DTL is a Hawaiian
Strategy Studio
As a native Hawaiian owned and operated firm, it’s in our DNA to celebrate and elevate our host culture....
This year as we celebrate our 5th anniversary we reflect back on all the things we've done.
We’ve never heard of a Hawaiian Strategy Studio either…
…but we felt Hawai‘i needed one. DTL (detail) is a multidisciplinary studio that helps businesses, governments, organizations, and communities navigate change. Our unique approach, moves clients from where they are to where they need to be.
We’ve built a respected reputation within our community as a creative interpreter of culture through planning and design. Our deep understanding and knowledge of Hawai‘i’s sensibilities and sensitivities has resulted in successfully facilitating dialogs, bridging perspectives and developing appropriate collaborative solutions to both challenging issues and exciting opportunities within our community.
OUR CLIENTS
KŌKUA
DTL is committed to our community and culture and giving back through in-kind kōkua. 20 percent of our time is spent providing in-kind kōkua to support projects, non-profits and causes that champion the community and culture.
- ‘Iolani Classic
- Aloha Lili‘u
- Da Hui o Heʻe Nalu
- Daniel K. Inouye Institute
- Eddie Aikau Foundation
- Edith Kanaka‘ole Foundation
- GIFT Foundation
- Hālau Kū Mana
- Hawaii United Okinawan Assoc.
- Hi‘ilei Aloha
- Honolulu City Lights
- Kalihi-Pālama Civic Club
- Ke Kanakolu
- King Kamehameha Celebration
- Kūmano I Ke Ala
- Lā Hoi‘Hoi Ea
- Live Aloha Festival
- Lunalilo Home
- Mālama Kīpuka
- Manaup
- Nā Kama Kai
- Reach the Runway
- Rise Hi
- WCIT Foundation
Our process + services
We frame our practice within a Hawaiian sense of place, because to know a place is to know its environment, its people, and its culture across time. Place sits at the intersection of Hawai‘i’s past and future, the physical and the cultural. Understanding it gives way to opportunities, obstacles, and points of convergence. We know that with each client, the best way forward is a matter of orientation — where you come from, where you are, and where you’re going. If strategy is a process of repositioning, we believe that success requires the alignment of a client’s genealogy, journey, stories and values.
OUR PROCESS IS CENTERED IN OUR CULTURAL METHODOLOGY
GENEALOGY
We begin every project as close as we can get to its source, and through cultural and historical research, we trace its lineage, origin to outcome.
STORIES
Navigation is both science and art, and we bring a diverse network of expertise to ensure the utilization of both. Listening to the stories of a place and its people shows you the way forward.
JOURNEYS
From visuals and messaging to presentation and promotion, we deliver the story of a future that you and your stakeholders tell together.
VALUES
We help you know your values so you can better share them through what you create. Hawai‘i is a complex place to do business, and in order to embrace change, you must know why you excel.
OUR SERVICES
STRATEGY
Positioning
Training
Coaching
Executive Placement
Entitlements
PLANNING
Community Engagement
Cultural Integration
Placemaking
Events
Cultural Programming
DESIGN
Branding
Graphic Design
Content Development
Web/Mobile Development
Environmental Graphics
COMMUNICATIONS
Public Relations
Crisis Management
Media Relations & Training
Social Media
Translations
STRATEGIC PARTNERS
Featured Work
Let’s Talk Story
725 Kapi‘olani Blvd, 4th Floor
Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813
(808) 593-3048
@dtlhawaii
#WahiPanaWednesday ~
On the south shore of Lānaʻi, between Mānele Bay and Hulopoʻe Bay, lies Puʻu Pehe, a natural landmark rising 80 feet out of the water. Puʻu Pehe is commonly referred to as Sweetheart Rock from a moʻolelo about two lovers. Makakēhau, a warrior on Lānaʻi, fell in love with Puʻupehe, a Hawaiian girl from Maui. Makakēhau brought Puʻupehe to Lānaʻi to live with him, but he was afraid to lose her so he hid her in a cave at the base of the cliff.
One day, he noticed the beginnings of a storm and rushed back to the cave only to find that Puʻupehe had drowned by the surge of the storm waves. Makakēhau was overwhelmed with grief and cried out to the gods asking them to help him climb to the top of the steep cliff. Makakēhau buried Puʻupehe at the top of the rock, then jumped from the summit to the surf and rocks below.
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#dtl #dtlhawaii #strategy #planning #branding #communications #culture #community #design #newsletter #wahipana #hawaiianculture #hawaiianhistory #wahipana #wahi #lanai #lanaikaula #puupehe #sweetheartrock
E ʻŌPŪ ALIʻI | Hauʻoli Lā Hānau e Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole. The prince was born on March 26, 1871 and was hānai (adopted) at a young age by his aunt and uncle, Queen Kapʻiolani and King David Kalākaua. He was given the title of prince and served until the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893.
