Kubota hard launches new brand platform ‘Love Tough’ in Australia and New Zealand via VML

For Kubota owners across Australia and New Zealand, hard work isn’t something to endure, it’s something to enjoy. That mindset sits at the heart of ‘Love Tough’, Kubota’s new brand platform created in partnership with VML.

Rather than focusing on machinery alone, the platform shifts the spotlight to the people behind it; farmers, contractors, landowners, and operators who lean into the hard part of the job, and the Kubota machines they rely on to get it done.

That insight came directly from conversations with owners. In a category often defined by specs and price, Kubota customers stand apart. They aren’t looking for shortcuts, they’re looking for equipment that can keep up with them, no matter the conditions.

Says Mark Basile, Marketing Manager at Kubota: “Kubota owners don’t see hard work as a grind – they genuinely love it. They’re up early, pushing through tough conditions and constantly looking for better, more efficient ways to get the job done. Our ‘Love Tough’ platform reflects that mindset, and the role Kubota plays in it. It’s not just a line for this campaign; it’s a long-term brand platform that champions the people who live for tough work, and the machines and Kubota people they rely on to do it, day after day.”

‘Love Tough’ comes to life across every touchpoint, from broadcast and social to dealership environments and on-farm executions; with work tailored for both Australia and New Zealand.

Says Richard Williams, Group Executive Creative Director, VML Melbourne & Sydney: “Most categories like this talk about making hard work easier. But when we spent time with Kubota owners, we realised that’s not actually what they want. They don’t want to avoid the hard part – they take pride in it. ‘Love Tough’ flips the usual narrative. It’s not about escaping the work, it’s about celebrating the people who choose it.”

While the platform will help drive awareness and consideration, particularly in compact machinery, it has been designed as a long-term expression of Kubota’s role in people’s working lives. By leading with a human truth, rather than product features, Kubota is carving out a distinct position in a category that rarely moves beyond performance messaging.

The integrated campaign is now live and will continue to roll out across Australia and New Zealand in the coming months.

Brand: Kubota
Mark Basile – Marketing Manager
Matt Peek – Marketing Projects Manager
Ian Massicks – GM Sales & Marketing Operations
Laura Oswald – Marketing Communications Manager
Karolina Tobin – Trade Marketing Manager
Chantelle Bignoux – Trade Marketing Coordinator
Sarah Meakins – Marketing & Comms Coordinator
Masa Sato – Senior Graphic Designer

Agency: VML
Vanessa Tout – Managing Director
Sarah Bailey – Managing Director
Richard Williams – Group Executive Creative Director
Shaun Thomson – Senior Art Director
Blair Panozza – Senior Copywriter
Mel Herbert – Lead Producer
Rose Suys – Group Account Director
Jen Moffatt – Senior Account Director
Nick Taylor – Account Manager
Jimi Ayling – Senior Finished Artist

Production Company: Exit Films
Noah Marshall – Director
Wilf Sweetland – EP
Tom Davies – Producer

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