Husk gets Hardwired | 25.2.10

The Attitude presenters over at Parents Inc. work such wonders with teenagers that we had no problems jumping at the opportunity to redesign their latest Hardwired booklet. With a jam-packed 54 pages about 'growing, inhaling and injecting life’, this booklet is full of helpful stories about addictions, drugs and alcohol. The new ‘Brain Theft Auto’ section compares the world of drug use to the world of video games, taking the user from the first hit through to possible doom in the life of a drug addict. This book is a must have for teenagers (and their parents!). Cover art by Attitude.

Environmental law looks good! | 26.1.10

We Huskies have a particular love of things sustainable, environmental and efficient. Working with Auckland lawyer Vernon Rive (who specialises in environmental, resource management and public law) to put together his branding, stationery, website and blog was thus an exciting and synergetic project for us. Vernon's stationery boasts vegetable-based inks and recycled stocks - yummy yummy - and we believe both his new website and blog are going to become key discussion centres for the industry. Vernon Rive helps make the world a better place and if you need a green lawyer, he's your man!

Food, Glorious Food | 18.1.10

Food - we all love it and need it! But often we don't realise the sacrifices made or costs incurred globally for us to enjoy it. Morever, we barely notice the people in our own communities struggling to have enough. We enjoyed the challenge of working on the latest booklet from the Social Justice Commission which looks at food from both a global and local perspective. It's full of handy tips, resources and challenges - subscribe and get yourself a copy from the people over at the Social Justice Commission.

New Leprosy Mission website goes live | 23.6.09

Our design overhaul of both the structure and look and feel of The Leprosy Mission New Zealand’s website, in conjunction with the fine lads at Gorilla has nearly been completed. A beta version of the site has just been launched for testing - exciting! Check out their cool Give One Hour calculator and Leprosy Diagnosis counters. A fun project - thanks Cathy, Wayne and the team from the Leprosy Mission. Take me there.

Perfect Gift for Mum? | 25.4.09

The Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind, in association with Black and Husk, have just put out a DM piece to promote the purchase of appropriate gifts for visually-impaired Kiwis... specifically for Mums. From large-print playing cards to a magnified compact mirror and a talking watch, the catalog has a great range of inspiring and fun pressies perfect for those who need to think outside the box in their gift-giving. more

It's Easy Being Green in Waitakere | 16.4.09

We recently began designing a new project for the EcoMatters Environment Trust - the Green Living Guide for Waitakere! We are working on a great website full of helpful tips for communities, families and sustainability concerned people, and are looking forward to the next part of the project - a handy pocket guide. Watch this space as this great project gets rolled out. More

St Paul's launch new vision and website | 20.3.09

St Paul's have been yabbing and yakking a lot lately about their exciting new vision and brand. Their website, popular with members near and far, has thus seen an overhaul in design and functionality to reflect their new vision and direction. The new website features include photography and video, up-to-date news articles, downloadable talks/podcast and a 'Happening Weekly' eNewsletter. What's more, both the content management system and enewsletters are fully-driven inhouse and new site features are going to be developed over time to continually improve this vital communication tool. Have a look around - you never know who you'll meet! more

inTOUCH magazine redesign | 6.3.09

The Leprosy Mission's inTouch magazine has had a little bit of a makeover with the first new-look issue flying out the studio door this month. The magazine is full of wonderful stories about lives being changed through the incredible work of The Leprosy Mission both locally and around the world. Interesting articles include Eyesight Saving in China, the isolation of leprosy and a wee blurb about their new-look, soon to be launched website designed by HUSK and built by Gorilla. Watch this space for more details! more

TearFund's First Correspondent | 6.3.09

The first issue of TearFund's new Correspondent went out at the beginning of March. The handy newspaper-like layout is full of interesting articles ranging from achieving dreams through Child Sponsorship and giving children the opportunity to study. Though it's a bit of sad departure from the popular (and our favourite) No.8 magazine format, it is definitely still worth a read! So fire up the jug and get comfy. more

Veges from the vicarage? | 28.1.09

With global food prices increasing 83% in the last 3 years, this refreshing little 'just gardening' booklet from the Social Justice Commission provides heaps of great community solutions and cost-saving ideas for growing your own veges...and having fun in the process! This booklet replaces the SJC's Just Living newsletter and will be produced quarterly - keep an eye out for the next booklet with a different 'just' theme... more

Recycling Freedom through Microenterprise | 20.9.08

TEAR Fund's latest magazine is almost on the press after the shortest turn-around in the history of magazine layout! The theme of the Spring issue is Recycling Freedom, the impact of Microenterprise development in promoting stable and sustainable communities in poverty-affected countries. Way cool! HUSK creative are avid supporters of TEAR Fund's work and enjoy working with Keith, Sheena and the team to share TEAR Fund's messages of need and triumph through their very informative magazine.

