Hoea tō Waka Strength in Aotearoa

BrandGuidelines

Created by Jamie Wilson Version 1.0 2026

Hoea tō Waka

Strength in Aotearoa BRAND GUIDELINE
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Created by Jamie Wilson Version 1.0 2026

Brand Overview

Hoea tō Waka is a resilience brand rooted in Aotearoa. The identity needs to feel calm, practical, human, and strong enough to carry across workshops, digital touchpoints, and printed material without losing warmth.

Brand Name

Hoea tō Waka

Brand Line

Strength in Aotearoa

Vision

To see stronger, more resilient people, teams, and communities across Aotearoa.

Mission

To deliver practical, culturally grounded resilience training, coaching, and resources that help people move through challenge with clarity and direction.

Created by Jamie Wilson Version 1.0 2026

Logo

Logo Backgrounds

The Hoea tō Waka mark is designed to stay clear across dark, light, and muted surfaces. Always use the version that gives the strongest contrast and preserves the wahine form, wordmark, and overall integrity of the logo.

Hoea tō Waka white logo on dark navy
Hoea tō Waka black logo on soft gray
Hoea tō Waka logo on white
Hoea tō Waka white logo on ocean blue
Hoea tō Waka white logo on cobalt blue
Hoea tō Waka white logo on deep ink blue
Hoea tō Waka white logo on graphite gray
Hoea tō Waka black logo on cloud white
Hoea tō Waka logo on mist gradient
Created by Jamie Wilson Version 1.0 2026

Palette

Colours

The palette balances deep coastal blues, cool water tones, and grounded support colours. Together they keep the system calm, clear, and recognisable across print and digital use.

Primary

Primary Colours

Deep Harbour Blue

#24486F

Open Sky Blue

#A3D9F6

Mulberry Tide

#985B84 / #743F64

Greenstone Current

#2E8C79

Secondary

Secondary Colours

Cloud Foam

#FFFFFF

Sea Mist

#F2F2F2

Ink Depth

#111111

Drift Grey

#605E5E

Pearl Wake

#E7EEF2

Created by Jamie Wilson Version 1.0 2026

Typography

Typeface

Crimson Text

Crimson Text is the editorial voice of the system. It carries the more reflective, grounded tone of the brand and is reserved for hero moments, section headings, and signature statements.

Its contrast and rhythm give the identity a more human presence without feeling ornate or ceremonial.

Primary display family

Crimson Text

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

0123456789 & ? ! , . / ( )

Hoea tō Waka

Typeface

Manrope

Body and Interface Typography

Manrope is the working typeface used for body copy, interface labels, navigation, and practical information. It keeps the system crisp, modern, and readable across print and digital layouts.

The family supports clear hierarchy without losing the calm and approachable tone of the wider identity.

Supporting family

Manrope

Strength in Aotearoa

Headline / Manrope 800

Practical clarity for real-world resilience work.

Subheading / Manrope 700

Built for guidance, structure, and easy scanning across digital touchpoints.

Body / Manrope 400

Hoea tō Waka uses Manrope for paragraphs, labels, and supporting information so content remains accessible, contemporary, and efficient to read.

Hoea tō Waka Brand Guidelines Supporting Typeface / 03B
Created by Jamie Wilson Version 1.0 2026

Mockups

Mockups help test the identity in real-world settings. These examples show the logo holding up across apparel, drinkware, accessories, and smaller branded items, staying bold, legible, and confident in both high-contrast and more natural product contexts.

Blue Hoea tō Waka t-shirt mockup
Hoea tō Waka travel mug mockup
Hoea tō Waka sticker sheet mockup
Hoea tō Waka tote bag mockup
Hoea tō Waka lanyard mockup
Hoea tō Waka enamel pin mockup

Print

Business Cards

Print applications carry the logo into personal introductions and workshop material with a clear front and back contact format.

Strength in Aotearoa

Anna Brown

Founder and Programme Developer

P 027 205 9520

E anna@hoeatowaka.co.nz

W hoeatowaka.co.nz

L Ōtautahi Christchurch

Resilience training Workshops Coaching
Business card concept sheet for Hoea tō Waka

Digital

Email Signature

The email signature extends the identity into everyday communication with a practical layout for the logo, role, and contact details.

To Amelia Thompson <amelia@harakekehealth.nz>

Subject Re: Team resilience workshop enquiry

Kia ora Amelia,

Thanks for getting in touch. I would be glad to put together a workshop option for your team in Christchurch, with a focus on practical resilience tools and reflective exercises.

If next Tuesday or Wednesday suits, send through a preferred time and I can confirm a short call.

Ngā mihi,

Anna Brown

Founder and Programme Developer

Strength in Aotearoa

P 027 205 9520

E anna@hoeatowaka.co.nz

W hoeatowaka.co.nz

L Ōtautahi Christchurch

Created by Jamie Wilson Version 1.0 2026

Who it's for

Organisations HR and people leaders Team leaders Support professionals
Created by Jamie Wilson Version 1.0 2026

How we can work together

In-house
Workshops

Tailored half-day resilience training for teams and organisations.

