Client

Te Taua Moana | New Zealand Navy

Work

Audience/Persona work, Brand, Messaging, Illustration, Digital Design, Infographics, Animation, Video, Content Creation

Brief

The New Zealand Navy reached out to Wonderlab to assist them with their internal communications. Connecting and engaging such a diverse a group of people – from sailor to officer, longtime serving member to fresh recruits, at sea or at a desk. It was hugely challenging. Finding the right voice and visual language took a process of unpacking.

Wonderlab delivered a unified visual communications resource that could bridge the gaps. From illustrated elements, emails and Powerpoints, to an animated video for onboarding new recruits, sharing the Navy’s past, present and future. The whole kit of material works together to communicate and unify key messages in an engaging and relevant way across the whole organisation.

An arrangement of navy comms materials includes brochures, ID cards, a pen, a watch, and a lanyard. The central brochure emphasizes "Pioneer your own pathway" with navy imagery and logo. The overall theme promotes confidence and pathways in the Navy.
A hand holding a smartphone displaying an illustration of three sailors in an animated video on vimeo.com. The background shows a large wave, a lighthouse, and green hills. A carved grey figurehead of a waka and rope are visible at the bottom of the phone screen.
A person in a white uniform is viewing a laptop with a presentation titled "Strategic Proposal: How We Reimagine Internal Communications" featuring the NZ Navy logo and a ship illustration on the screen.
Three booklets with blue covers are displayed. Two are titled "One Navy Internal Communications Toolkit 2024," and the third is open, showing a page with the text "One Navy 'Our future Navy'" and marine-themed graphics. Navy logos are present.
A hand holds a smartphone displaying a New Zealand Navy schedule for February to September 2025. It features events and missions listed for March and April against a blue background with navy-themed graphics.
A person in a naval uniform smiling is displayed on a smartphone screen. The text below reads "Courage, Commitment, Comradeship, Integrity" next to logos for the New Zealand Navy.
The outcome

A toolkit of visual elements and templates, that allow for smooth and engaging internal communication, whether staff are on board a vessel at sea, or working behind a desk on land.

The goal

To better engage with all of NZ Navy’s staff, no matter their rank, experience or where they are serving. Bridging challenging accessibility on highly secure ships and diverse needs and aspirations across a diverse base. Uniting land and sea together in a single organising idea. We are ONE Navy.

The process

Capturing audience personas, exploring their needs and aspirations helped shape the messaging and visual expression. Concepts of unity in diversity, connecting sea and land, leadership and pioneering your own pathway emerged. The symbol of a rope and maritime knots became a visual hook, to convey drawing strength from one another, uniting Navy’s many strands.

The deliverables

We developed a full visual communication toolkit a collection of digital templates – from PowerPoint presentations to email newsletter, timeline graphics and posters to a fully animated video sharing the new Navy narrative, and assisted the team at Navy to implement their comms plan internally. The toolkit enables staff without burdening them to invent material as needs require. Now they can just get it out to their crew.

Collaborators: Illustration Chris Davidson / Animation Paul Andrews, Troix Kokick