TV Launch of seektofindGod.com | 7.8.08

At 8pm tomorrow, a new kind of campaign will be launched on NZ TV and will run right through August. A 60-second tv commercial, not unlike a movie trailer will give a tantalising glimpse of an amazing true story and rounds off with “see what happens next at www.seektofindGod.com". The story describes New Zealander Ian MacCormick, fatally stung by a box jellyfish when diving and then... well the intrigue begins! Get hooked - watch the TVC or visit seektofindGod.com. Brought to you by our good friends at the boutique ad agency Black.

You're the voice, try and understand it. | 7.8.08

Reckon you've got something worth saying? In this issue, SP Editor Ben Kendrew looks into whether it's better to pipe up or shut up. SP also get thorough with the Olympics, pop a few myths about zits and give you the skinny on spring fests nayshun-wide. Another great issue c/o Hayden, Elliot, Ben, Liz and the team hitting the streets/tarseal/bitumen this week (and we know just what bitumen is 'cos we watch a LOT of Bob the Builder around here). More >>

HUSK now officially 'sustainable' | 17.7.08

HUSK {creative} is excited to announce that we are now officially members of the NZ Sustainable Business Network. The Sustainable Business Network is a national organisation that works with businesses to identify and adopt practices that will help them towards sustainability. If you're interested in how HUSK can help you 'green up' your printing, design or promotional material, drop us a line. We've got heaps of cool stuff goin on, from paper stocks to billboards, eco bags to biodegradable bus signage baby! For more about we do ourselves to help Husk become more sustainable, read this.

Buy Organic Because... | 1.7.08

...there are a whole pile of fruits and vegetables that are known to be highly pesticide-exposed. Noshtopia published this list of some of the most pesticide-contaminated produce at your average supermarket, of which we had little clue.

Apples >> Capsicum >> Celery >> Nectarines >> Strawberries >> Cherries >> Lettuce >> Grapes >> Pears

Many of these fruit and veges are things we eat every day, so it's good to sharpen up. (If all this organic blah blah just makes you tired, you can relax about buying organic for fruit like bananas, oranges, tangerines and grapefruit because you hiff the skin anyway).

Amnesty International Annual Report | 14.5.08

Amnesty International is a global movement of over 2.2 million people in more than 150 countries who contribute their time, money and expertise to the promotion of human rights and international campaigning against some of the most serious violations, including imprisonment for beliefs or identity, torture and killings. We recently completed our first job for these super-nice people, the Amnesty 2007/8 Annual Report.

Just Living Reflects on the Hikoi of Hope | 20.4.08

Just Living's Winter issue, themed around the Hikoi of Hope, has just rolled off the press in Christchurch. The pages journey us through the years since the Hikoi of Hope, (which addressed concerns for Education, Health, Unemployment, Housing and Poverty) and then contrasts the calls for change with our current situation decades later. Just Living urges us to think critically about our lives, the world, community, faith and justice, and we are pleased to be influenced by them. Sign up. Join in. Walk on. Read more.

Soul Purpose Thinks Outside the Box of Mags | 15.4.08

'On a mission' to get readers out of the box, off their chuffs and into the real world, SP devoted eight pages of the latest mag to 'living life on a mission'. From teaching music in Madagascar to building houses in Mexico, SP covers some cool ways all of us can help others less fortunate. 'Talking Dirty with a Porn Pastor' is an intriguing article in which SP boldly delves into porn, addiction and XXXchurch.com. Thanks to new editor Ben, Hayden, El, Liz and the writers for such great team-work. Chur.

