Australians want to be authentic, genuine and truthful.
And the pandemic has made that more important.
WPP today published Secrets and Lies Chapter Six: Fact, Fiction and What’s New in 22?.
The report takes a deep dive into consumer behaviour in Australia, revisiting key themes from the earlier five reports and showing how the perceptions and priorities of 2,000 Australians have shifted over the past four years.
Eight in ten (81%) Australians in 2018 said it was important to live an authentic life in 2018. Now that number has jumped to almost nine in ten (89%)
But we're now more prepared to tell a lie. Six out of ten (63%) in 20-18 made up a lie to cancel on a social arrangement. Now that number has jumped to 70%.
But we lie less to our employers. Half (52%) lied regularly in 2018. Now that has fallen to 28%.
And we don't misrepresent ourselves online as much. Almost half (49%) mispresented our lives on social media in 2018. Now that number is 11%.
The report says: "These results suggest that they are unapologetic about their true feelings toward work. They are far less likely to lie and if their employer disagrees, there are plenty of other jobs out there, with a historically low unemployment rate of 3.5% at the time of writing.
"The second unintended consequence of the pandemic may well be a more honest view of life on social media. When you’re working from home in pyjamas and there’s no place to go, there’s far less room for glamorous selfies and hyperbole.
"Australians have become more comfortable reporting real life on social media platforms. The additional truth is that we now hold influencers to far greater account. We’ve decided that great power requires great access. We expect that if an influencer is being rewarded with financial riches, then we deserve to know everything about them, the filtered and the unfiltered. We want to know about the personal lives behind the public personas."
Rose Herceg, President Australia & New Zealand, WPP, said: “The world is finding a new groove after a global shutdown. Here in Australia, a federal election has brought a change of government and a wave of mostly female independent candidates have been voted into parliament.
“The climate conversation has changed, but cost of living pressures have dented consumer confidence. Set against this backdrop, the time was right to see how we have progressed as a nation."
Some of the suggestions from Secrets & Lies Chapter Six:
- Brands must live up to promises and have action plans for ESG approaches. Action is being rewarded
- Get advice or even appoint professionals to manage ethics, privacy & data
- Clearly communicate the purpose of the business
- Embrace the opportunity to market to single Australians
The findings show that Australians are more likely to tell ‘white lies’ to avoid social events yet are less likely to lie to employers and more likely to be authentic on social media than in 2018. They are also less likely to stay in an unhappy relationship to avoid being alone.
The report, which revisits key themes from the earlier five reports, shows how the perceptions and priorities of 2,000 Australians have shifted over the past four years against the country’s rapidly changing political, cultural, and social backdrop.
Research was conducted immediately after the federal election in late May with a sample of 2000 Australians.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.