception. We wanted to reflect both the changing world our rangatahi are living in and the opportunities these changes create to express themselves through innovation.
“It's the icing on the cake to be placed in the finals for this type of mahi.”
The Woods team will have to wait until early October when the Best Design Awards are presented to find out if their eight finals placings evolve into category wins.
“Placing as the only finalists outside of the main centres is a huge honour. We'd love to take the win too, but we're just excited for our clients to see their brands come out on top of so many others throughout the country.
“Our strategy for Gisborne-Tairawhiti is to work and partner with businesses, helping attract and grow businesses. There's a need for our service, brand, content, strategy, advertising, and these bigger organisations need the services of a team — from a strategic perspective — that can deliver what they need. We have strategists, digital experts, marketers and graphic designers.”
Woods maintains an obvious love for Gisborne.
“All my best friends are there. It's the culture and lifestyle — we want to work with people we get along with. I don't want to drive to Auckland every day. It's that work-life balance.”
