Ute-erly Tasman

Kia has now (officially) unveiled the name of their new ute as the Kia Tasman—a name many had already guessed. In a playful twist, the next instalment of their campaign video delves into a fictional backstory of how the name was chosen, adding a bit of drama to the naming rights battle.

Even sceptics like our Managing Director Laurence, who initially dismissed the campaign as a cash grab targeting Australians, are warming up to it.

Maybe we will see him in the market for a new ute come 2025…

You can watch it (and register your interest) here.

Meta It’s Match?

Meta is making a bold move in the AI battlefield!

It’s not just integrating its AI assistant across familiar platforms like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger—it’s also making it a standout feature in the Facebook feed and accessible via a brand-new website, Meta.ai. This is part of Meta’s strategy to not only keep up with but outpace competitors like ChatGPT. They’ve launched Llama 3, a sophisticated AI model that’s sharper at tasks such as coding, available in various sizes for different needs.

This AI expansion is going global, reaching audiences in English-speaking countries from Australia to Zambia. By embedding its AI into every corner of its massive network, Meta is playing a familiar game—think of how it popularised features like Stories and Reels after they appeared on Snapchat and TikTok. Mark Zuckerberg is aiming high, envisioning Meta AI as a major player that leverages the company’s vast user base and its ability to swiftly adapt and innovate.

You may have discovered it in your chat apps – it seems the most searched query regarding Meta.ai right now is how to turn it off (short answer: you can’t).

Tesla Turnaround

No stranger to a news headline, Elon Musk recently dismissed his newly hired, Tesla-dedicated marketing team, critiquing the ads they produced as “too generic.”

This drastic move highlights Tesla’s intent to overhaul its brand strategy and carve a more distinctive identity in the marketplace, which comes off the back of the news that last quarter Tesla reported its first yearly decrease in sales since the pandemic, which was more substantial than anticipated (they’ve attributed this downturn to a sluggish Chinese economy, a fire at its German plant, and supply issues stemming from rising tensions in the Middle East). It’s a bold step that reflects Elon’s tendency to throw the book out of the window when it comes to marketing strategies, embracing more, shall we say, out-of-the-box approaches.

It’ll be interesting to see what tactics they try next!

Swiftly Done

Ok, yes the world is oversaturated with Taylor Swift.

She’s just completed a large chunk of her global Era’s tour, followed – swiftly – by the release of a double album, The Tortured Poets Department.

But love her or hate her, you can probably agree on one thing – it seems that every lyric she paints is a masterstroke in the art of branding.

The release of a new Taylor Swift album has evolved into a significant event that transcends her core fan base, affecting virtually anyone online. The impact is pervasive, with her music, memes, and ads dominating major digital platforms – it’s impossible to ignore her presence!

But what makes Taylor so popular? Is she a marketing prodigy, and who’s helping her?

If you’re a Swifty, or just love to know about what makes her so popular, this article’s a good one.

Or check out some of the ways brands jumped on her Eras tour, and then with the launch of her new album.

Keen To Dive In?

If you love what we’ve shared above and want to be kept in the loop with our weekly email, The Brief, you can sign up here. We’ll only send you things we love and think you’ll find useful, and you can unsubscribe at any time. And if you need some help exploring any of the above within your own marketing strategy, or you need a rebrand, a custom website built from scratch, Google or social ads, print materials, blog posts – or the whole lot – we’d love to chat. Drop us a line here.