Four brand and marketing insights from our team, delivered every month.
Stamp Duty
Nothing lasts forever, not even tattoos. Being a hard second in the permanence scale after children (in my opinion), tattoos are now quasi-forever with the rapid growth in the tattoo removal market.
From 2020 to 2025, Australia alone has seen a growth of 11.5% in tattoo removals, and the industry is expected to continue growing. The technology that we have makes having a clean slate easier than ever.
But if the experience is akin to having your skin seared off, why are people so quick to do it? Simple. They’ve outgrown the story. The version of themselves who got that tattoo at 18 doesn’t exist anymore.
People shedding even the most permanent markers of identity raises a real question for brand loyalty. And the answer isn’t to demand more commitment from our consumers. It’s to make staying more compelling than leaving. Flexibility isn’t just a concession anymore; it’s the whole product.
As for me, I’ll keep my cute rubber duck tattoo just a little bit longer.
Read IBISWorld’s FAQs on the Tattoo Removal market in Australia →
// Nina Sazali, Administration Assistant
Thomas Bangalter Coming Out of Hiding Was Always Going to Break the Internet
I first heard about this historic DJ set by Thomas Bangalter & Fred Again.. the way most people did. A clip on Instagram, shared by someone at the show. Then professional shots started circulating. Then the whispers began: apparently the whole thing had been properly recorded. That slow reveal was entirely by design.
To understand why it worked, you need to understand the two artists involved. Bangalter, and by extension Daft Punk, whose brand is built on mystery and scarcity. No interviews, no appearances, no unnecessary noise. Which means when he surfaces, the world stops. Fred Again.. operates at the opposite extreme: releasing music almost weekly, dropping shows with minutes’ notice, scattering cryptic hints for those paying close enough attention. Miss them, and you’ll miss it.
The Bangalter & Fred Again.. show took place in February. The YouTube release followed a month later, and the Apple Music mix dropped more recently still. Each release gave the event a fresh wave of attention, reaching people who weren’t there, people who missed it the first time, and people who simply wanted to relive it.
A single live event became weeks of conversation. Great content, released thoughtfully and in sequence, dramatically extends the shelf life of your campaign or event.
Watch the full set, filmed at Alexandra Palace →
// Simon Bruno, SEO & Data Technician
The Algorithm Would Like a Word With Your Strategy
I’ve just got back from the Google Honours Summit in San Francisco and I can’t shake one thought: we’ve been optimising for a system that doesn’t really exist anymore.
Search is the clearest example. It’s moving from “type a keyword, get some links” to something that actually understands what a consumer means and helps them make a decision.
Which is probably why one line kept coming up all summit: the best ads are just answers.
We’re moving into a world where ad content quality is the strategy. Not volume. Not keyword coverage. How useful, clear, and direct your answer is for the consumer. The edge won’t come from who can produce the most or optimise the fastest, it’ll come from what you put in: better content, sharper audience signals, conversion data that actually reflects what consumers are looking for.
The question worth sitting with: when did you last look at your campaigns and ask whether they’re actually answering anything?
Read Chelsea’s top tips from San Francisco on B&T →
// Chelsea Craddock, Strategist
Couched in Function
In July last year, my wife and I bought a gorgeous orange couch at auction—tufted back cushions, burnt orange velvet—for $600. We moved it into the house, sat on it, and immediately understood the problem. The foam had given up, there was no lumbar support, and it was too big for the room. We loved it and we couldn’t keep it.
What followed was two and a half months of trying to find a couch that was both comfortable and pleasing to look at. It turns out those two things rarely exist in the same object. The couches that feel best tend to converge on a small number of acceptable forms, and eventually everyone ends up with the same-looking cloud couch.
The same logic shapes marketing. We’re asked to build brand awareness and close the lead. Every touchpoint should provide functional value while also deepening the relationship. And because every marketer works under the same budgetary and time constraints, we reach for what’s proven, what performs on paper, and what won’t raise eyebrows in a budget meeting. The work converges. Same formats, same feel.
Our campaigns may feature different logos, but we’re all ultimately pressured into creating the same cloud couch.
// Rob Di Giovanni, Marketing Manager
Bonfire is an award-winning performance marketing agency based in Subiaco, Western Australia.