There is a Māori whakatauki that says:
Kaua e mate wheke mate ururoa
Don't die like an octopus, die like a hammerhead shark.
Octopus are renowned for their lack of resistance when being captured, however a hammerhead shark will fight bitterly to the end, to the point that when you fillet it fresh, its meat quivers.
This whakatauki sums up we had all fought hard at different times over the last year to keep our Healthify value of Mana Taurite alive.
Equity in health opportunities and outcomes guides our everyday activities as we work to reach and contribute to all people in Aotearoa New Zealand.
We must not lose sight of why we come to work every single day. We should all remember why re rebranded, why we sought to put Te Tiriti closer to the centre of all we do.
Pre 2023, in our beautiful land of Aotearoa, there was a renowned health information platform known as Health Navigator NZ. Although it had been a valuable resource for many, its creators (us) recognised the need for change.
We aspired to make a platform that was not only inclusive but also readily accessible and easy to use for Māori and Pasifika communities – our website’s primary audiences. We knew if we nailed this for them, we nailed it for Pakeha and tauiwi as well.
The team embarked on a journey of rebranding, ensuring that the new identity would resonate deeply with the diverse cultures of New Zealand.
We engaged in consultations with community and Māori and Pasifika individuals. Understanding the needs and preferences was crucial in creating a platform that would truly serve to make self-directed learning easier.
After much collaboration, the decision was made to rebrand as Healthify He Puna Waiora. The new name and logo encapsulated the spirit of our mission, making health simple to understand and wellness an integral part of life.
We all worked to create a fresh visual identity that paid homage to Māori and Pasifika art and symbolism, reflecting their deep-rooted connection to nature and community.
When Healthify was unveiled, the response from the primary and tertiary audiences was joyous and positive. The initial response from many in the secondary audience was not! However, kanohi ki te kanohi comments from primary care were more affirming and understanding of what it was we were trying to achieve.
The platform's user-friendly interface, featuring clear navigation and uncluttered, accessible health information, is so far being appreciated by many including rural Māori.
Internally, the brand change has drawn different opinions but overall there are high hopes that it has fostered a deeper appreciation for the communities we serve.
We should celebrate the positive impact we are making in people's lives and embrace the responsibility to continually evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of our core audiences.
The rebranding is part of our transformative journey of cultural understanding leading to autonomy in finding wellness. The platform's success will be measured in the level of trust it gains from Māori and Pasifika communities.
As Healthify continues to grow, we remain deeply committed to its purpose of serving all people, ensuring that health information is not just accessible but also culturally appropriate for the beautiful tapestry that is Aotearoa New Zealand.
Next steps!
The launch campaign was designed first and foremost to let our current users know about the changes and the reasons behind them. Once again we have had to put our energy and resources into reassuring those in privileged positions that what they are using is still trustworthy and complete. We continue on this journey and have made some improvements to the site as a result.
Where we would like to go now is to strategically engage Māori and Pasifika communities and people living with disability.
We will use our newsletters, community outreach and social media channels to engage in meaningful conversations. We will grow and evolve our chatbot and create videos featuring community members sharing their health journeys and challenges, making messages relatable and heartfelt.
We are now seeking feedback from the community, welcoming suggestions and ideas to continually improve. It is essential to maintain an ongoing dialogue and ensure that Healthify is known about and consistently meeting the needs of its primary audience.
As word spreads throughout the Māori and Pasifika communities, we would like to see a positive impact on traffic and user engagement. We would like to see more and more individuals begin to use Healthify as their go-to resource for health information and self-help resources. We would like see user testimonials flooding in praising the website's approach, cultural sensitivity and relevance to people’s lives.
Mauri mahi, mauri Ora – do the mahi get the treats!
Through the work we are doing our whānau, community and our nation prosper.