Created in collaboration with Massey University and funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand, The Lepto Project transformed research into a suite of culturally responsive educational resources. From workplace posters and digital media to an interactive card game, the project supports greater awareness, prevention and understanding of leptospirosis within rural communities.
Tirohanga Whānui | Overview
The Lepto Project was developed in collaboration with Massey University, drawing on research led by Professor Jackie Benschop as part of a Health Research Council of New Zealand funded research programme investigating leptospirosis diagnosis and outcomes for rural and Māori communities.
Working alongside Professor Benschop, the Massey University research team, health professionals and the project’s Te Ao Māori advisory group, PUREI translated the research and findings into engaging educational resources designed to improve awareness, encourage prevention and communicate important health information in ways that were practical, accessible and culturally responsive.
Whāinga | Objective
The original brief centred on developing a culturally appropriate informational brochure supported by a series of educational posters and digital resources.
Through the research and early development of the project, it became clear that many of the intended audience worked in environments such as farms, freezing works, meat processing plants, stockyards and other rural workplaces, where lengthy written information was unlikely to achieve meaningful engagement.
The challenge became finding a way to communicate complex health information that was immediate, memorable and suitable for both physical and digital environments.
Urupare Auaha | Creative Response
Rather than treating each deliverable as a standalone resource, the project was developed as a cohesive communication system. A consistent visual language using colour, iconography and Māori visual patterning helped organise complex information into clear, recognisable categories.
Blue represented prevention.
Yellow represented symptoms.
Red represented exposure and risk.
This meant key information could be recognised quickly across workplace posters, digital resources, workshops and community engagement settings, while maintaining consistency across the wider project.
As the project developed, the opportunity emerged to take the learning beyond traditional health communication and into a more interactive format. This led to the development of The Lepto Game, an educational card game that reinforced key health messages through play, discussion and repetition, creating another way for people to engage with and retain the information.
Ngā Hua | Outcomes
The completed project delivered a suite of culturally responsive educational resources, including:
Workplace posters
Digital communication assets
Educational card game
Presentation and workshop resources
Community engagement materials
Te Ao Māori informed design guidance throughout the project
Together, these resources transformed evidence-based research into practical learning tools that could be used across workplaces, community settings and educational environments, supporting greater awareness, prevention and understanding of leptospirosis.
Ratonga | Services
Creative Direction | Educational Resource Design | Information Design | Public Health Communication | Te Ao Māori Advisory | Visual Identity Design | Print Design | Digital Design | Game Design | Community Engagement
