Earlier this year, News Corp Australia announced the launch of The Growth D_Stillery, a dedicated research and intelligence service offering consumer insights to help marketers navigate brand challenges, anticipate consumer trends and understand where best to invest.
See Also: Behind The Growth D_Stillery: News Corp’s newest research and intelligence offering
The Growth D_Stillery amplifies key research insights on trade marketing platforms, and on News Corp Australia channels. As a part of its release into market, the platform has launched a series of vodcasts hosted by News Corp Australia’s director, Growth Intelligence Centre Dan Krigstein, with guests from all corners of the marketing world.
Dan Krigstein
The most recent lot of Growth D_Stillery vodcasts were recorded at Sydney’s Luna Park as part of the 2023 Advertising Week conference, and Mediaweek was on the ground to catch up with those recording episodes.
This week, Mediaweek spoke with Alex McLean, general manager marketing at BMW Australia
For McLean, getting involved in Advertising Week APAC came after a nudge from a trusted friend.
“I caught up with a mentor of mine, Lucio Ribeiro from Optus, and we spoke about Advertising Week. He’s been connected with AdWeek for quite some time, and he said, why don’t you talk about the electric vehicle market?
“I asked if people would be interested, and he said that they would be fascinated by it. Automotive in general is an industry that touches on so many facets – brand, retail, service, etc. I’m more than happy to share what has happened in this space.”
There is rapid evolution currently happening in the auto industry, and for McLean, being involved with Advertising Week means making sure that the message about what role BMW is playing in that transformation gets out there.
“We’re a brand that’s longer in the tooth than other autos, but we’re constantly evolving and changing and investing. We’re investing in products, investing in platforms, investing in change.
“When it comes to electric vehicles, some of the quotes are that there will be more change in auto in the next five years than in the last hundred. I want to get on the front foot and talk about what we’re doing, the challenges and the battles that we’re facing.”
Two years on from the major lockdowns, McLean says that right now is the light that was at the end of the tunnel. Whilst there are still hurdles facing the industry, the future is bright.
“Absolutely, there are still challenges, but it’s important that brands don’t stop. I was taught very early on that when the going gets tough, do not stop. This is the time to put your brand in bright lights.
“I’m excited for the next 16 to 24 months, I’m excited by how we can enrich what we do with the new tools that have become available over the last couple of years. It is not doom and gloom, it is time to be fit, firing, and ready to work.”
As for what those challenges are that marketers are up against, McLean points to responses to data as being something the industry will need to navigate.
“Personal data is incredibly important, and it’s put fear into a lot of brands – and rightfully so, this is an important asset that we need to protect. But it’s an asset that we need to understand to use.
“How do you best leverage this asset? That’s one of the biggest challenges that I see the industry facing, how we best responsibly leverage our first-party data.”
Ultimately McLean says that he hopes the D_Stillery Vodcast episode leaves viewers with the confidence to make the most of the transitional period that we’re living through.
“I don’t like using the buzz terms like game change, but we are in a period of transformation. I want people to embrace that change. At BMW, we’re rolling out a new CRM platform, and what myself and my team have learned through that exercise is that it’s not about just rolling it out, it’s how you communicate change to the board and stakeholders.
“This is about encouraging people to embrace change and transformation and new tools, to learn about them, adopt them where it makes sense, and not be afraid of that change.”
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Top Image: Alex McLean