TRA

The opportunity of playfulness isn't just limited to advertising alone. In the third and final episode of the 'Play' podcast series, Andrew Lewis is joined by Daniel van Vorsselen, CX Lead, and Laura Mulcahy, Head of Culture Practice, to unpack the opportunities presented by Play – a major study recently launched by TRA. Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gDDBdu3P And on Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gTQ7hjrb

Don't chase trends. Instead, go long. In her latest with AdNews, Laura Mulcahy advises brands who want to ‘know’ what's happening in consumer culture to look further than the trend itself. Using a framework from cultural insight, Laura explains how to get to know the meaning and context behind the latest meme. Read in full at: https://lnkd.in/gy_n6SvN

Play is a hard concept to get people to take seriously.....no, really?! But its actually one of the most important tools we have when looking create connection with people and demonstrate we have a relevant role to play in people's lives. And the more difficult or banal the topic or brand is, the more potency it has to create these points of connection. In episode 2 of a 3-part podcast series on ‘Play’, I'm joined by Mark Hobart and Lindsey Horne to discuss how brands and organisations can use play to re-engage the disengaged, tackle taboos and drive behaviour change. Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gawg_Je8 Or on Apple podcasts: https://lnkd.in/g8Xm4jTH

What's on the radar for some of the world's most innovative companies? At this year's Fast Company's Innovation Festival in New York, I had the chance to find out. Some key themes I took away were: - The growing importance of community. Brands stand to benefit from fostering and collaborating with their communities directly. - We're getting tired of hearing about Gen AI with it being described as akin to 'Big Data' in 2014. There's emerging fatigue around the promise and discourse of Gen AI. In his talk, Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, likened the technology to a co-worker bringing different skills to the table. When integrated into daily functions, it will enable a competitive advantage. So, it stands to benefit whoever learns to work alongside and diffuse it first throughout the organisation. - The future of insights collection is about co-creating and building better futures. As Matt Klein, Reddit’s Head of Global Foresight, talked about building community based on their values and what’s important to them, rather than jumping on the micro trend bandwagon. - There's increasing wariness around the micro trend speed cycle in general – owing to a cycle of hyper-consumerism. Darren Leon Mckoy, Dr Martens Global Creative Director, said it best with the idea that 'history is becoming ‘the future’ as emerging generations seek to understand what came before them (think Nirvana t-shirts, thrifting, retro brands reinvigorated) to allow them to make sense of where the world is at today.' It was also great to spend some time connecting with the Ideally team while there as they continue their USA expansion.

Marketers, we've got news. It's going to put a smile on your face. We asked over 2,000 New Zealanders and Australians about what humour and play mean to them in 2024. They told us that they're actively seeking more joy. For brands, marketers and organisations, this presents a universal opportunity. Today, we launched the research. Explore the findings at: https://lnkd.in/gAxCurD3

Congratulations to TRA, BOSS Most Innovative Companies 2024 Winner – Professional Services, for AI research tool Ideally.

How can brands use playfulness ideas to strengthen connection with audiences? To engage the disengaged and create positive behaviour change around even the most taboo of topics?  In episode 2 of a 3-part series on ‘Play’, Andrew Lewis is joined by Mark Hobart and Lindsey Horne to discuss how to re-engage the disengaged and tackle taboos. Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gawg_Je8 Or on Apple podcasts: https://lnkd.in/g8Xm4jTH

Big news. TRA has been named the AFR Boss Most Innovative Company in the Professional Services category across Australia and New Zealand! The Australian Financial Review says: "TRA [..] has created a culture of innovation by constantly encouraging staff to come up with new ideas and ensuring that they do not feel judged when an idea doesn’t work." The award recognised Ideally, the self-service, AI-backed platform delivering overnight concept and message testing. It's a tool TRA Labs developed with our friends at Previously Unavailable. "We believe we have been successful in making TRA a safe place where ideas are to be celebrated and nurtured and not judged as absolute winners or losers,” Connon Bray, Partner, TRA Labs Venture Studio. Read more at: https://lnkd.in/gAsXebjf

Brands have permission to be playful. Our research identified an opportunity for brands to incorporate play across interactions and touchpoints. It's not just advertising either, people told us that loyalty schemes, customer service and events are untapped opportunities for playfulness. Intrigued? Explore Play – our latest study with over 2,000 New Zealanders and Australians to find out more: https://lnkd.in/gipZfvVS

’97% of people are proud to work at TRA’. Yup, that’s a real stat. 😲 I know, I’m always harping on about how great TRA is, but I promise it’s not just me! TRA's last companywide engagement survey on Culture Amp showed that people are genuinely proud to work at TRA. There’s nothing like some real data to back up my own two cents on the matter. Culture Amp’s latest global survey for professional services showed that 85% of employees are proud to work for their company. So… the proof is in the pudding really, TRA really is great. If you want to be part of this fabulous team and experience what all the hype is about, we’ve got some exciting roles in Auckland, Melbourne, and Sydney up for grabs! Check them out below and if any sound like you, apply now! https://lnkd.in/gEu_-9hn Bonus: our Auckland office is right next to Amano. Need I say more?! Terri Hall Mark Hobart Amy Bradley Hannah Cooke Lisa Barton Helen Meyer