Got Marketing unpacks the best marketing campaigns and what actually sticks
>> Mia Feilman: Most marketing has the shelf life of a trending sound. This is Got Marketing, where we unpack campaigns, marketing news and what actually sticks. Hello, friend, and welcome back to Got Marketing. Today we are going to do some pattern spotting. I've got five campaigns I genuinely loved. One is for pregnancy nutrition, one is fashion, one's insurance, one's coffee, one's a tech platform. Three are Australian, one is global. They have wildly different budgets, different creative agencies, different audiences, but they are all doing the exact same thing. And I think that once you see it, you can't unsee um it. So for each campaign I'm going to answer the same three questions. Question one is, what tension is this campaign responding to? Question two is what did they do differently? And question three is what can every marketer steal? Now, if you haven't seen these campaigns, don't worry, I'll give you a 30 second version of each one. But they're also linked in the show notes if you'd like to watch them afterwards.
Frangios launch first major brand campaign with Lift Like a Mother
All right, let's get into it. Number one, Frangios lift like a mother. Frangios has traditionally been a product led brand focused on nutrition for pregnancy, postpartum and breastfeeding mums. Their first major brand campaign, Lift Like a Mother, marks a significant shift in their strategy. Instead of leading with ingredients and product benefits, they're leading with a belief that motherhood is one of the greatest feats of physical strength. The founders are much more visible in the campaign too, making it feel like the brand has found a bigger purpose than simply selling snacks. Physical lift on my body is that I am so depleted and sleep deprived, yet I still need to physically carry and lift both of my children. Day in and day out, I still need to lift the mother load and the mental load that comes with motherhood. No matter how bad a night was or how tough a season is, I can do hard things Jim Rose could never. Every day I lift like a mother. Okay, so what tension is this campaign responding to? I think that there are two at play here. The first is that motherhood has traditionally been portrayed in advertising as soft, nurturing, beautiful, gentle. But motherhood and pregnancy are incredibly physical. You're carrying babies, you're lifting toddlers, you're pushing prams, you're surviving on broken sleep and somehow still functioning. It's endurance and and its strength. The second tension is that women do all of this invisible as well as visible labour, yet we rarely describe them as athletes. The campaign flips this narrative on its head and one of my favourite lines in the campaign is the Jim Bros could never. It's cheeky, but it lands because there's truth behind it. So what has the brand done differently? The biggest shift here wasn't just creative. Even though the creative is very different to what Frangios have done previously, it's strategic. Frangos stopped behaving like a product brand and started behaving like a brand with a point of view. Previous marketing has been focused on the products themselves, the nutrition, the ingredients, pregnancy, breastfeeding. This campaign doesn't touch that. This is a brand campaign which sits above the product level. So instead this campaign asks what do we believe about motherhood? Which is a much bigger campaign territory, a much bigger idea. I also loved how involved the founders were in Lift Like a Mother because you could tell that this wasn't an agency inventing a purpose on behalf of the brand. I felt like this was something that was genuinely believed and that was led by the brand and that the agency helped bring to life, which is exactly how an agency client collaboration should work. It also makes it far more credible that this wasn't created in a boardroom at the creative agency rather than embedded in the soul of this business. The campaign extended well beyond just a hero film. There was behind the scenes content. We saw the founder explaining the campaign. We were able to focus a lot on the creators. There is a dedicated campaign landing page. This all really helped build momentum.
What can every marketer steal from Frango's brand campaign
All right, and question three. What can every marketer steal from this campaign? Don't start with your product. Start with an outdated belief in your category. A status quo that needs changing. Ask yourself, what does everyone accept as normal? That maybe deserves to be challenged. And. And that's where interesting campaigns begin. The other lesson is that you don't need a multinational budget to build a brand campaign and Frango's did not have one. They are still a relatively small founder, uh, led and I presume, funded business. But they've made the leap from selling products to standing for something.
