Are we nearly there yet?
Are we nearly there yet?
Are we nearly there yet?
The house, the car, the career. The, 'am I behind?' and 'am I too old to?'. The technology boom. AI anxiety. Trends and traditions. New and nostalgic. The 'is this really better than before?'.
Progress is messy, success is subjective
messy
is subjective
And it matters. People are drawn to brands that signal momentum, that are on the way up.
But signalling progress isn’t as simple as projecting growth, it’s a lot more complex than that. In what way?
But signalling progress isn’t as simple as projecting growth, it’s a lot more complex than that. In what way?
We asked over 2000 Australian and New Zealanders to find out.
This is what they said.
This is what they said.
Progress isn’t always about big, life-changing milestones.
It’s in the small wins and
day-to-day achievements.
Steps on the way to bigger goals.
It's about making your bed in the morning, getting a good night’s sleep, paying the bills and having a productive day at work.
"I went to the gym when I was tired and really didn't feel like it... Moments of progress are minor successes to me."
"Today I made my bed. It helped me to feel like I was making progress on looking after myself."
"Today at work, I was able to tick a few things off that I had put in the too-hard basket for a little while, which was satisfying... While small things, I think they represent moments of progress."
Even with this personal perspective on progress, people still see brands as important because brands are part of life, society and how we live.
Almost 8 in 10 people think it’s important that companies help them progress.
People see a role for brands in helping us move forward as individuals and as a collective. It’s an important factor in building long-term trust, connection, and loyalty. And the most important thing brands can do to help people progress? Be honest when they communicate.
Ok, so that might seem obvious. Of course, we want brands to be honest, but people ranked it higher in importance than contributing to the economy, supporting local communities and even improving the services that they provide.
So, why is honesty so important to us now? And what do people mean by ‘honest communications’?
To find out, we looked deeper into the data.
So, why is honesty so important to us now? And what do people mean by ‘honest communications’?
To find out, we looked deeper into the data.
Very important
Be honest when they communicate
We have reached a new age of authenticity.
Our research found that people don't want perfectionism or filters – they want real, grit, truth, and humanity. Raw honesty.
Showing consumers that not everything is perfect gives the consumer a sense of trust.
But, what does authenticity mean?
mean?
People told us what it looks like when a brand gets it right – and when they get it wrong.
It all comes down to humanness.
humanness.
Brands who claim they're helping people succeed, signal tokenism, or prioritise publicity over genuine efforts are called out for lacking authenticity and eroding trust.
They're met with scepticism.
Download the full report to access the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ of authenticity and explore the findings more deeply.
Download Report