Key Points
- Health New Zealand has awarded Hemisphere a three-year contract to manage the Safer Gambling Aotearoa initiative.
- Big River Creative, a Māori-owned firm under Te Awanui Reeder’s leadership, will collaborate as a strategic partner.
- The initiative prioritizes outreach to Māori, Pacific, Asian, and rangatahi (youth) populations experiencing disproportionate gambling harm.
- Hemisphere has expanded its workforce with strategic hires and internal promotions across multiple departments.
- Previous campaigns by Hemisphere delivered an 88 percent increase in gambling self-assessment tool engagement.
Hemisphere has secured the contract to oversee Health New Zealand’s Safer Gambling Aotearoa initiative following a rigorous competitive selection process. The engagement spans a three-year period.
This initiative represents a comprehensive national public health effort addressing gambling-related harm and connecting affected individuals with appropriate resources.
The project will see Hemisphere collaborating closely with Big River Creative. This partner agency operates under Māori ownership with Te Awanui Reeder at its helm.
Community-Centered Strategy with Indigenous Foundation
Both agencies intend to implement what they describe as a Tiriti-dynamic framework for driving behavioral transformation. This methodology will inform campaign development tailored to distinct population segments.
These segments encompass Māori, Pacific Islander, Asian, and rangatahi (young people) demographics. The strategic focus centers on designing interventions that resonate with communities facing the greatest gambling harm burden.
Tim Antric, managing director at Hemisphere, discussed the significance of this engagement. He characterized it as meaningful social marketing that aligns with the agency’s core values.
Antric emphasized the team’s commitment to applying their framework directly within communities experiencing the most severe impacts of gambling harm. He noted this represents familiar ground for the organization.
Antric explained that Hemisphere brings established expertise in this sector. The agency plans to leverage and expand upon existing community momentum and achievements.
Organizational Expansion and Initiative Objectives
Hemisphere has announced both new recruitment and internal advancement to support the contract requirements. These organizational adjustments affect the media, digital, and creative departments.
These workforce enhancements provide the infrastructure necessary for sustained delivery throughout the three-year timeline. The agreement encompasses public education initiatives and enhanced pathways to support resources.
The overarching objective involves engaging communities with elevated gambling harm prevalence. The programme simultaneously works to promote utilization of existing assistance services.
Hemisphere referenced its prior engagement with Te Hiringa Hauora as evidence of capability. That previous initiative generated an 88 percent surge in gambling self-assessment tool adoption.
Safer Gambling Aotearoa functions as a nationwide public health intervention. Hemisphere now assumes responsibility for its communications strategy and operational execution under this new arrangement.
The initiative integrates creative development, evidence-based research, and grassroots community participation. It operates within Health New Zealand’s comprehensive gambling harm prevention framework.
Through its alliance with Big River Creative, Hemisphere incorporates Māori-centered perspectives throughout campaign architecture. This collaboration aims to ensure messaging authentically reflects target communities.
Hemisphere’s responsibilities under this agreement extend through the coming three years. The platform will maintain the Safer Gambling Aotearoa brand identity throughout this duration.


