Australians are keen, but not as enthusiastic as the rest of the world, to buy from companies supporting diversity.
A survey by visual media company Getty found 62% of consumers across Australia and New Zealand said it was important to them that companies they buy from celebrate diversity.
This is six percentage points lower than the global figure (68%), indicating Australia and New Zealand are on the right track but still have a way to go when it comes to celebrating diversity in advertising.
Getty partnered with YouGov, surveying more than 10,000 consumers and professionals providing data-backed context around what’s important in the marketplace and what influences consumer behaviour.
The research, the Visual GPS Report, also revealed 87% say companies need to show people with all body types.
One third (34%) of respondents in the region boycotted a brand that went against their values, and 26% said they started buying products from a brand that supports a cause they believe in.
More than half (56%) of ANZ respondents say they have been discriminated against for one or more of: their gender, gender identification, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, lifestyle choices or body shape.
Getty says brands need to take realness and diversity in their marketing and advertising seriously.
“Consumers are so in tune with what they want and expect out of brands nowadays,” says Petra O’Halloran, creative research project manager, Getty Images.
“They will quickly consider boycotting a brand that doesn’t reflect their values or speak to the issues they care about.
“Customers gravitate towards the companies that understand what matters to them and reflect this understanding through authentic visual storytelling.”
The survey also shines a light on the complex relationship Australians have with technology - it enables so many positive experiences, but many resent it for its constant presence.
“Brands are able to use this insight to adjust the ways they communicate visually with their audiences, ultimately forming a better, more personalised connection with their customers,” O’Halloran says.
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