Bonds' latest campaign featuring musician Adam Hyde sparked backlash
Okay, campaign two. I think you know that this is coming. Bonds featuring Adam Hyde, AKA Kelly Holiday. Bon's latest underwear campaign features musician Adam Hyde, AKA Kelly Holiday and one half of the Australian music band Peking Duck. However, Adam is better known as Abby Chatfield's boyfriend. On the surface, it's a relatively simple campaign featuring Adam modelling Bond's underwear on stage at a concert while dancing to his own song. But because Adam has increasingly become outspoken politically, the campaign quickly sparked backlash. And some people have accused Bonds of picking sides and abandoning its position as a brand for all Australians. What could have Been a straightforward fashion campaign, became a conversation about branding, politics and whether brands should appeal to everyone. Welcome this band since 01, baby. Question 1. What tension is this campaign responding to? Well, this one's pretty obvious because this campaign sits right at the intersection of branding and culture. Should a, um, modern brand still be for everyone? For years, Bonds was rewarded for broad appeal. They wanted as many customers as possible. But increasingly, we're seeing brands succeed by building tribes rather than trying to win the whole country. And, um, not to mention, the country has never been more divided. So trying to win, win the whole country is probably an impossible task to begin with. The Commons saying Bonds used to be for all Australians really fascinated me because that reflects an older way of thinking about branding. Today's strongest brands stand for something, even if that means that some people get left out. So what did Bonds do differently? Question 2. Well, the obvious comparison here is Robert Irwin, who was their last brand ambassador. The Robert Irwin campaign was really glossy, it was playful, and it was almost universally loved. So maybe I'm wrong and you can appeal to the whole country. This collaboration, partnership, whatever, with Adam Hyde is very different. It's more understated, it's social first, it's far less spectacle, and it's more about cultural relevance. Not to say that Robert Irwin wasn't culturally relevant. This is just a different depth of cultural relevance. The more I think about Bonds with Adam Hyde, the more I think Bonds knew exactly what they were doing. Adam wasn't just cast because he's fit or because he's a musician. He represents something culturally in 2026. He comes with opinions, he comes with the fan base, he comes with critics. He sparks conversation. And that's very different to when he appeared in a Maya campaign back in 2021, also wearing bonds. Back then, he was just half of Peking Duck. Today, he carries a whole lot more cultural baggage. I found Bonza's response to the backlash really interesting. They didn't get defensive and they didn't hide, but they did remove some comments that they thought were, uh, nasty and needed to be removed. They calmly and kindly responded to comments which suggested to me that they anticipated this reaction and had already decided that they were comfortable with it.
Bonds cast Adam in underwear because they knew backlash would reinforce brand
All right, and question three. What can every marketer steal from this? I don't think the lesson here is be controversial. Most businesses absolutely shouldn't manufacture controversy. The lesson here instead is being really clear about who you're trying to connect with. If you have a strong point of view as a brand, you'll naturally attract some people. And turn others off. That's often a sign your brand actually starts to stand for something beyond just the product. The other takeaway here is timing. Putting attractive people in Bond's underwear is nothing new. They've been doing it since the brand launched. But doing it with someone culturally relevant right now is absolutely Bonds, Mo. And one of my marketing friends, Andrea Andrich, who's been on this podcast, pointed out that they put Pat Rafter in Bonds when he was also incredibly culturally relevant and also controversial. Brands don't just borrow people's audiences, they borrow what those people represent in that moment. So I think that this was incredibly intentional. We can say that it wasn't very deep and that they just put a hot guy in hot shorts. But I think that Bonds cast Adam intentionally because they knew the backlash would reinforce exactly the kind of brand that they want to become.
New campaign for Reddit highlights the weird, generous, hilarious conversations
All right, let's move on to campaign three. This one is for Reddit and the campaign is called People Are the Best. Reddit's new global brand campaign, People Are the Best, is a tongue in cheek highlight of the platform's greatest asset, its people. Rather than talking about technology and algorithms, or AI, I mean, yawn fest, the campaign highlights the weird, generous, hilarious, surprisingly helpful conversations that happen every day on Reddit. In a world increasingly filled with AI generated content and polished influencers, Reddit is making a simple argument. Real people are still the Internet's best feature, and I really like that. I also really like the name People Are the Best because it's kind of sarcastic and, um, I love sarcasm, thanks to the soccer people on Reddit, who made me realise I'm not bantering to my full potential. Shout out to everyone on Reddit. You made me believe my thoughts affect the game. All right, question one. What tension is this campaign responding to? Honestly, this campaign could not have come at a better time. We are living through a trust recession. I don't know what's real and what's fake anymore. We never had more content, but we're questioning all of it. Is this written by AI? Is this influencer actually using this product? Is this review real? Is this photo even real? At that exact moment, the Internet is becoming more artificial. Reddit has doubled down on the fact that it's powered by real people having real conversations. Really opinionated conversations. I love that they didn't ignore AI. They simply reminded us what AI can't replicate and that is lived human experience.
