AUCKLAND, Today: Māori Kiwifruit Growers (MKG) have launched their first major campaign in Dubai, teaming up with Zespri and Mr Apple, with independent agency RUN Aotearoa leading the creative.
The launch, led by Māori Kiwifruit Growers Limited, was supported by Te Arikinui Kuini Nga Wai Hono i Te Pō, the Māori Queen, who travelled with a Kiingitanga delegation to the UAE. The event was also attended by UAE dignitaries, including His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi.
The Legends of Aotearoa New Zealand campaign blends Māori storytelling with digital interaction, positioning New Zealand’s kiwifruit as a premium export. RUN oversaw the concept, creative strategy, design, production, packaging, POS and website.
In partnership with MKG, Zespri and Mr Apple, shoppers in Dubai can scan collectable cards that bring Māori legends to life through interactive AR. The experience extends online at legendsofnewzealand.com, offering a global window into Aotearoa’s culture.
RUN collaborated with creative technology studio iSPARX to develop browser-based AR that doesn’t require an app—making it easy for users to explore and engage with the stories.
“By blending storytelling, culture, design and technology, every purchase becomes a window into the beauty and wonder of Aotearoa New Zealand.” – Raymond Otene McKay, RUN Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer
“We wanted to turn a simple supermarket purchase into a moment of discovery,” says RUN Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Raymond Otene McKay. “By blending storytelling, culture, design and technology, every purchase becomes a window into the beauty and wonder of Aotearoa New Zealand.”
“In markets like the UAE, where provenance and country of origin really matter, we wanted to give customers an experience that’s grounded in design, creativity and cultural authenticity,” McKay adds.
MKG Group Chairman Geoff Rolleston said, “This partnership places Māori kiwifruit growers on the world stage and sets a benchmark for what collaboration can achieve. Our focus is on building futures, not just marketing fruit.
“We’re investing in people, skills and opportunities that will benefit our mokopuna for generations. These are the kinds of relationships that create true intergenerational prosperity,” Rolleston added.
The campaign follows RUN’s 2023 rebrand of Māori Kiwifruit Growers and their successful 2024 launch into the Hawai‘i market—drawing on shared cultural roots between Māori and Native Hawaiian people through the Amokura bird symbol.
CREDITS
Agency: RUN Aotearoa
Client: Māori Kiwifruit Growers
AR: iSPARX
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