Bonds face boycott
This week, Bonds faced significant backlash after unveiling musician Adam Hyde (also known as Keli Holiday) as the face of its latest campaign.
Critics argued that the campaign represents a sharp departure from the brand’s established cheeky but wholesome identity.
The controversy intensified as discussion around Hyde extended beyond the campaign itself. His recent detention at the Canadian–US border became a focal point in the online debate, with some questioning the brand’s political leanings.
As a result, discussion of the campaign evolved into a broader conversation about brand values, audience expectations and ambassador suitability.
The backlash also created an opportunity for competitor Tradie, who launched a response campaign to ‘welcome aboard’ those boycotting Bonds.
The controversy serves as a reminder that selecting the right ambassador is not only a creative decision but a strategic one, with the potential to strengthen or undermine brand loyalty and trust.
Creativity in France
Last week, IMPACT’s CEO Nicole Webb attended the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Here are a few quick insights from her time at this world-leading conference:
- Brands are being pushed to move beyond short-lived campaigns and invest in ideas that can help build long-term impact.
- Audiences are getting better at spotting the difference between content made to grab attention and content that is really delivering something useful.
- Brand credibility comes from being transparent with your audience. It is important to show progress as well as polished outcomes.
- Trust is shifting more towards tangible proof and transparent processes over brand messaging.
- AI is no longer a differentiator. It is expected, and the real advantage lies in learning how to use it creatively.
Stay tuned for a full wrap on the festival from Nicole in a few weeks!
Smaller audiences, stronger communities
Gen-Z focused brand PUNKEE was liquidated this week to create a leaner organisational structure within Junkee Media.
Moving forward, the media business will focus on a creator-led model, allowing them to prioritise niche fandoms, social media platforms, and where culture gathers.
Steve Morgan, CFO of RACAT has explained that this move was necessary in part to keep the business sustainable.
SBS have also made a similar move, rebranding Viceland as SBS2.
This change will take effect in August of this year and reflects a shift in the decline of Vice’s brand globally. It shows a strategic move by SBS to consolidate its channels under a stronger, more recognisable identity.
The move also signals a wider industry shift towards media consolidation, with publishers beginning to prioritise creator-led content to reach Gen-Z audiences and smaller communities.
Nestlé launches ‘Sniff, Look, Taste’ pilot to help combat food waste
Did you know that Australian households produce over 2.5 million tonnes of food waste annually, yet 70 per cent of this is still perfectly edible?
To address this, Nestlé has launched ‘Sniff, Look, Taste’, an initiative designed to tackle one of the biggest barriers to reducing food waste at home – confusion over date labels.
The pilot program will see the inclusion of a new logo on select packets of MAGGI 2 Minute Noodles, encouraging Australians to check the date label and, where a product is past its Best Before date, use their senses to determine whether it is still good to eat.
The pilot was informed by local and global research, including RMIT University and End Food Waste Australia, and is part of Nestlé’s continued partnership with food rescue champions, OzHarvest.
Nestlé is an IMPACT client.
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