Client

Kāpiti Coast District Council

Work

Communication Consultancy, Branding, Mini-Campaign Strategy & Design, Digital Design, Illustration, Social Media Strategy, Engagement Strategy, Digital Media Toolkit

Brief

Kapiti Coast District Council needed to communicate what the national changes to zoning (development intensification) meant on the local level. A potentially explosive topic, they wanted to start a conversation with the public for ideas and more importantly, online submissions. They asked Wonderlab, one of Wellington’s communication design agencies, to produce a sensitive mini public engagement campaign, easy and accessible consultation documents, and a digital toolkit for Facebook and Instagram posts.

Booklet design with illustration and Te Reo, by creative agency Wonderlab.
An illustration of people walking around a city with a bus and a train.
Booklet design with illustration by creative agency Wonderlab.
An artist's rendering of a park with people on bikes.
Booklet design with illustration by creative agency Wonderlab.
Booklet design with illustration and information graphics by creative agency Wonderlab.
Booklet cover design with illustration by creative agency Wonderlab.
Person reading an illustrated booklet designed by communication designers Wonderlab.
A group of people sitting on a blanket in front of a building.
Booklet with information map design created by graphic designers and communicators Wonderlab.
Leaflet design by Wellington design agency Wonderlab
Mobile friendly social media posts by communication strategists Wonderlab
A boy riding a bike in front of a building with a sun in the background.
An illustration of people flying kites in a neighborhood.
The objectives

Inform the public of changes. Spark a conversation. Encourage imagination and submissions. Reduce fear.

The goal

Encourage educated imaginative thinking: Demonstrate the changes in an informative, accessible and even-handed way. Make it clear this is a ‘possible’ future they can shape. Encourage conversation: Emphasise the importance that the public can make a contribution. Encourage submissions: Make it easy!

The process

Treading a fine line: Wonderlab needed to show what the implications of the development zoning changes and intensification might have on neighbourhoods. The designed material had to be recognisable and realistic as being local, but not in a way that it communicated a ‘done deal’. Imaginative photomontages showing  ‘life-could-look-this’ were used for the generalised topics alongside fully drawn illustrations showing more specific topic details. Easy ‘understanding’ of technical implications were key.

The deliverables

A fresh and inviting brand campaign. An informative and easily accessible consultation document with plain language. A thoughtful digital toolkit of elements for the council to run their own social media posts across digital channels. 

Outcome

On target brand and accurate communications, that sensitively but realistically portrayed a divisive topic.

Photomontages

A series of ‘life-could-look-like-this’ photo realistic illustrations.

Traditional illustrations, infographics and plain language

Detail specific illustrations and accurate map infographics, paired up with plain language and an accessible layout.

Digital toolkit

Our work drove audiences to feel informed and into action, giving the KCDC a wide range of submissions in under 30 days.

“

"I have had the pleasure of working with Wonderlab for the past five years as part of the
Kāpiti Coast District Council, and I cannot emphasize enough their exceptional design
expertise. Throughout our collaboration, they have consistently demonstrated a deep
understanding of our project goals and a commitment to delivering a quality product...."

Kyla HuffTeam Leader Content and Channels, Kāpiti Coast District Council, September 2023