View page

Individual coaching

Focused one-to-one support for leaders or team members who need practical direction.

View page

Support professional training

Training for people supporting clients, whānau, and communities in complex settings.

View page
Created by Jamie Wilson Version 1.0 2026

Codex Context

Codex Context

Client Brief

Who this project is for and what matters now.

The rebuild needs to stay simple for the client, sharper for buyers, and clearer for future development work.

Client

Anna Brown

Founder and Programme Developer, Hoea tō Waka Training Ltd

  • BA (Psych), Dip Couns / Dip Counselling, MNZAC
  • Email: anna@hoeatowaka.co.nz
  • Phone: 027 205 9520
  • Location: Ōtautahi Christchurch
Project Context

Plain language is important.

  • The existing website will be rebuilt from scratch.
  • Anna is not confident with technology and wants simple explanations.
  • She can provide content, but finds it hard to decide what to leave out.
  • There is no immediate rush.
Existing Offer

What the business already appears to centre on.

  • Resilience training
  • In-house workshops
  • One-on-one coaching
  • Training for support professionals
  • Books and learning resources
Audience

Named and inferred audience groups

Social services Corporate wellbeing buyers Iwi governance Medical professionals HR managers Team leaders Counsellors Teachers Youth workers Individuals seeking resilience support

Likely discovery sources: email links, LinkedIn, and printed flyers.

Open Questions

Questions the rebuild still needs to answer

  • What is the top conversion goal: enquiries, booked calls, workshop leads, or book sales?
  • Which offer is the primary commercial offer?
  • Should organisations be prioritised more heavily than individuals?
  • Which testimonials, proof points, or case studies are available?
  • Are the books secondary trust-builders or a major revenue stream?

Current Website Inventory

What exists on the live site today.

Reviewed on 2026-04-18.

Live Page List
  • Home
  • About
  • In-house workshops
  • Individual coaching
  • Support professionals
  • Resources
Sitewide Themes
Evidence-based resilience model Designed for Aotearoa Culturally grounded Organisations and individuals Wellbeing Reflective practice
Home Page

Current homepage message

  • Main headline: Hoea tō Waka: Strength in Aotearoa
  • Support line: resilience training and resources for organisations and individuals
  • Secondary line: resilience training set in Aotearoa's unique cultural context
Current Service Offers

Three main service blocks

  • In-house resilience training
  • Individual coaching
  • Support professional workshops
Resources

Books and supporting material

  • My Brother Hemi
  • Maia Makes Waves
  • Waiata-a-ringa video
  • English-language song video
About Page

Founder and model framing

  • Eight years as a youth worker
  • Ten years counselling people aged thirteen and up
  • Private practice and secondary school experience
  • Scottish, Irish, English, Ngāi Tahu / Ngāi Tūāhuriri descent
  • Model positioned as evidence-based and flexible across kaupapa Māori and mainstream contexts
Service Page Signals

Current delivery ideas already on the site

  • Half-day workshops
  • Tailoring to organisation needs
  • Burnout prevention and reflective practice
  • Values alignment, motivation, clarity, and staff wellbeing
  • Topics include social inequalities, colonisation, and Te Tiriti
Calls to Action

Current CTA language

  • Go to inhouse workshops
  • Go to individual coaching
  • More for support professionals
  • See resources
  • Contact form submission

Website Audit

What is weak, what should stay, and where the rebuild should go.

The issue is not lack of substance. The issue is weak organisation and weak expression.

Main Problems
  • Positioning is too soft and too broad.
  • The homepage does not answer buyer questions quickly enough.
  • Copy quality reduces trust.
  • Service separation is unclear.
  • The model is explained more than the offer is sold.
  • Proof is weak or underused.
  • Information architecture is too flat.
Preserve
  • Strong cultural grounding in Aotearoa
  • The Hoea tō Waka metaphor and identity
  • Anna's lived and professional credibility
  • The connection between resilience, reflection, and practical application
  • The books and supporting resources as trust-builders
  • The kayak / wahine imagery already recognised in other materials
Practical Direction
  • Sharper homepage with one primary audience in mind
  • Clearer service pages built around outcomes
  • Stronger founder section tied to trust and relevance
  • Simpler language without losing cultural depth
  • Cleaner calls to action
  • Clear separation between core services and secondary resources
Suggested Messaging Priorities
  1. What Hoea tō Waka does
  2. Who it helps
  3. Why it is credible
  4. What services are available
  5. What makes it distinct in Aotearoa
  6. How to enquire
Risks if the Rebuild Goes Wrong
  • Overexplaining the model again without clarifying the offer
  • Making the site feel too clinical and losing warmth
  • Making the site feel too soft and losing commercial clarity
  • Treating books and resources as the main offer when they may be secondary
  • Writing for everyone instead of prioritising the actual buyer
The best outcome is a site that feels calm, credible, culturally grounded, clear to institutional buyers, human rather than corporate, and professionally written.

