LANCE MONTANA

So did the lights go out for TikTok? If you're a scrollaholic like most of those who use the platform, you probably watched all the teary live "farewells" on TikTok, before those in the US were promptly cut off mid stream. It seems all is not lost though. In the latest news, TikTok sent out a message letting American users know they’re in the process of getting the app back up and running. They even threw in a thank you to President-elect Trump for making sure their service providers won't face any penalties. This comes a day after Donald's victory rally where he boasted about his plan to "save TikTok" from the ban with a joint venture where the "US would have 50% ownership". Yep, so that’s where we’re at now! Anyway, the link below on The Verge still has the most up-to-date news on the TikTok debacle (if you're still following)!

Welcome to Episode 25 of The Brief! It's our first roundup of 2025 and we've got heaps to unpack. So, buckle up for some spicy updates and fresh insights! 🌐 Cruel Extensions Thought Chrome extensions were here to help, not to spy? Think again! Over 2.6 million users just learned the hard way that sometimes, 'helpful tools' are not-so-helpful tools. You need to delete these now. 🍯 Honey Trap Honey's not just stealing the sweetness from your tea; it's been dipping into affiliate wallets too! Dive into how this 'helpful' extension turned into a commission-swiping bandit. 🚨 Meta Unchecked What's the MAGA with Meta?. They're ditching their Fact Checkers, which might just turn Facebook feeds into a free-for-all. With a Trump inauguration on the horizon, Zuck's timing is suspicious. Buckle up for a bumpy ride in the comments section! 🕒 Clock's TikTokking As the TikTok ban looms in the US, users are fleeing to "Red Note". With over 700,000 new downloads, they're turning their #tiktokrefugee status into a cheeky protest. Has the US got it right introducing the ban? And what happens next?! 🔍 SEOvolution Keyword stuffing is so 2020! In 2025, we're marrying AI with human creativity to keep SEO spicy and effective. Get the scoop on how to keep your content crispy and engaging. 📢 Ad Nauseum Seeing the same old ads? Your audience probably is too. Our fave guru Neil Patel drops some wisdom on shaking up your creative to spark joy rather than yawns. There are some awesome, easily actionable tips here - how do you keep your ads fresh? 🍖 Sam’s Lamb is Baa-ck Dive into Australia's real national pastime— arguing online, not cricket. This year’s lamb ad serves up a feast of real comments that prove when the bbq fires up, the gloves (and keyboards) come off. What do you think of the ad? For all these and more, click the link: https://lnkd.in/gHPaj5JB #DigitalMarketingBrisbane #ContentStrategy #SocialMediaTrends #TechNews #DigitalAds #MetaNews #TikTokBan #AffiliateMarketing #TheBrief

ICYMI: There's been big moves in the social media world over the last 48 hours. As D-Day for TikTok in the US looms, users are jumping ship to another Chinese app, Xiaohongshu, or "Red Note" which has now become the top downloaded app in the US, welcoming over 700,000 new users. The hashtag #tiktokrefugee is trending as users turn their migration into a digital flipping of the bird at the situation. Meanwhile US lawmakers are pushing for a delay on TikTok's Jan 19 cutoff, arguing it's unrealistic for ByteDance to divest quickly. And without the extension, it'll be lights out for TikTok. It’s all playing out like a digital game of cat-and-mouse, and it's been pretty interesting to watch. There are a HEAP of articles that have popped up in the last 24 hours, all with varying opinions as to what will happen, but this TikTok news stream on The Verge has all the most up-to-date TikTok drama in one spot. What to you think? Will TikTok actually be banned in the US as of Jan 19, and will Red Note fill the TikTok void, or is it just a stepping stone? We guess time will tell! #TikTokBan #SocialMediaNews #RedNote

Thanks, 2024, for a year full of memorable marketing moments. We can't wait to see what's in store for 2025! Happy New Year, everyone! ✨

🎄 Lance Montana Wrapped 2024 🎄 'Twas the year Raygun became Australia's most infamous athlete, the cost of living kept rising like sourdough bread, and interest rate cuts never arrived. But amidst the chaos, we somehow made magic happen - and we could not have done it without you! We’re fortunate to have worked with an amazing array of clients across such a diverse range of industries and projects. From brand refreshes to creative campaigns, AI magic to storytelling, this year has been enriching as we learned, tested, and executed strategies in this ever-dynamic game we call marketing. So, to our clients and friends of LM: thank you for trusting us to bring your visions to life. Here’s just a small snapshot of what we've achieved together this year: - City of Moreton Bay: 3 shoot days, 6 locations, and 16 local legends showcasing the future of Moreton Bay. - City of Launceston: A Tassie trip, a hands-on workshop, and a refreshed corporate brand to connect with communities. - Aquanaut: A sharp new brand and website launch that’s making waves. - Purgreens: Aussie-fied a US café with product, fitout and asset design, and updated menus—ready for launch Down Under. - South Bank French Film Festival: Paris vibes in Brisbane with AI-crafted posters and activations on a tight timeline. - DigiPipelines: Turned podcast production into an art form (new media is the game changer). - Mine Design Technologies: Saved $$ on a shoot for their new website using AI, Photoshop wizardry, and LM creativity. Some Client Success Stories: - Secrets Shhh: From 0 traffic to #1 ranking for “lab grown diamonds.” - West End Rug Co: Achieved a jaw-dropping ROAS of 27.4:1. - QIC Shopping Centres: Achieved a whopping 272% of the KPI for store visits, contributing to winning an award for campaign performance. Some other stats worth sharing: ✨ Brands Developed: 10 🔍 Client Google Ad Views: More than 10,500,000 📱 Client Facebook Ad Views: More than 87,000,000 🛡️ Cyber attacks: None—ur security tools stop most bots before they can even try. We’re so lucky to do what we do, and even luckier to do it alongside such incredible clients. Here’s to 2025: bigger ideas, bolder moves, and maybe (just maybe) a rate cut or two. We can't wait to work with you again in the new year!

