Drive.com.au has launched a new multi-million-dollar brand campaign positioning car buying as simple as ordering at a drive-thru.
The campaign will roll out from 6 February across broadcast TV, BVOD, print, radio and digital, leveraging Drive’s role as a proud partner of Nine’s Olympic coverage to reach mass-market audiences at scale.
A familiar metaphor for a complex decision
Built around the universally recognised “drive-thru” concept, the campaign aims to reinforce Drive’s brand purpose, The joy of discovering the right car, by reframing what is often seen as a stressful process into something fast, intuitive and enjoyable.
The creative was developed by Joel Pearson and Craig Brooks, founders of independent studio Not Bad Pretty Good, who were tasked with delivering a relatable, mass-appeal idea.
“There is nothing more joyful than driving your new car, even if it is someone else’s old car, but the process of buying that car often feels painful,” Pearson and Brooks said.
“We wanted to dramatise how easily Drive helps you find and buy the right car for your needs, right now.”
“To bring that to life we looked for a clear visual metaphor that could show the leap from problem to solution, old car to new. A drive-thru gave us a clean and fun way to do that; a simple and memorable concept that easily flexes across channels.”
Olympic platform provides national reach
As a broadcast partner of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, Nine provides Drive with a high-impact launch environment, placing the brand in front of millions of viewers during one of the year’s biggest live sporting moments.
Drive Marketing Director Leonora McEwen said the timing was deliberate, with 2026 marking a major milestone for the brand.
“In 2026 Drive will celebrate its 30-year anniversary. Launching an engaging new brand campaign via our broadcast sponsorship of Nine’s Olympic Winter Games coverage presented a unique opportunity for Drive to connect with new audiences,” McEwen said.
“Drive has long been regarded as a leading automotive editorial resource for car-buying Australians, who can now also shop for new and quality used cars for sale, all under one roof on drive.com.au.”
McEwen added that the campaign’s scenarios reflect common life moments.
“The playful human narratives within the campaign, including a family needing more space, to a mature couple in desperate need to upgrade their older car, are highly relatable scenarios of the moments when people know it’s time to make their next car move.”
Positioning Drive as a full car-buying destination
Drive CEO Simon Halfhide said the campaign reflects the platform’s evolution from editorial authority to end-to-end marketplace.
“2026 is an exciting time for our brand. Drive is a complete car-buying destination, now with over 55,000 listings and marketplace features designed to simplify the search,” Halfhide said.
“We’re more committed than ever to making it easier for Australians to find and buy their next car.”
Credits
Client: Drive
Simon Halfhide: CEO, Drive
Leonora McEwen – Marketing Director, Drive
Sidney Kan – Marketing Manager, Drive
Agency: Not Bad Pretty Good
Creatives: Joel Pearson & Craig Brooks
Production: Kristy Fransen
Production Co: Powered Studios
Director: Jeremy Goodall
Senior Producer: Tom Low
Stills Production: Qube
Photographer: Lawrence Furzey
Executive Producer: Emma Scott
Music: Ash Gordon
Media: Nine
Head of Media and Partnerships – Jared West
Media & Partnerships Executive: Joaquin Esquivel