We were asked by Trustpower to create a name and brand for their new renewable generation arm. The new company’s purpose is to develop and generate renewable energy to support our country’s ambition for a thriving, low-emission and climate-resilient future, whilst preserving our unique environment. Trustpower has a rich history in renewable energy. Our challenge was to create a brand that acknowledged the company’s heritage and also encompassed its purpose for the future.

Our discovery phase began by seeking an understanding of the whakapapa of the company and associated hapū. Through our hui, we learned that hapū ancestors would listen to the sound of the Omanawa Falls to gauge the health of the land and for future guidance. Coincidentally, this was on the same body of water that the first hydro-scheme had been  developed. Revealing this synergy between the two veins of whakapapa inspired Trustpower to take on the name ‘Manawa’ meaning ‘heart’, gifted by hapū.

Manawa Energy’s brand development was underpinned by the idea of ‘listening to the heartbeat of nature’. We recorded the sound of the Omanawa Waterfall to hear its heartbeat and natural rhythm, creating a distinctive visual Omanawa soundscape. The heartbeat wordmark symbolised Manawa’s deep connection to nature but also to the science and purpose behind energy generation.