Recently-released data from market intelligence agency, Mintel, indicates that 72% of metro Australians invest and choose products with an Australian Made/Grown logo.
Of the number of Australians that purchase products with this logo, 29% make this decision as it helps to instil trust in the product/brand. Of the number of urban Australians asked, 28% stated that the Australian Made/Grown logo assures them of the health or safety level of food or drink items. In addition, 25% believe that it communicates the product’s authenticity.
A digital friendship
Building authenticity has been led by visual channels and platforms through live-streaming apps. Of those surveyed, 61% of Chinese consumers aged 20-49 have used live-streaming when watching advertising campaigns on video streaming websites.
Beauty heavyweight, Maybelline, for example, had a two-hour live-stream on video app MeiPai with Chinese actress AngelaBaby—selling 10,000 lipsticks via visual marketing strategies.
Mintel’s Trend ‘The Real Thing’ indicated that consumers crave products and experiences that come with a “stamp of authenticity”.
Traditional approaches to research such as focus groups and professional testers are being replaced by harnessing the benefits of connecting with “real people and getting their raw, unfiltered opinions”.
“Another way to achieve higher levels of consumer trust is in empowering consumers and getting them involved in the decision-making process,” shared Wang, as set out in Mintel’s Trend ‘Collective Intelligence’.
Genuine communication
Companies are now starting to understand that they must adopt two-way communication, where they “talk with consumers and not at them”. Therefore, ‘engagement’ and ‘interaction’ are “arguably essential strategies that brands can use to truly understand the wants and needs of their consumers”.
“On top of that, the sheer number of safety scares that have been reported is enough to spur people to put more thought and care into what they are consuming,” highlighted Shelley McMillan, Trend & Innovation Consultant, ANZ, at Mintel.
“The digital age has brought about a wave of consumer distrust, and it seems that one of the major sources of brand trust in Australia lies in a consumer’s national identity,” Mintel reported.
The Australian Made/Grown logo has recently undergone changes, and these have been positively received by the nation’s consumers. The packaging, which shows the new percentage bar, identified six out of ten urban Australians supporting the idea that this display indicates the proportion of ingredients contained within the product that are either local or imported.
Packaging it up
Perhaps surprisingly, homegrown products and services seem to have less of an impact on Australia’s iGeneration shoppers. Only 19% of urban Australian consumers aged 18-24 say that they are most inclined to purchase locally-made or grown products or services.
Offering an alternative perspective, it is those items that offer convenience (40%), or are from their favourite brand (34%) that resonate highly with this demographic.
The third part of this article exploring the power of Australian made/grown logos will be published on Tuesday 16th January 2018.