Brand Design
For the Indigenous-led ocean conservation initiative and climate startup, Hinemoana Halo
This branding was inspired by the essence of Hinemoana, the Māori ocean goddess and mother of all marine life.
I designed a variety of assets and documents used in various settings including COP27 and 28, the Arctic Circle Assembly 2023 and the United Nations General Assembly.
© Hinemoana Halo, Arctic Circle, RNZ
Logo
The symbols below were combined in the logo design to emulate the essence of Hinemoana and her sacred relationship with the ocean.
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The smooth koru (coil/spiral) represents the waves and currents, as well as the peaceful connection between the ocean and Hinemoana.
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The other key shape is the crescent moon, as it too has a vital role in this union. It influences the tides and represents an important aspect of Hinemoana’s sacred feminine essence.
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To symbolise a halo, the logo was designed in the shape of a circle. Hinemoana’s face is placed in front of the crescent moon where the moon’s halo would be beaming.
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Hinemoana is depicted as a beautiful and peaceful Māori Polynesian woman, to communicate the cultural relevance and sacred feminine essence of Hinemoana. The waves in her hair were also inspired by deep sea kelp.
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The shapes of the koru and wahine depict a hōngi between the ocean and Hinemoana, to show their spiritual connection and to invigorate a sense of union for the viewer to also feel part of.
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The contrast between the bold koru and fine lines of Hinemoana’s outline represent the power of the ocean and nature alongside the delicate and now fragile ecosystems. This juxtaposition shows how the might of the ocean must be respected, but Hinemoana must also be cared for and protected.
ICONS
Each icon was inspired by a Polynesian taonga (keystone) species from the Pacific ocean. It was important that the designs captured the essence of each species, whilst representing a fusion of aesthetics from across Polynesia.
SIGNS
These signs have been used at a variety of conferences including COP27 and the Arctic Circle Assembly 2023.
Infographic
This infographic illustrates the 'reef to ridges' concept and gives an overview of the native flora and fauna that belong to the Aotearoa New Zealand Ocean/Coastal ecosystems. It was made through a blend of graphic design, digital painting, photo manipulation and Adobe's Photoshop generative AI.
Documents
Here are a few of the various documents that have been designed for Hinemoana Halo. A range of forms, booklets, invites and presentations were made for both internal and/or external use.
Blueprint
The Hinemoana Halo Blueprint was the first prospectus I designed for the project using photography and illustrations of Indigenous tāonga (keystone) species.
Prospectus
The current Hinemoana Halo Prospectus contains an outline of the project's vision, objectives and investment proposal.
PASSPORT
This concept was designed to support the proposal that was presented at the United Nations General Assembly "to endorse the whales as Ocean Ambassadors to the United Nations and to protect their legal personhood."
RESOLUTION
This resolution was presented to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on the 17th of September 2023 and was signed by the Māori King and Iwi partners.
Presentations
This is a short presentation template I designed. Other longer presentations were also designed for meetings and conferences.
INVITES
Here is one of the invites I made. This one was for the Hinemoana Halo Ocean Summit in Tūranganui-A-Kiwa Gisborne, Aotearoa New Zealand in 2023, where the H20 Fund was established.
POSTER
This poster was designed to be used for various purposes including as a film poster and document cover. The image represents the moana or spirit of the ocean rising and lifting up the young as a symbol of supporting future generations. The Māori design shows the spirit of the ocean in the form of a crescent wave, thereby also honouring the moon’s connection to marine life.
It was made through a blend of graphic design, digital painting, photo manipulation and illustration.
