For the first time ever, Māori-influenced lettering is being used in Tourism New Zealand's campaign to attract international visitors.
The letters of the new typeface are carved from kauri timber. Photo: Tourism New Zealand
The ''100% Pure New Zealand" tourism promotion is in its sixteenth year and has been credited with increasing the number of visitors to Aotearoa.
Tourism New Zealand said after using hobbits and Middle Earth to help sell New Zealand, it was time to refresh the campaign and Māori influenced imagery was chosen.
Chief executive Kevin Bowler said his team worked in collaboration with Māori to develop a new typeface that will be used in the new marketing campaign called 'Pure Pākati'.
"We wanted our creative work to look unmistakably from New Zealand, so we called on the services of New Zealand typographer Kris Sowersby to design a font just for Tourism New Zealand.
"Once designed, we then asked carver and artist, Rangi Kipa, to carve the letters out of native kauri timber using traditional skills."
The wooden blocks were then inked, printed and digitised to create a distinct and original typeface and logo mark we're calling 'Pure Pākati'.
He said that over time the international tourism market would grow to recognise the typeface as connected with New Zealand.
The design will be used in all Tourism New Zealand activity including marketing, display advertising, for exhibitions, and for newzealand.com.