Hard Refresh on video
Video has dominated digital marketing for more than a decade — but the ground keeps shifting. In this episode of Hard Refresh, host Andrés López-Varela is joined by Nanda Gunnink (Managing Director, Studio Orange), Saira Manns (PR & Social Media Manager, Greyhound Australia), and Tanya Waite (Director of PR, Mainstay Media) to explore the changing craft of video.
From lo-fi user-generated clips to high-end brand storytelling, the panel unpacks how entertainment, education, AI, and streaming are reshaping the medium. They debate whether synthetic talent and automated workflows can ever replace human creativity, and what “television” will even mean by 2050 .
From lo-fi user-generated clips to high-end brand storytelling, the panel unpacks how entertainment, education, AI, and streaming are reshaping the medium. They debate whether synthetic talent and automated workflows can ever replace human creativity, and what “television” will even mean by 2050 .
In this episode:
- Entertainment isn’t just humour
Brands are learning that keeping audiences engaged means blending storytelling, relatability, and information, not just chasing jokes. Lo-fi, relatable clips often outperform glossy campaigns because they feel more human. - Lo-fi VS high-production video
From cyclone updates filmed on a couch to high-budget campaigns, the panel shows how context and purpose - not budget - should determine the style of production. The lines between user-generated content and professional advertising are blurring fast. - Streaming, Connected TV and the new definition of television
With YouTube, TikTok, and Netflix competing for living-room screens, the classic 30-second spot is losing dominance. The conversation highlights how TV ads must adapt internet sensibilities to stay relevant. - AI-assisted video and synthetic talent
Tools like CapCut and AI-generated avatars are speeding up production, but the group raises ethical questions around disclosure and whether audiences will accept non-human talent at scale. - The pendulum of authenticity
Just as Instagram’s polished aesthetic gave way to rough TikToks, the panel predicts cycles where audiences swing back to craving polish; a reminder that novelty, not just technology, drives audience taste.
This episode was recorded on the traditional lands of the Whadjuk Noongar people, live at State of Social '25.
Creators and Guests
Host
Andrés López-Varela
Andrés is a senior marketing leader, one of State of Social's best-rated speakers, and a proud cat-dad.
Guest
Saira Manns
Saira Manns is a communications and social media specialist who blends creativity, curiosity, and compassion to tell stories that go the distance. She began her journey wrangling media at Australia Zoo and later completed a PR internship at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre in Malaysia. Her work has travelled across conservation, tourism, higher education, and emergency services sectors, including content creation for the University of the Sunshine Coast and leading statewide campaigns for Surf Life Saving Queensland. These days, she drives national PR and social for Greyhound Australia, the country’s largest coach network. With almost two decades of experience (yes, she’s feeling slightly ancient about that), Saira brings a values-led approach to everything she does – from crisis comms and influencer strategy to internal storytelling and content creation. She’s also worked as a freelance editor, contributed to a small publishing collective, and has dabbled in everything from podcasting and graphic design to photography and videography. A proud multipotentialite with too many interests to count, Saira is passionate about corporate social responsibility, brand authenticity, and helping people create beautiful content that actually means something. Not only does she hold a Master’s in Editing and Publishing, she’s also a master of puns (especially dog-related). You’ve been warned.
Guest
Tanya Waite
A former News Corp journalist turned communications strategist, Tanya brings two decades of experience crafting stories that cut through. With a background in general news, court reporting, and education, she knows how to find the angle and engage readers. Since shifting to PR in 2006, she’s led campaigns for ASX-listed companies, property giants, and universities, blending journalistic integrity with traditional and new media strategies. Tanya specialises in human-first storytelling that resonates with media, audiences, and algorithms, helping brands stay visible, credible, and connected in an ever-evolving landscape.
