It’s no surprise that more and more Australians are actively looking to find and buy authentic Australian-made goods.
Australia has built a strong reputation for our goods and services, both domestically and internationally. Buying Australian-made represents the highest manufacturing standards, ethical labour practices, and fresh produce grown in a clean, safe environment.
Plus, it supports our local manufacturing industry, creates Aussie jobs and gives back to local communities.
So how can brands leverage their Australian-made message as a competitive advantage?
A new era for Australian-made.
New consumer research from Roy Morgan shows that the preference for Australian-made goods continued to rise. 93% of Australians stated they are more likely to buy products made in Australia – up from 87% a year earlier[i].
Our over-reliance on imported products has been highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The closure of international borders and restrictions on travel around the world has highlighted the complexities of the global supply chain.
Australians are more aware of the importance of being self-sufficient and have a renewed appetite to address the imbalance between locally made and imported products.
Plus, there is also a growing awareness of the relationship between sustainability and local manufacturing.
These factors have translated into a change in buyer behaviour and appear to have helped increase support for onshore made and owned.
Different factors for different audiences.
Although the preference for Australian-made goods is very high across all age groups, it is Baby Boomer (96%) and Generation X (94%) who are even more likely to prefer Australian-made products than other generations[ii].
Whereas, consumer psychology expert Jana Bowden, from Macquarie University, measured that younger people, particularly those aged 18 to 40, are “looking for brands that align with their own value sets”, specifically around social causes, sustainability, and ethical and transparent production[iii].
The mark of Aussie authenticity
If your product is Australian, you have an enormous advantage, and you should be leveraging it across your brand.
The Australian Made logo is recognised worldwide and is one of the most powerful marketing tools Australian businesses can use. The Australian Made research study of over 4,000 people across six countries found 97% of respondents have a positive first impression of the Australian Made logo[iv].
Locally, almost all Australians (99%) are aware of the Australian Made logo, with the vast majority (92%) confident that a product displaying the logo is genuinely made in Australia. In addition, 97% of Australians also associate the iconic kangaroo logo with the support of local jobs and employment opportunities, 95% with safe and high-quality products, 89% with the use of ethical labour and 78% with sustainability[v].
There is a recognition that every time a consumer chooses Australian Made they are giving back to society, helping businesses and keeping workers in jobs.
Top tips for leveraging Australian Made
In a competitive brand environment, here are three strategic ways to makes your brand stand out and be relevant in the current climate.
1. Prominently use the Australian Made logo.
The symbol allows consumers to immediately identify that your product is Australian Made. Make it a key brand asset on all marketing touchpoints. Clever packaging design and website usage can allow the symbol to be instantly identified and impact the buyer’s perception of your brand, which in turn reshapes their buying decision.
Note: Australian businesses must apply for certification to use the Australian Made logo.
2. Build provenance into your brand story
When crafting your brand strategy and defining your brand positioning, bring your ‘Australian story’ forward as a key point of difference. For example, talk about the brand’s origins, the local ownership and workforce, ingredients and suppliers sourced across Australia and charitable ways that you give back to the community.
3. Use the Australian Made message authentically, not tactically.
Build the Australian Made story into the foundation of your brand, rather than simply highlighting it around Australia Day or in times of national crisis.
Australia Day is often abused by advertisers desperately trying to stand out. Getting it wrong and focusing on commercial gains can be damaging for brands. Today’s consumers are savvy, outspoken and can see through these marketing tactics.
Growing brands to support Australia
Provenance can be a potent lever in business and it’s never been more powerful than now to be an Australian product.
At Davidson, we partner with brands to ensure that they can harness this opportunity and position themselves to maximise this shift in consumer sentiment. This is the fundamental starting point within our Brand Framework, which leads to meaningful, engaging and impactful brand success.
We offer companies of all sizes a free strategy call with Davidson’s founder, Grant Davidson, to explore how Australian Made can drive your strategy and accelerate your business growth.
NEED HELP?
If you need help creating a brand that pushes creative boundaries and inspires change, we’d like to offer you a complimentary strategy call with our Managing Director and Head of Strategy, Grant Davidson. Having nearly 30 years of industry experience working with groundbreaking brands, Grant has the experience and knowledge necessary to identify your core brand strategy and communicate it effectively.