Husk is 'Going Green' in 2008 | 11.1.08

Husk have been wondering what they can do to help restore the planet to what it once was...you know... back in Adam and Eve’s day. They didn’t have to worry about their excess household waste or pesticides on their apple trees. Yet the issue of sustainability has come up on our generation with sneaky little tip-toe feet. This Christmas, we decided to take the reindeer by the antlers - 2008 is gonna see Husk shift towards better and more sustainable business practice.
That said, we know that we really can’t be a truly sustainable business until even our impressively large monitors and our ergo office chairs are made from recyclable organic materials; until the husk beetle is powered by zoo-doo; and until we reuse every sheet of paper until it shreds itself...that sort of revolution is obviously ages away. But in the meantime, we believe our little choices and changes will add up to a big win-win situation - both for us, our kids and our little dent in the planet. We invite you to read more about the changes we're making.

Soul Purpose up a tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G | 25.12.07

Preparing the nation's youth for midnight snogs on New Year's eve at Whangamata, Soul Purpose's highlight article in Issue 30 would have to be 'The Ins and Outs of the Pash'. In our humble op, SP's straight-up and refreshing approach to oft' avoided issues is instrumental in building their strong Kiwi following. Get yo' hands on a free copy now. Thanks Enni for helping with the design!

Just Living Decks the Halls | 14.12.07

Just Living's Christmas issue has just rolled off the press in Christchurch. The theme this issue is food and discusses a wide range of food-related topics from Maori potatoes to buying locally, dumpster diving to community meals with Christmas food stories and a gluten-free Christmas cake recipe thrown in. Shake out your Christmas napkins and get ready to tuck into some serious food for thought.

Tear Fund Sudan Christmas Focus | 11.12.07

One of our favourite jobs this year was putting together the brochure, poster and DVD artwork for Tear Fund's Christmas Appeal raising funds for the dire situation in Darfur, Sudan. The appeal material highlights 'the gravest humanitarian disaster of the new millennium – 2 million people displaced, up to 400,000 butchered, hundreds of villages burnt to the ground, rape used as a weapon of war and intimidation, families separated, children orphaned.' TEAR Fund NZ considers this crisis so unjust and evil that they're pledging to raise $300,000 for the victims of Darfur through the appeal. We count it a privilege to be involved.

Praxis Prospectus | 10.10.07

Husk recently completed the redesign of the Praxis 2008 Prospectus, in conjunction with Mo from Praxis' Wellington branch. Praxis is a network of Christian practitioners in youth and community work who exist to help people connect with and serve their communities.

Just Living Lookin' Healthy | 14.8.07

Hot off the press is our second project with the Social Justice Commission in Wellington. The SJC produce a quarterly newsletter called 'Just Living', encouraging people to both think and live 'justly' and emphasising debate and action on local, national and global issues. This issue was on 'Health' and featured Maori land issues, the Treaty, Matata in Fiji, Parihaka and more. SJC continue to challenge us Huskies about what we think and how we live, down to the finer designer detail like what paper stocks and inks we use for print. Bring on the change. More >>

Congratulations Annette Fale! | 10.8.07

Halogen Foundation run the very successful National Young Leaders’ Days which boast record numbers of teachers and students attending events around NZ. Halogen Foundation’s general manager and good friend of Husk Creative, Annette Fale, was recently awarded a Sir Peter Blake Trust Emerging Leader Award in recognition of her commitment to fostering leadership among the next generation of leaders through the National Young Leaders Days. Annette says “It was a humbling experience to be in the presence of such wonderful leaders and receive this award... [it] is testament to the passion of the Halogen Foundation team and that of our fantastic and inspiring speakers, partners and supporters.” Annette, we think you're a freaking legend. More >>

RNZFB inSight | 25.7.07

Husk and Black recently produced a slightly revamped 'inSight' newsletter for the Royal NZ Foundation of the Blind. The document highlights 2007 Blind Week (23-29 Oct), Mary Schnackenburg (the first blind NZer to earn an MBA), welcomes Sandra Budd the new CEO, updates readers on a new guide dog breeding centre and is topped with other encouraging articles about the Foundation's work. Cool stuff. More >>

WSPA's Indian Dancing Bears | 10.7.07

Taken grieving from their mothers as a tiny cubs, hundreds of India's 'dancing bears' are in constant pain. With ropes threaded through their sensitive noses, they are tortured by swaying on their hind legs in response to severe yanks on the rope and being hit by sticks. When not performing at fairs, carnivals and markets across India, they're chained to poles, poorly fed and vulnerable to disease and blindness. WSPA are working with the Wildlife Trust of India, to end the torment of the dancing bears and change the lives of rescued bears. As agonising as it was, the Huskies worked with Black to prepare print collateral explaining the plight of these bears in order to seek help and thus funds that would help save their lives.More >>