Reddit's new campaign shifts the hero from product to the community
All right, question two. What did the brand do differently? Visually, the campaign isn't particularly groundbreaking. It's fairly recognisably Reddit, it's fairly recognisably tech campaign, but the strategy is really smart. Most tech companies try to sell you better technology. Reddit sold better humanity. They're not saying, our platform is smarter, our platform is better. They're saying our people are better. I mean, they literally put that in the name people are the best. That shifts the hero from the product to the community. And I also love that the campaign doesn't pretend that Reddit is perfect, because if you spend five minutes there, you'll know it's not. It's messy, it's chaotic, it's unhinged. And that's actually kind of why it works. The campaign embraces the imperfections of humanity, the deeply human parts of humanity, instead of trying to polish them away. So while visually the campaign didn't light my fire, I really liked the script and I really liked the message. So question three. What can every marketer steal from this campaign? Stop trying to make your brand the hero and make your customers the hero, exactly like Reddit did. If your business has a genuinely passionate community, don't just tell people you have one. Show them this community, celebrate the community, feature the community, build your brand around them. The other takeaway is that sometimes the best response to a changing market isn't to compete on the thing that everyone else is talking about. Everyone is talking about AI ad nauseam, but Reddit is talking about humans at the right time. All right, so what's interesting now is that we've had three campaigns in a row that have barely talked about their product. Let's see if the next two continue in this same vein.
Nescafe's new global master brand campaign follows relationship between grandson and grandfather
All right, campaign four. Nescafe make your World. Nescafe's new global master brand campaign, make your World, that is the world's worst name, by the way, follows the relationship between a grandson and his grandfather. Coffee is present throughout the storey, but it never feels like the hero. Instead, it's an excuse to spend time together. The ad is funny, it's warm, it's surprisingly emotional. And by the end, I liked Nescafe more, which was a massive brand challenge, because I didn't like Nescafe at all before this. But I did like them more. And it had me thinking about my grandparents and wishing that I had spent more time with them. Hey, Grandpa. I don't know what's wrong. Let's have a look. Wow, coffee. All right, question one. What tension is this campaign responding to? This campaign is all about time and not timing. I mean quality time. We all think we'll have the Chance to have another coffee. Another Sunday afternoon, another phone call, another visit. Until one day we don't. It is such a universal human truth and the campaign taps into that beautifully without becoming overly sentimental. For me, the feeling wasn't, ooh, I really need a coffee right now. It was, I should call someone I love. And that's a very different emotional response. All right, question two. What did the brand do differently? Nescafe could have gone down the familiar path. Taste, beans, aroma. Instead, they ignored the product altogether, as they should. It's dehydrated instant coffee because they don't have the best product. And I love brands that are self aware. Instead, coffee becomes the backdrop to our relationship rather than the reason for the ad. I loved the tone. It wasn't going to make me cry. There was humour, there was awkward moments and so it felt really believable. Question 3. What can every marketer steal from the Nescafe campaign? We need to stop asking, how do I make people care about my product? They don't care. And, uh, we need to start asking, what role can my product play in, in people's lives? For Nescafe, the answer isn't caffeine, it's connection. It's what happens around the coffee that people will remember. And that's a really important distinction in your strategy. If you can identify the role your product plays in someone's life, your marketing becomes infinitely more interesting than talking about features and benefits.
Suncorp's latest campaign takes a completely unexpected approach to insurance advertising
Okay, so we've now looked at pregnancy, nutrition, underwear, online communities and coffee. And we have one more campaign to go. Suncorp A Tale of Two Queenslands suncorp's latest campaign takes a completely unexpected approach to insurance advertising. Rather than showing dramatic flood footage or storm damage, it tells the storey of Queensland as a theatrical stage production. It's complete with painted backdrops, oversized props, actors moving through scenes that celebrate both the beauty and the brutality of life in the Sunshine State. It's imaginative, proudly local, and, um, unlike anything I've ever seen from an insurer in quite a while. Um, there exists two Queenslands. There's the one we love and the one we fear. But there's one thing that binds them. The unwavering resilience it takes us all to call both Queenslands home.
