RUN

RUN is a Māori-owned, globally awarded, advertising and design agency based in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

RUN is a globally awarded advertising and design agency based in Aotearoa New Zealand. We partner with ambitious organisations to build brands, campaigns and creative platforms that drive real impact. From increasing consideration and engagement, to shifting behaviour and growing market share. Our work spans brand strategy, brand identity, campaigns, and design systems, delivered with the care and clarity of a senior, hands-on team. We operate without the layers of a traditional agency, which means sharper thinking, faster turnaround and work that holds together from strategy through to execution. We’ve worked with organisations including Tourism New Zealand, Auckland Council, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2degrees and a range of Pacific tourism and government partners. What sets RUN apart is the depth of thinking, and real-world knowledge behind our work. As an indigenous Māori-owned agency, we bring a level of cultural intelligence that strengthens how ideas connect, whether that’s essential to the brief, or simply a way to make the work more relevant, distinctive and effective. We apply the right lens to every project, from pure commercial creative through to culturally grounded campaigns, always led by what will deliver the best outcome. If you’re looking for work that cuts through, connects authentically with audiences, and stands up commercially, let’s kōrero.

15/10/2026

Last week, our Founder and CEO, Laura Cibilich, had the incredible opportunity to attend the Pacific PreCOP31 in Fiji.

She joined the 3,000+ people attending across Fiji and Tuvalu. With 134 events over four days, the event focused on some of the Pacific’s most urgent climate challenges.

Four key pillars shaped the conversations:
> Keeping 1.5°C Within Reach
> Access to Climate Finance
> Elevating the Ocean-Climate Nexus
> Amplifying Pacific Leadership and Voices

It was inspiring to hear about the progress of initiatives like Niue Ocean Wide, protecting 40% of Niue’s ocean territory, after we attended the launch in Auckland in 2022. Equally powerful, but sobering, was watching Sir David Attenborough’s documentary 'Ocean', a must-watch for everyone.

There was also surprisingly little discussion of AI, a reminder that the region has its own unique challenges and priorities, including access to electricity and fresh water in some areas.

After four days of kōrero, talanoa and meaningful conversations, we hope the momentum translates into tangible action and lasting change for the Pacific and the wider world.

14/10/2026

Our Creative Director, Raymond Otene McKay, was selected for his first public show as an artist at the Sculpture Festival 2026, at The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora, Ōtautahi Christchurch.

His artwork, named 'Te Kore', is based on the idea 'Ko au te kore, te kore Ko au', woven into his narrative as an award-winning creative and art director in the world of advertising.

His artist rationale:
"Ko au te Kore, ko te kore ko au: I am the potential and the potential is me.
I am the void. I am the nothing. I am the potential.

This piece is a heartbeat poured into empty rooms, a reclamation of space where my ADHD once mapped a jagged coastline of distraction into a coastline of possibility. It is the work of a life that wandered through the margins of adolescence, where intensity was misread as chaos and energy as a reckless drift rather than a compass.

From the top of the creative industry to the edge of my own inner landscape, my path has been a wild ascent. I built a high-flying, globally awarded career in advertising, crafting campaigns that travelled the world and landed in conversations about culture, commerce, and identity.

That ascent was never about leaving my “void” behind; it was about proving that the void can be a launchpad. The transition from award-winning creative to exhibiting artist feels not only natural but inevitable."

The exhibition is on now until Monday 26th October 2026, so if you're in Ōtautahi be sure to check it out!

Raymond hopes for this piece to be part of a larger pūrakau and wider body of work, set for release at his first solo show in the future.

06/10/2026

Our Creative Director, Raymond Otene McKay, spent last week in Calgary, Canada with the peoples of Treaty 7 where he opened the Indigitech Destiny Summit 2026.

A huge mihi and thanks to Art Proctor and the team for inviting Raymond, after building a relationship aligned in the uplifting of indigenous peoples in creativity and tech.

02/10/2026

We're proud to be 2 x finalists at the AGDA Design Awards for Hei Tiki and Meri Kirihimete!

Thanks to the judges and congrats to all the other finalists too.

https://agda.com.au/awards/results/?year=2026&q=RUN%20Aotearoa

16/09/2026

Ōtautahi Christchurch marketers, this one’s for you!

Our popular Te ao Māori for Marketers workshop is coming to Ōtautahi this October.

Facilitated by RUN Aotearoa, through the Marketing Association New Zealand, this practical workshop helps marketers build confidence in engaging with te ao Māori, tikanga and te reo Māori, and apply that understanding meaningfully to strategy, campaigns and communications.

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is a great reminder that growing the use and understanding of te ao Māori is something we can all contribute to, not just for one week, but through the mahi we put into the world every day.

We’re also running it again in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland too.

📍 Ōtautahi Christchurch: 13 October
📍 Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland: 29 October

These are our last workshops for 2026, so we hope to see you there!

To learn more and book, visit: https://marketing.org.nz/te-ao-m%C4%81ori-for-marketers/traininghub

07/09/2026

We're super proud to be 3 x finalists at the Best Design Awards this year!

For our projects Hei Tiki and Meri Kirihimete, Merry Christmas.

A huge mihi to the judges and congrats to all the other finalists too.

https://bestawards.co.nz/studios/run/

02/09/2026

Iokwe from the Republic of the Marshall Islands! 🇲🇭

Our co-founders, Laura and Raymond, have just spent a couple of weeks there, as we develop the Marshall Islands’ tourism brand strategy, visual identity and advertising campaign.

There’s no existing tourism brand, so this is a rare opportunity, and a big responsibility, to help shape how the country presents itself to the world.

While there, Laura and Raymond spent time with Marshallese people, communities and industry representatives.

They heard stories, shared conversations, experienced extraordinary places and most importantly, began to understand more about the people and culture behind the destination.

To everyone who so generously gave us their time, knowledge and manaakitanga, kommool tata, thank you.

We feel incredibly privileged to be trusted with this work and are determined to do the Marshall Islands proud.

20/08/2026

We're honoured to be spending time in the beautiful Republic of the Marshall Islands lately with some amazing people and communities!

06/08/2026

Ngā mihi Whāriki Māori Business Network and Air New Zealand - great to be featured in the latest Kia ora mag...

26/07/2026

We’d like tautoko our Co-founder Raymond Otene McKay for being invited to share his indigenous Māori knowledge and lived experience at the Indigitech Summit in Calgary, Turtle Island (Canada) this September.

He’ll be sharing the stage with other indigenous leaders including Christian Ortiz, D'Andre Wilson-Ihejirika, Pamela Todd, Dennis Agbegha, Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, Dean Bittner, Mike Shields and more rangatira in the world of tech, innovation and creativity.

He's looking forward to the sharing circle and kōrero that will take place soon. Karawhiua!

https://indigitechsummit.ca/

Address

173A Symonds Street, Eden Terrace
Auckland
1010

Website

http://www.runwithrun.com/

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