Handbook for Yer Head | 3.7.07

One of the bigger projects we've tied up lately is the total revamp of the Attitude 'Handbook for Your Head' booklet published by Parents Inc. Attitude creatively teaches life skills that will assist teenagers to make life-enhancing choices. The inspirational programmes encompass all aspects of total wellbeing and are a preventative strategy to youth suicide, teen pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted infections. The project was a refreshing challenge to the Huskies, getting us 'down wid all the mean, sic, grunge, street-wise yoof attitude' our studio could possibly cram into a 36pp book. More >>

We'd Like to Thank Our Mums... | 4.5.07

The humble huskies are excited to have had some of their recent work associated with two different award ceremonies. Firstly, an advertisement we designed for the World Society for the Protection of Animals was used at the Genesis Awards USA, an annual event in Hollywood put on by HSUS as an award ceremony for TV/film. And even more cool - the recent Annual Report we did for Netball NZ has been short-listed as a finalist in the NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants 2007 Annual Report Awards in the category for 'Best Annual Report by a Service Organisation/Volunteer Sector'. Check it out here. The winners will be announced late June. Excuse us for bragging but this stuff doesn't happen everyday...

Just Living Just 'Land'ed | 4.5.07

HUSK recently finished our first ever project with the Rev. Dr Anthony Dancer @ the Social Justice Commission of the Anglican Church. The SJC produce a quarterly newsletter called 'Just Living', encouraging people to both think and live 'justly' and emphasising debate and action on local, national and global issues. This issue was on 'Land' and featured Maori land issues, the Treaty, Matata in Fiji, Parihaka and more. Their very swish website (c/o Catch) is along the same thought-provoking lines and includes articles, polls and even a FREE MP3 download of Parihaka tribute track 'Army' by the Blair Giles Band (yep you got it - same last name as Lou, her husband in fact). More >>

World Vision + Judy Bailey | 3.5.07

Favourite NZ television presenter Judy Bailey was moved when she visited some of the world's poorest communities recently with World Vision. The latest WV appeal focuses on a little Indian boy called Mithu. Judy says "I saw the depth of poverty when I spoke to Mithu’s mother. She broke down in tears, saying that if Mithu falls ill like his father, he will certainly die. His mother weeps alone, trying not to cry in front of her boy. But she cannot afford to give him decent food or clothes. She struggles on less than $2 a week." We love WV's hands-on approach to helping those less fortunate than ourselves... and urge you to consider sponsoring a child too :) more >>

CBA Mother's Day | 2.5.07

CBA have been busy recording a whole pile of radio 'spots' (as far as we can tell this is industry speak for stuff on the radio) to distribute to programme directors nationwide for broadcast on air on Mother's Day. We smoked up some zippy CD art for the project. What fun. You can check out their stuff here or listen to a funny lil' MP3 sample here >>

Soul Purpose Issue 27 | 2.5.07

With fresh print ink scent-sations, Soul Purpose Magazine arrived at the Wellington offices this week, hand-delivered by those precious people at The Print Room. This issue is all about 'POWER' (in keeping with the Love, Sex, Power theme etc) and what an issue - it’s powerful, influential and has possibly the most gripping episode of Matt'n'Carla ever! O the excitement! More >>

RNZFB Guide Dog Appeal | 20.2.07

The Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind is NZ's primary provider of rehabilitation services to blind, deafblind and vision-impaired people. Each year nearly 1,200 New Zealanders who have gone blind or experienced serious sight loss register as RNZFB members. We recently worked with Black to design the PuppyPal newsletter and Guide Dog Appeal Collateral. A rewarding experience. more

WSPA Stray Dogs Appeal 2007 | 17.2.07

For stray dogs in Colombo, life can be horrific. These poor dogs have to compete for survival, desperately scavenging and constantly at risk of becoming infected with fatal diseases like rabies and distemper. Collected from the streets, their misery and hardship continues, crammed in tiny, unhygienic cages with the spread of disease unavoidable. We recently had the privilege of working on appeal collateral for WSPA Australasia through our friends at Black - yet another worthy + inspiring cause. more