Dirty Secrets & Brutal Pickups: Two campaigns worth obsessing over with Lillie Brown (Ep119)
Two recent campaigns that prove clever beats polished every time.
This week on Got Marketing?, Mia is back with fan-favourite guest and CDM Community Manager, Lillie Brown, to unpack two standout campaigns. From a heritage gardening brand to a challenger pet food company, these campaigns couldn’t be more different but both deliver lessons in brand storytelling and cultural connection.
First up, Seasol’s “Dirty Old Secrets”, a witty, intergenerational campaign that turns a humble seaweed tonic into a cultural moment. With eccentric Aussie gardeners and cheeky storytelling, it proves even dirt can sparkle with the right creative lens.
Then, Lyka’s “The Brutal Pickup,” a hilarious Halloween-timed horror spoof about dog owners’ worst nightmare: the sloppy poo pickup. It’s bold, gross, and brilliantly clever, turning gut health into must-watch marketing.
The episode also touches on ethical marketing and the subtle but important issue of the male gaze in advertising; how even great campaigns can unintentionally reinforce outdated narratives, and why it’s on us as marketers to do better.
What you’ll take away from in this episode:
✨ How Seasol’s Dirty Old Secrets built an enduring brand platform through humour and heritage
✨ The power of intergenerational storytelling in modern campaigns
✨ Why Lyka's disruptive “Brutal Pickup” works, and how timing amplified its success
✨ When (and how) to use grossness, taboo, or discomfort in marketing without crossing the line
✨ The ethical responsibility of marketers to challenge the male gaze and go deeper in creative critique
✨ Why challenger brands must be loud, and legacy brands must defend their market leadership
✨ What Airbnb got wrong (and how not to lose your brand edge to performance marketing)
✨ How brand campaigns build long-term equity beyond the conversion cycle
Campaigns and episode mentions:
Seasol: https://www.seasol.com.au/dirty-old-secrets/
Lyka: https://lyka.com.au/
Airbnb: https://www.thedrum.com/news/airbnb-cmo-ditching-performance-marketing-big-bold-brand-campaigns
Connect with Lillie:
Website: https://www.lilliebrown.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sexwithlillie/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillie-brown/
Connect with Mia:
Follow got marketing? on Instagram
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