Australia's second-largest rideshare platform, DiDi, has announced the appointment of Tim Farmer as its new Head of Brand Marketing for Australia and New Zealand.

Farmer, who previously held various marketing roles at Disney for approximately eight years, including Partnerships Lead and Marketing Director for Disney+, steps into his new role at a time of significant growth for DiDi.

The appointment comes after competitor Ola's exit from the local market and the launch of a new loyalty scheme with Virgin Australia's Velocity program. Currently, DiDi holds nearly a quarter of the local rideshare market share in Australia.

Farmer's marketing goals for DiDi include developing and building the DiDi brand, helping consumers understand the company's offerings, and differentiating DiDi from its competitors. Farmer believes that DiDi's value proposition is its better value for both riders and drivers, and he aims to communicate this effectively.

"One of the most exciting things about joining DiDi at this point in their journey is the potential for significant growth in this market. The rideshare category as a whole is firmly entrenched in Australia, and DiDi has grown in its near six years of being here to now almost having a quarter of the market in terms of share," Farmer said. "What this means is that the product and service offering itself is as strong as any in market and can stand up to the demands of the market which continues to grow."

Farmer also plans to develop a brand identity and personality for DiDi that goes beyond just a price point message, giving consumers a reason to choose DiDi out of preference. He emphasised the importance of not merely imitating competitors but finding a unique space and story in the market.

"But then I also believe that the most successful brands in market develop a purpose or meaning beyond just a price point message, and so this is something that I hope we can start to explore further in the coming months," Farmer said. "As part of this, I think it is important that we aren’t just following our competitors and imitating them. Instead, I think we need to find our own unique space and story in the market and let consumers know what makes us different or special so that we develop a brand identity and personality that is consistent with our offering, but also gives consumers a reason to ride or drive with us out of preference."