Rep Your Suburb

WHĀNAU ORA x SOUTHSIDES

Census turnout was lower than expected this year, particularly within Māori and Pasifika communities. This meant a lot of people weren’t being counted, and their suburbs weren’t being accurately represented as a result.

In Tāmaki Makaurau, area codes are a symbol where you’re from and who you are. So to connect people with their local pride, we created a bespoke pop-up store, decked out with exclusive merch for each area code — none of which were available or for sale anywhere else. The only way people could get a piece of gear and rep their suburb was by completing their Census form.

Throughout June, the mobile pop-up store roamed suburbs with area coded merchandise and Census assistance — taking it directly to the people.

We used the hype around streetwear culture, collectible items and exclusive drops to get people excited about the Census. And it worked - resulting in over 30,000 census forms completed.

Agency: Motion Sickness

Designer: Raphael Roake