🎄 The Brief: A Christmas Special 🎄 The year’s not over, but we’re unwrapping some of the most memorable marketing moments of 2024 in our Christmas Edition of The Brief! From seismic Swifties to bold rebrands, here’s what’s under the tree: 🎥 #10: The hilarious Generation Gap (Lamb) ad that united BBQs and generations. 🎤 #9: Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour—149 shows, 10M+ fans, $2B in ticket sales, and even caused earthquakes! 🤖 #8: AI: The New Marketing Guru. Helping us create everything from social captions to very lifelike avatars who can sell us things in 10 languages. 😲 #7: Wicked Marketing Whoopsies. The Wicked movie's typo that lead to a scandalous URL mishap. 🏋️ #6: Olympic Shenanigans—From Ray Gun and Snoop Dogg who both stole the spotlight in Paris, to Brisbane paving a somewhat messy path to 2032. 🚗 #5: Kia’s Tasman Ute: Kia's diviside debut into a busy market with the who's who of Aussie sportspeople and a car with Mad Max vibes. 📱 #4: Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban, sparking debates on both sides of the spectrum. 💩 #3: The Macquarie Dictionary's Word of the Year: Enshittification which defines when online products and services decline in quality (I think they're talking to you, Elon) 🚘 #2: Jaguar’s Rebrand and EV launch - a polarising step into the electric future and the removal of an iconic logo wirh a lot of history (brave or bad?) 🎅 #1: And last but not least, we love Christmas Ads - and this year Australia joined the typically UK-based party, with Aldi Australia sleighing it with their over-the-top festive fun. From clever campaigns to marketing mishaps, it’s been one for the books. Which one has been your most memorable marketing moment of 2024? Have we missed any? There'll be lots more from the Brief in 2025 - thanks for playing and see you next year! #TheBrief #MarketingMoments #ChristmasSpecial #MarketingTrends #CreativeCampaigns #SocialMediaMarketing #BrandStrategy #TaylorSwift #ChristmasAds #Olympics2024

🎬 And that's a wrap! The production phase is now complete on our exciting project with the City of Moreton Bay. It has been an awesome big 3 days of shooting across 2 weeks, working with 16 incredible local talents in 6 locations - all with the breathtaking Moreton Bay region as our backdrop. From producing and planning to providing video and photography crews, the Lance Montana team handled it all. It’s been a massive effort, but very rewarding, and now we’re rolling into post-production. Stay tuned - some very big things are coming. Thank you so much to everyone who played a part. We can't wait to share with you the final product! 👀✨ #CityOfMoretonBay #BehindTheScenes #OnLocation #StayTuned #BrisbaneVideography

Did you know that Black Friday isn’t just big for sales - it’s big for cyber-criminals too? 🔒 With 76% of Black Friday sales online last year, cyber threats SURGE alongside the shopping frenzy. 1 in 3 Australians fell victim to shopping scams last year, with online fraud the second-most common cyber-crime. For businesses, the stakes are even higher. Cyber-attacks are evolving, with the average breach cost up 10% year-on-year and ransomware attacks surging 200% in 2023. So, how safe is your site? In our latest blog, we share how to secure your business and stay ahead of cyber threats: https://lnkd.in/gwbR6wBj #CyberSecurity #CyberSecurity2025 #ProtectYourBusiness #CyberThreats #StaySecure #DigitalSafety

Is your business gearing up to be a part of Black Friday 2024? If so - how are you planning to make the most of it? As the clock ticks down to the biggest shopping bonanza of the year, Aussie retailers are poised to capture a slice of a massive $6.7 billion spending pie—a whopping 5.5% increase from last year. But as Black Friday eclipses Boxing Day as the shopping spectacle of the season, the secret to your success isn't just WHAT you sell - but HOW you sell it. So what steps have you taken to ensure you're ready for the sales goliath? We've got a checklist with some essential digital marketing and website items you may not have considered to make sure you're all systems go. You can check it out below: https://bit.ly/49086kv #BlackFridayTips #BlackFriday #DigitalMarketing #MarketingBrisbane #WebsiteOptimisation

In case you can’t tell by the size of our smiles (and our hats), a lot of fun was had at the recent Planet Fitness Australia BravoFit Annual Thanksgiving & Gratitude Offsite Dinner on the Gold Coast. Laurence, Alex and Lucy attended on behalf of the Lance Montana team, one of three finalists for the Bravofit Vendor of the Year award. It’s certainly nice to get recognition for the work we do but the real cherry on top was celebrating with the stellar #Bravofit team, taking the time to reflect on everything we’ve achieved together in the last year, and getting excited for another huge year to come. The annual event is all about recognising achievements and expressing gratitude, and we’re truly grateful to have been part of the Planet Fitness Australia community for many years. Here’s to many more! 🥂 #PlanetFitnessAU #PlanetFitnessAustralia #LanceMontana #DigitalMarketing #MarketingAgencyBrisbane