Cars.co.za turns a global motoring moment into a distinctly South African conversation

When Elon Musk unveiled Tesla’s futuristic Roadster in October, the internet immediately began imagining what life with a flying car might look like. From escaping traffic jams to mastering impossible parking spaces, AI-generated videos took the idea to increasingly hilarious extremes.

In South Africa, however, the conversation took a more practical turn.

What if we could simply fly over our potholes?

Cars.co.za joined the global conversation with an AI-generated video showing a car taking flight over a pothole-riddled South African road. The joke was instantly familiar to local motorists and the response was enthusiastic.

The video caught the attention of South Africans online and attracted media coverage, including a feature on Briefly.co.za.

For Nicole Capper-Austin, Chief Marketing Officer at Cars.co.za, the moment demonstrates something important about how brands connect with audiences.

“South Africans have an extraordinary ability to find humour in the things that frustrate us. We all know what it’s like to encounter a pothole that looks capable of swallowing your car. So, when the world started talking about flying cars, the South African application was almost obvious,” says Capper-Austin.

“But what interests me most is how quickly a global conversation can become locally relevant. You don’t always need to create the conversation. Sometimes the opportunity is to understand what people are already talking about and find a way to participate that feels authentic to your brand.”

From global spectacle to local conversation

The Roadster announcement sparked a wave of AI-generated content around the world, with users imagining flying vehicles navigating everyday obstacles. International publications documented the trend as the internet turned futuristic automotive technology into entertainment.

Cars.co.za’s contribution brought the conversation home, using a familiar South African frustration to connect an extraordinary technological idea with ordinary driving experiences.

For Capper-Austin, this reflects a broader shift in the relationship between brands and their audiences.

“People don’t experience brands in neat categories. They experience them alongside everything else happening in their lives, from news and entertainment to the frustrations of getting to work in the morning.”

“At Cars.co.za, we’re part of people’s everyday relationship with cars. That includes the serious decisions about what to buy, what they can afford and what suits their lives. But it also includes the joy, the frustrations and the conversations that come with being a motorist in South Africa.”

The value of being culturally connected

As artificial intelligence makes content creation faster and more accessible, Capper-Austin believes the real differentiator for brands will increasingly be their understanding of culture, context and audience.

“AI gives us incredible new creative possibilities, but the technology isn’t the insight. The insight is knowing why something will resonate with people.”

“There’s a difference between jumping onto a trend because everyone else is doing it and finding a genuine connection between that trend, your audience and your brand. The latter is where you create something people actually want to engage with.”

She adds that humour can be a powerful way to build familiarity, particularly in a category where financial considerations and purchase decisions often dominate communications.

“Buying a car is a significant decision, and we take our responsibility to help consumers make informed choices seriously. But being a trusted brand doesn’t mean you have to be a serious brand every minute of the day. People connect with brands that understand them, and sometimes that connection begins with a shared laugh.”

Keeping South Africans at the centre

For Cars.co.za, the viral moment reinforces a simple principle: relevance begins with understanding the people you serve.

“Ultimately, we’re here for South African motorists. Whether we’re helping someone choose their next car, understand the market or simply share a moment that every driver can relate to, the starting point is the same: understanding people’s lives.”

“And until flying cars become an everyday reality, I suspect we’ll all be keeping a close eye on the road ahead,” concludes Capper-Austin.