Every Kiwi on a Bike Is a Walking Billboard
There I was, stuck behind a cyclist wearing head-to-toe Pak'nSave yellow. Not a sponsored rider. Just a regular dude commuting, unwittingly serving as a brand evangelist for an $8 t-shirt.
And it hit me. Somewhere along the way, sportswear swallowed every brand's marketing plan. Walk into any gym in Auckland and you can scan entire demographics by the logos on their shorts. Lululemon says accountant. ASICS says practical parent. Adidas? Former All Black, still emotionally invested. The whole country is in motion and marketing at the same time.
Marketers need to look closer at micro-influence in everyday life. Not influencers, but influence. Real people making real decisions that spread branding like pollen. Why are we still throwing six figures at campaign videos no one watches when my barista’s Kathmandu puffer sold six more to the queue behind me?
This isn't some utopian call for organic buzz. It's about noticing the granular. The hoodie worn in five family Christmas photos. The tote bag hanging on the back of every university chair. That’s where brand trust is living now. Not in polished campaigns, but in sweat, latte foam, and UV exposure.
And it hit me. Somewhere along the way, sportswear swallowed every brand's marketing plan. Walk into any gym in Auckland and you can scan entire demographics by the logos on their shorts. Lululemon says accountant. ASICS says practical parent. Adidas? Former All Black, still emotionally invested. The whole country is in motion and marketing at the same time.
Marketers need to look closer at micro-influence in everyday life. Not influencers, but influence. Real people making real decisions that spread branding like pollen. Why are we still throwing six figures at campaign videos no one watches when my barista’s Kathmandu puffer sold six more to the queue behind me?
This isn't some utopian call for organic buzz. It's about noticing the granular. The hoodie worn in five family Christmas photos. The tote bag hanging on the back of every university chair. That’s where brand trust is living now. Not in polished campaigns, but in sweat, latte foam, and UV exposure.