Homepage Block Map

Current homepage translated into a rebuild structure.

This keeps the current content but fixes the heading hierarchy for a cleaner rebuild.

General Hero Image Box Call To Action Content Features Heading Full Width Duo Social Testimonial Contact Sliders Site Parts
1. Site Parts

Header and navigation

Brand title should be plain linked brand text or a logo, not a page heading.

Tagline, main navigation, and services dropdown remain content, not headings.

Links: Home, About Hoea tō Waka, Services, In-house Workshops, Resilience One on One, Workshops for Support Professionals, Resources, Contact.

2. Hero

Opening banner

h1: Hoea tō Waka: Strength in Aotearoa.

Supporting line stays the same, but should be paragraph text rather than a heading.

No hero CTA button currently.

3. Heading

Services intro line

h2: Resilience training set in Aotearoa's unique cultural context.

4. Features

Three service offer columns

  • h3 In-house resilience training for your organisation
  • h3 Individual coaching for your team members
  • h3 The Hoea tō Waka model for support professionals

Buttons: Go to inhouse workshops, Go to individual coaching, More for support professionals.

5. Testimonial + Sliders

Testimonial carousel

Rotating quotes, next and previous arrows, and slider dots.

If the visible content stays as quotes only, keep this as quote content rather than inventing a mismatched heading.

6. Full Width Duo

Resources and book promo

h2: Resources.

h3: NEW BOOK out now.

Donation line stays the same but should be supporting text, not another main heading.

Button: See resources.

7. Contact

Contact section

h2: Contact.

Business name, location, contact details, enquiry form, and Send button stay as supporting content.

8. Social

Social icon row

Footer social icons for Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, and YouTube.

9. Site Parts

Footer strip

Copyright text and close of the page.

Brand System

The current visual and tonal base to build from.

Brand Summary

Current feel

Calm Supportive Practical Grounded in Aotearoa People-first Light Oceanic Airy Service-led
Typography system

Display uses Crimson Text and body uses Manrope with a single calm, practical scale.

H1 clamp(2.5rem, 5vw, 4.7rem) · 800

Resilience training grounded in Aotearoa.

H2 clamp(1.8rem, 3vw, 3rem) · 800

How we can work together

H3 clamp(1.2rem, 2vw, 1.65rem) · 800

In-house workshops

H4 clamp(1rem, 1.35vw, 1.125rem) · 700

Who it's for

H5 clamp(0.95rem, 1.1vw, 1rem) · 700

Support professionals

H6 clamp(0.88rem, 1vw, 0.95rem) · 700

Section label

Body clamp(0.98rem, 1vw, 1.04rem) · 400

Practical, culturally grounded support for wellbeing, reflection, and resilience.

Buttons clamp(0.92rem, 0.95vw, 0.98rem) · 700
Ocean Blue #3D9BE9 Key brand color and testimonial background.
Sky Blue #A3D9F6 Light accents and softer surfaces.
Harbour Magenta #A6033F Primary CTA button color.
Bright Magenta #E40255 CTA hover state.
Cloud White #FFFFFF Main page background.
Mist Gray #F2F2F2 Soft background surface.
Buttons

Current CTA treatment

Solid magenta fill, white text, clear contrast, straightforward shape.

Imagery

Direction to preserve

  • Water and movement
  • Journey and resilience
  • Waka and kayak associations
  • Wahine-led continuity
  • Human, practical, non-corporate feel
Voice

Current tone to keep

Warm Respectful Clear Grounded Supportive Locally rooted

Brand Story

Why Hoea tō Waka

  • Evidence-based and practical
  • Grounded in Aotearoa contexts
  • Supports staff wellbeing and reflective practice
  • Relevant in kaupapa Māori and mainstream settings

Founder Profile

About Anna Brown

Counsellor, programme developer, youth worker, and trainer with experience across youth work, counselling, schools, and private practice.

Resources

Resources

My Brother Hemi

A take-home resource that supports workshop learning beyond the session.

Maia Makes Waves

A newer book that strengthens the broader learning and trust story.

Enquire

Enquire

Anna Brown · Ōtautahi Christchurch

anna@hoeatowaka.co.nz · 027 205 9520

Notes

Notes

Email Timeline
  1. 2026-03-04 Anna thanked Jamie, said technology is not her comfort zone, asked for simple explanations, said Keira suggested she provide content, noted it is hard to decide what to leave out, said the kayak image should stay, identified target audiences, and said there is no rush.
  2. 2026-03-26 Jamie replied that he would start putting things together and created a Google Drive folder for images, documents, ideas, and example sites.
  3. 2026-04-08 Anna said she appreciated the clear guidance, felt out of her depth with requirements, and wanted to provide useful material without overwhelming the process.