Your guide to Australian consumer sentiment during COVID-19

It’s no secret that issues around climate change, the recent bushfires and now COVID-19 have created a landscape of heightened anxiety and concern over the past 12 months.

Our team monitors and collates figures from leading global researchers and forecasters and we layer this with our own qualitative insights to better understand the exact nuances of how people are feeling and acting locally

Consumer sentiment by the numbers

The current quantitative insights demonstrate a mix of pessimism and concern around the economic implications of the coronavirus crisis; positive adjustments to the new way of living; and, future-planning for a post-COVID-19 world.

Here are the key figures you need to know right now:

• We were already at peak pessimism: only 12 per cent of Australians surveyed by Roy Morgan in October 2019 anticipated that 2020 would be a “better” year for them than 2019 (1)
• 56 per cent of Australians are concerned about the current economic outlook and one in four is paying more attention to price (2)
• 81 per cent of small businesses with an annual turnover of between $1 million and $5 million report being affected by COVID-19 and business confidence in March 2020 was at a record low (3)
• 50 per cent of Australians want to travel domestically when the restrictions on travel are lifted (4)
• 43 per cent of Australians are trying new recipes and 35 per cent are treating themselves more than before (5)

What Australian consumers are saying

The research team at Medium Rare is collating an ongoing Consumer COVID-19 Diary: a short survey in which we invite individuals to share their thoughts on how they’re feeling.

Australians are telling us they are overwhelmed with both positive and negative emotions.

Our Consumer COVID-19 diaries highlight that we’re in a time of nervous uncertainty, adjusting to a life more focused on the home and health and dealing with a heightened mix of emotions that come from living through a pandemic.

“…I’m a bit more hopeful for the country in general. But I haven’t felt like chatting with friends because I’ve been a bit overwhelmed by everything and worried about my folks.” Rare Creative Consumer COVID-19 Diary, April 2020

“…My uncle passed away two weeks ago and the funeral was hours before the NZ lockdown – to not be there for that was gutting. But at the same time as feeling all of that, we’re very grateful.” Rare Creative Consumer COVID-19 Diary, April 2020

Australians are rediscovering simple pleasures

While uncertainty reigns, our insights highlight how we’re in a time of unprecedented opportunity for individuals, society and business to reimagine what living looks like.

Australians are finding strength and inspiration in everyday heroes, reconsidering opportunities, seeking solace in community, rediscovering gratitude and finding joy in pursuits they may have forgotten about – art, music, nature, cooking, gardening and more…

“(I’m) feeling kind of ‘warmed’ by old-fashioned things – the neighbours pulling out the badminton net that I’d never seen before… I will pull out ours, too.” Rare Creative Consumer COVID-19 Diary, April 2020

“(I’m) also grateful we have slowed down as life is usually busy and we now get to eat dinner together, which (is) a luxury.” Rare Creative Consumer COVID-19 Diary, April 2020

How can brands respond with content?

It’s important to understand consumers’ pain points, specific needs and aspirations, but all of this information is only useful if it can be turned into authentic stories that drive action.

Your brand must be able to respond to consumers’ problems and interests of the moment with useful and relevant content that also makes sense for your brand to share.

And you must do this very quickly: the landscape is changing more rapidly than it ever has before. In the past couple of months alone, we have moved from an unprecedented shutdown to states reopening

The right issues must be identified and addressed before it’s too late to be part of the conversation.

Our team has developed a guide to help your brand craft the right narrative now, including:

• Best-practice branded content examples by vertical
• Australian consumer Google search trends (April 2020)
• Advice for brands on how to move quickly to own their narrative now and into the future

Click here to download our free COVID-19 Content Insights Report now

Sources:
(1) https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8236-next-year-better-or-worse-australia-2019-2020-201912200413
(2) https://kantaraustralia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Kantar-COVID-19-Barometer-Australia_20April_VD.pdf
(3) https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8368-roy-morgan-business-confidence-march-2020-202004060450
(4) https://www.uq.edu.au/news/article/2020/04/sunny-outlook-domestic-tourism-post-covid-19-restrictions
(5) Kantar Global Covid-19 Barometer, April 10- 13 2020, Australia