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During the transitions of government, Hawaiʻi’s people were being denied basic rights. Determined to fight for his people, Prince Kūhiō joined the Republican Party in 1902, serving as a non-voting delegate from Hawaiʻi to the House of Representatives in Congress. Kūhiō became the only member of Congress born into royalty, and he held this position until his death in 1922.
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Upon pleading his case in Washington DC, a local government was instituted in Hawaiʻi in 1905 at a country level, creating the county system used in Hawaiʻi today. Prince Kūhiō also introduced the Hawaiʻi Statehood Act in 1919, introduced the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1921, reorganized the Royal Order of Kamehameha, and founded the first Hawaiian Civic Club.
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We are reminded of Prince Kūhiō through the ʻōlelo noeʻau, E ʻōpū aliʻi - Have the heart of a chief. Kūhiō had a unique kuleana, but remained true to his heart as an aliʻi of the Hawaiian people.
#dtl #dtlhawaii #strategy #planning #branding #communications #culture #community #design #aloha #alohalahanau #hauolilahanau #princekuhio #kuhio #kuhiokalanianaole #kealiimakainana #olelonoeau #eopualii
#WahiPanaWednesday ~ Known for its shallow reefs and strong currents, Kaiolohia (choppy sea) is located in a remote location on the north shore of Lānaʻi. It earned the nickname “Shipwreck Beach” for its history of shipwrecks.The first documented shipwreck was a British vessel that sank in 1824. Two years later, an American ship was wrecked in the same area.
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The shipwreck that Shipwreck Beach is named for occurred after World War II. The Navy ship, which can be seen today on Kaiolohia Bay’s coral reef, was purposely wrecked here after it was determined that it was the most economical way to dispose of it.
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#dtl #dtlhawaii #strategy #planning #branding #communications #culture #community #design #newsletter #wahipana #hawaiianculture #hawaiianhistory #wahipana #wahi #lanai #lanaikaula #kaiolohia #shipwreckbeach
Repost from @wcitinteriors
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The 2023 Uncle Stan’s Golf Classic was a 1980’s vibe
👾💾💄📼🎸🎞️📺🛼
Every year, the Uncle Stan’s Golf Classic puts on a themed tournament with a few off-the-cuff games and rules, awesome food and drinks, and some slick prizes. This annual event is hosted by the WCIT Foundation, intended to assist qualified Hawaii high school students to attain college degrees in the allied arts with the granting of college scholarships such as the Chun-Takaki.
Mahalo to our participants and sponsors!
Reel by @levialbano_
#WahiPanaWednesday ~ Keahiakawelo is a vast landscape filled with perfectly scattered boulders and rock towers of varying sizes. The landscape of Keahiakawelo can be explained by various moʻolelo, one being that the rocks hold the spirits of ancient Hawaiian warriors.
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Its nickname, “Garden of the Gods”, comes from a moʻolelo that explains that the rocks and boulders in the area were dropped from the sky by the gods while tending to their gardens. Another moʻolelo states that the gods used Keahiakawelo as a place to make their favorite sculptures. They created powerful winds in the area to carefully sculpt each rock formation.
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The landscape could also be the result of a conflict between the priest of Molokaʻi, Lanikaula, and the priest of Lānaʻi, Kawelo. One version of the moʻolelo states that the two challenged each other to see who could keep fires burning on their respective islands the longest. Another version states that Lanikaula tried to curse the people of Lānaʻi, and Kawelo started the fire to stop him. The name Keahiakawelo comes from ke ahi (the fire) a (made by) Kawelo, and is the reason why the area is red and barren.
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#dtl #dtlhawaii #strategy #planning #branding #communications #culture #community #design #newsletter #wahipana #hawaiianculture #hawaiianhistory #wahipana #wahi #lanai #lanaikaula #keahiakawelo #gardenofthegods
#designedbyDTL Have you received Makawalu in the mail yet? 📬 For five years, DTL has had the honor of working with Kamehameha Schools in designing their Annual Report. We blend their timeless aesthetic, with modern graphics to present their key information and messaging.
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#dtl #dtlhawaii #strategy #planning #branding #communications #culture #community #design #designedbydtl #dtlworkflow #kamehamehaschools #dtlclient #clientspotlight #ksannualreport #ksbe #makawalu
Rachel of the Island of Hawaiʻi Visitor Bureau brought her deck of Actions of Aloha Cards to Hawaiʻi Tourism Day at the State Capitol! What a great reminder that real actions of aloha are needed in all spaces at all times, especially on an Aloha Pōʻalima 🌺
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#dtl #dtlhawaii #dtlworkflow #strategy #planning #branding #communications #culture #community #design #actionsofaloha #amplifyaloha #aloha #showaloha #bealoha #alohakekahiikekahi #alohapoalima #alohafriday
Every day we celebrate the daring leadership, compassionate service, and fearless trailblazing of WAHINE. // DTL is proud to be wahine owned + (majority) wahine operated.
