Our Approach to Te Reo Māori and Branding

During Sayso’s rebranding journey, we spent a long time (and we mean, a LONG time) deliberating over what we should call ourselves. We have always aspired to be a great Aotearoa New Zealand company, striving to honour our responsibilities as tāngata Tiriti, so it was inevitable that we would consider choosing a name in te reo Māori. It is a beautiful language where kupu/words often have much deeper meanings and context than their Pākehā translation. 

The growing presence of te reo in our lives, in media, in public spaces and businesses is inspiring and encouraging. Many organisations, including ours, are embracing its use in ways that authentically celebrate Māori culture. This increasingly common everyday use has contributed to a revitalisation of the language, with 2023 Census data showing a 15 percent increase in the number of speakers in just five years.

One thing we have learnt on our journey is that te reo Māori is more than a language. It’s a taonga (treasure), a powerful and vital aspect of Māori and Aotearoa New Zealand cultural identity, heritage and resilience. A kupu may have numerous meanings, depending on the context it is used. We ultimately felt that selecting a Māori word or phrase as our business name, was not our place to claim. We show our commitment to the language by not only using it regularly, but also in how we describe how we operate and what we value.

After we launched our brand, one insight stood out in kōrero/conversation with one of our tangata whenua clients, Timmy Smith. A Māori kupu or phrase, in addition to being a taonga, has vast commercial significance. When a non-Māori-owned business to trademark a Māori kupu or phrase, it takes away opportunity and visibility from Māori and removes all opportunity for it to be used, commercially or otherwise, across other potentially more worthy contexts.

Despite having been drawn to the idea of a brand name that connected so clearly with the identity of Aotearoa, this feedback reinforced that we made the right decision. It was grounded in listening and reflection rather than expediency, and it reinforced our understanding of what it means to be tāngata Tiriti.

We remain committed to listening, learning, and engaging in ways that are authentic, supportive and guided by the people and communities we work alongside. We hope that what we’ve learned will serve as inspiration for other businesses that are undertaking similar journeys of their own.