Featured Image(s): Supplied
Xiaomi South Africa ditched traditional launch events, taking the New Gen Podcast hosts up Tugela Falls to debut the Redmi Note 15 Series. Dubbed “The Toughest Podcast Ever,” the stunt tested both the hosts’ endurance and the phone’s “Titan Tough” durability in extreme conditions. The episode, targeting SA’s growing youth podcast audience, premieres February 12, 2026.
Post
Key Highlights
- Campaign: Launch of REDMI Note 15 Series
- Collaborators: Xiaomi South Africa x New Gen Podcast
- Premiere Date: 12 February 2026 at 15:00
- Location: Tugela Falls, South Africa (Summit)
- Featured Tech: REDMI Note 15, 15 Pro 5G, 15 Pro+ 5G
- Key Theme: Extreme durability (“Titan Tough”) & Adventure
Xiaomi Takes The New Gen Podcast To The Edge
In the battle for consumer attention, the standard glitzy hotel ballroom launch is apparently no longer enough. The latest escalation in the “attention economy” wars took place this week at the summit of Tugela Falls, where Xiaomi South Africa abandoned the usual curated aesthetics to drag four podcasters up the second-tallest waterfall in the world.
The stunt, designed to launch the new Redmi Note 15 Series, involved the hosts of the New Gen Podcast; Bruce, Siv, Fargo, and Domingos, recording what has been dubbed “The Toughest Podcast Ever” at an altitude that makes most production crews dizzy.
For the brand, the logic was strategic. By removing the safety net of a studio, they aimed to demonstrate the “Titan Tough” durability of the new Note 15, Pro, and Pro+ 5G models. According to Iris Cao, Xiaomi SA’s Marketing Manager, the goal was to strip away “performative theatrics” and force a scenario where technology was the only lifeline against the elements. “Recording podcasts is usually about comfortable chairs and curated aesthetics,” Cao noted. “But remove those comforts… and you get something entirely different.”
However, for the hosts, self-described “urban citizens” accustomed to city filming, the reality of the marketing pitch was a physical shock. The trek involved a five-hour hike and scaling 20-meter vertical chain ladders. The result was less about seamless product integration and more about genuine human struggle. Host Fargo described the event as “the craziest thing I’ve done in my life,” while Domingos noted a three-day physical recovery period was required post-hike.
This collaboration highlights a significant shift in how tech brands are targeting the South African market. With podcast consumption rising (61% of local listeners are aged 18 to 34) brands are moving away from traditional ad spots toward high-effort integration. The premise here is simple: if the phone can survive a hike that terrifies the hosts, it can likely survive the average user’s daily commute.
Whether the device lives up to the “Titan” moniker remains to be seen in independent reviews, but as a marketing exercise, Xiaomi has certainly managed to capture the content. The full episode, recorded at the summit, is set to premiere on the New Gen Podcast on 12 February 2026.
Follow @xiaomi.southafrica and the @ltido_network for updates.
Leave a Reply