TLDR
Google Pixel has released its third Australian campaign with McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, made by independent agency Emotive. The short videos for the Pixel 11 Pro show him training while Google's Gemini assistant juggles his calendar so he can 'get a few more sets in'.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The new ads
Google Pixel has brought back Oscar Piastri for a third campaign, this time for the Pixel 11 Pro. In the short videos, made by independent agency Emotive, the McLaren driver does neck-strength exercises while asking Google's Gemini assistant to check his calendar so he can "get a few more sets in".[1]
The joke, again, is Piastri's famously flat delivery. "After the success of the first two chapters, we wanted to take a look at Oscar's world post switch. We also wanted to stay true to his deadpan comedic stylings, and make some well crafted content that works well in the feed," said Rupert Taylor, senior creative director at Emotive.[1]
"It was a pleasure to continue our partnership with Oscar to bring this chapter of work to life," said Emma Dodd, Google's head of devices and services marketing for Australia and New Zealand. Somesuch produced the videos, with post-production by Emotive Productions and Arc and sound by Electric Sheep Music.[1]
How the series started
Google signed Piastri in January, launching the first campaign alongside the Australian Open.[2] That ad compared switching from an iPhone to a Pixel with Piastri's own move from Alpine to McLaren.[1] "Switching to Google Pixel was an easy decision," Piastri said at the time, and Google Australia chief marketing officer Suzana Ristevski said he embodied "the 'never settle' mindset that drives Google Pixel".[2]
The first campaign, directed by Isaac Lock, targeted millennials across the Australian Open TV coverage, activations, influencers and social, with MFG as media agency.[3] Five months later came "The Piastee", in which Piastri used a Pixel to change up his famously understated fashion.[1]
Why it keeps running
Three instalments in a year make Piastri the face of Google's Australian pitch to iPhone users, with each new phone given its own short chapter rather than a single big ad.[1]
SOURCES & CITATIONS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Oscar Piastri's new Google Pixel ad about?
Who makes the Google Pixel ads with Oscar Piastri?
When did Oscar Piastri start working with Google Pixel?
James Dore is founder and editor of Prompt the Market and Strategy Director at Bushnote, a Sydney strategy, SEO and AI search agency. He has a background in strategy, media and financial services, and led consumer product marketing at MONEYME. He writes on AI search, answer engines, technology policy and media economics.