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“Native Hawaiian wahine have the competitive advantage of descending from an ancestry full of women in leadership positions. Naturally, women lead, organize, and build connection whether it’s within their ʻohana, their community, or their entire industry.” - Mālia Kaʻaihue, Poʻo of DTL, Founder, Wife, Mother @makemagicmalia
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🌺 Featuring the breathtaking artwork of Shar Tuiʻasoa of @punkyaloha studio 🌺
#dtl #dtlhawaii #dtlworkflow #strategy #planning #branding #communications #culture #community #design #aloha #actionsofaloha #womensday #womensmonth #wahine #manawahine #empoweringwahine #womeninleadership #womenmeanbusiness
Our #WahiPanaWednesday journey is taking us to Lānaʻi where we will learn about historic sites across the two traditional moku of the island.
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Lānaʻikaula was the fourth Hawaiian island to be born according to the oli ʻO Wākea Noho iā Papahānaumoku. According to moʻolelo, Lānaʻi was once ruled by the goddess Pahulu, who established Kealaikahiki that runs from Lānaʻi and Kahoʻolawe to Tahiti. Lanikaula, a kahuna from Molokaʻi, battled Pahulu and won. In honor of the defeat, Lānaʻi was often referred to as Lānaʻikaula.
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Although Lānaʻi is the smallest populated island of the Hawaiian island chain today, it is filled with history. The island was home to small settlements for centuries until James Dole purchased the island in 1922 to cultivate pineapples. Lānaʻi soon became one of the largest pineapple plantations. To accommodate the number of laborers arriving to Lānaʻi to work in the pineapple fields, a plantation camp was built in the flatlands, known today as Lānaʻi City.
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#dtl #dtlhawaii #strategy #planning #branding #communications #culture #community #design #newsletter #wahipana #hawaiianculture #hawaiianhistory #wahipana #wahi #lanai #lanaikaula
Women have the immense kuleana of bringing life to earth by birthing a child. The hours and sometimes days of labor is an intimate and powerful time for a wahine and her ʻohana. Pale keiki, or midwives, have been crucial support for mothers throughout Hawaiian history. As with many traditional Hawaiian practices, midwives in Hawai’i have orally passed on their knowledge and skills. Today midwives serve as cultural practitioners, providing care for rural and under-resourced communities across our islands.
Traditional pale keiki practices in Hawaiʻi are community, culturally, and spiritually based, and many practitioners throughout our islands don’t have a government-recognized certification or license. A new law is taking place in July 2023, prohibiting unlicensed providers from practicing, requiring midwives to attend accredited schools to be a licensed provider, which many can’t afford. Our pale keiki are calling out for community support to petition against this law so they can pass on this cultural practice.
Aligned with International Women’s Day today and Women’s History Month, let’s help our wāhine, our pale keiki, and the protection of Native Hawaiian and indigenous practices. Every wahine deserves the power to choose what they feel is best for their baby and their ʻohana.
➡️ Sign the petition at: https://bit.ly/3yuuWyV
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#dtl #dtlhawaii #dtlworkflow #strategy #planning #branding #communications #culture #community #design #strategicplanning #aloha #actionsofaloha #showaloha #givealoha #palekeiki #midwife #midwives #midwifery #hawaiimidwifery #midwiferypetition #reproductiverights #internationalwomensday #womensday #wahine #manawahine
Today's #culture + #community manaʻo is "Mālama makes me feel _______" ❣️❓
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He aha kou manaʻo?
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#dtl #dtlhawaii #dtlworkflow #strategy #planning #branding #communications #culture #community #design #strategicplanning #communityoutreach #makingmagic #malama #kamanaookala
Calling all Hawaiʻi Storytellers! 🔊 Every generation has their own lingo, fashion trends, and thoughts about the other generations. Join Civil Beat in engaging stories and conversation with community members of different generations on March 3 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Ka Waiwai in Mōʻiliʻili.
Check out the featured storytellers:
🎙️Kealoha Kelekolio - Baby Boom Generation: Cultural educator and storyteller
🎙️Eduardo Hernandez - Generation X: Major Gifts Manager at Honolulu Civil Beat
🎙️Nick Yee - Millennial: Program Director and Host of Bridging the Gap at Hawaii Public Radio
🎙️Lauren Teruya - Generation Z: Miss Hawaii 2022
🎙️Jeju Ahn-Miles - Generation Alpha
➡️ Register at https://bit.ly/41hP6tk
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#dtl #dtlhawaii #strategy #planning #branding #communications #culture #community #design #civilbeat #hawaiistorytellers #thegenerations #hawaiicommunity #hawaiivoices #hawaiistories #story #talkstory