Suncorp's new Queensland insurance campaign celebrates resilience amid unpredictable weather
All right, question one. What tension is this campaign responding to? The campaign is built around a paradox. And it's in the name, right? A Tale of Two Queenslands. Queensland is one of the most beautiful places in Australia. I'm allowed to say that because I'm a proud Queenslander. Now. It's Also, one of the most volatile people choose to live there and here, knowing they will probably experience cyclones, floods, hail storms or extreme weather at some point. Both of these things are true and you don't get to choose one. I actually found it really interesting because it reminded me of Kierkegaard's idea that two truths can coexist. Now, if you're an off campus fan like me, if you know, you know. So Queensland can be paradise and it can also be incredibly unforgiving. And those two realities don't cancel each other out. So question two. What did the brand do differently? Well, they resisted the obvious, which I think is always a good place to start. Insurance advertising usually leans really heavily into realism. Real disasters, real families, real damage. Suncorp went in the complete opposite direction. They turned it into literal theatre. Plastic hail, painted seats, a storybook aesthetic. It could have felt gimmicky, right? But somehow it made the campaign feel even more human. And this is such an important lesson in execution, right? Because selling in this idea would have been really tricky. I think it celebrated the resilience and the humour that Queenslanders have had to develop living with unpredictable weather rather than trying to scare people into buying insurance. I am so bored of insurance campaigns that scare us and use fear to sell us insurance. So what can every marketer steal from this campaign? Don't sell the solution. Celebrate the identity of the people you are serving. Suncorp isn't saying, buy insurance with this campaign. They're saying, we get what it's like to live here. The insurance simply becomes proof that they understand Queenslanders and the life that Queenslanders have chosen. And that's where the strongest marketing lives. Not in the product features, but in making your customer feel seen and understood, relating to your customer.
Every single one of these campaigns starts with a belief about the world
So I've been trying to work out why I picked these five campaigns and why I picked them now. And it's not just because they're beautifully crafted or they're all emotionally moving. Uh, I don't even think it's because they're culturally relevant either. Now, let me know if you have gotten to this before I say it, but every single one of these campaigns starts with a belief about the world. Let me explain what that means. So, old advertising, there was a formula. Here's, uh, our product, here's why it's better. Buy it. And the examples live on till today. Like, it's better coffee, it's a better insurance policy, there's more protein, there's less sugar, there's better styled underwear. But like, you know, more fashionable underwear, softer underwear. The product was the storey in an old world way of doing advertising. Then we moved into purpose. Brands started saying we care about sustainability, we care about women, we care about diversity. That was an evolution, but it quickly became very generic and every brand simply told us what they stood for. But what I'm noticing now, and what is so present with these five campaigns, is that they are not starting with the product. They are not stating their purpose. They are starting with a belief about the world and it is a belief that their core audience already holds. Frango's Motherhood is strength bonds. Belonging matters more than universal appeal. Reddit Humans are better than algorithms. Nescafe Connection matters more than caffeine. Suncorp Queensland isn't just a place, it's an identity. A product may solve a problem. A worldview, however, says something about how we believe the world works. Why does this matter? Because consumers can compare products or services in seconds. AI can write product descriptions, features can be copied, prices can be matched. What becomes much harder to copy is a way of seeing the world. That's why these campaigns feel bigger than advertising. They're inviting people to say, that's exactly how I see the world too. As always, I, uh, welcome your feedback on this episode and I'll see you next time. Thank you. You listen all the way to the end. If you're enjoying GoT marketing, make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss what's Next. Want the backstage pass to Got Marketing? There's now a substack. It's the ideal companion to the podcast and it's linked in the show notes. Podcast reviews are like warm hugs and one of the best ways to support a small business. You can connect with me, mia Feilman on LinkedIn and Instagram, and I always welcome your feedback and questions for future episodes.
