BYD targets Gen Z and Millennial drivers with new ‘Flavours of Summer’ platform

BYD Australia is accelerating its push into the local market with the launch of Flavours of Summer, a youth-focused campaign designed to connect the Chinese electric vehicle brand with Gen Z and Millennial drivers.

The new platform comes as Chinese-built vehicles continue to surge in popularity, with VFACTS reporting a 40% year-on-year rise in sales from China and more than 41,800 BYD vehicles sold in Australia so far this year.

The campaign also marks a major brand initiative under Kate Hornstein, BYD’s inaugural chief marketing officer, who stepped into the newly created role in May after previously leading local marketing efforts through EVDirect.

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Flavours of Summer introduces the ATTO 1 and ATTO 2 - two EVs pitched as “premium affordability”, anchoring BYD’s strategy to position electric mobility as accessible, stylish and culturally relevant for younger drivers who are entering the car market amid record cost-of-living pressures.

“Flavours of Summer is all about connecting emotionally with our audience,” Hornstein said. “We wanted to build a campaign that feels grounded in Australian culture - celebrating individuality, music, and creativity - while making sustainable mobility something aspirational and expressive.”

The campaign takes an earned-first approach supported by influencer collaborations, content partnerships and lifestyle-driven storytelling aligned to self-expression, music and design.

BYD said the strategy reflects the growing importance of younger buyers who see cars as a lifestyle extension rather than a purely functional purchase.

The launch event in Sydney reflected that shift, drawing media, creators and customers for a showcase of the new ATTO models, supported by a performance by ARIA-nominated artist Ninajirachi.

The event’s aesthetic, heavy on colour, sound and hyper-visual design, was geared at reinforcing BYD’s ambitions to tap into youth culture and build advocacy through community and creativity rather than traditional auto advertising.

OOH partnerships and earned media activity will extend the campaign across summer, connecting the ATTO 1 and ATTO 2 with high-traffic youth environments while reinforcing accessibility and innovation as defining themes of the BYD brand.

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The two new models are built on BYD’s next-generation e-Platform 3.0 and Blade Battery system, engineered for local conditions and intended to position the brand competitively against entry-level EVs from legacy manufacturers.

The push comes during record momentum for Chinese automotive brands in Australia, which have become the third-largest source of new vehicles sold nationwide.

Hornstein’s appointment formalised BYD’s shift into more brand-led marketing after a year of record sales in 2024, with the company on track to exceed those results again in 2025. Her role includes building stronger creative, PR and cultural partnerships as BYD attempts to define its identity beyond price competitiveness and into emotional relevance.

Creative, content and influencer activity for the campaign was delivered by Acuity Communications Advisory, part of Thrive PR & Communications.