Aussies have big plans for 2022: Here’s how brands can help them realise their ambitions
From buying a new home to finally making that overseas trip, Australians have some big ambitions this year. Gumtree digs into fresh research that reveals our big plans for 2022, and considers how marketers can help customers as they turn over a new leaf.
The past few years have been so unprecedented that ‘unprecedented’ was named the People’s Choice 2020 Word of the Year. The pandemic has utterly upended our lives, changing how we live, work, and communicate, and shifting our consumer spending habits faster than any other global event.
The research, which surveyed 1,255 Gumtree Australia users, has revealed Australians’ top three priorities in 2022 as brands look to build stronger and more meaningful relationships with their customers. The research uncovered Australians’ changing perspectives regarding travel, finance and lifestyle investments.
Perhaps unsurprisingly in a pandemic, health is Australians top priority for this year, with one in three (34%) Australians aiming to live a healthier lifestyle. This desire is followed by the important goal of taking better control of their finances, including to save or invest more (22%), followed by sustainability, with 15% looking to take action to be more environmentally friendly.
“When you deeply understand your customer, including where they’re at in life and what they might need next to help guide their decision, you can start to build more sustainable and lifelong connections with your brand through relevant, trusted content and personalisation” Erin Holt, Head of Partnerships at Gumtree Australia told Mumbrella.
Driving automotive change in 2022
Delving deeper into the research, automotive was a strong intent category for 2022, with more than one in three Aussies (36%) looking to buy a vehicle in 2022. Almost half were considering a new car (48%), while more than half (51%) of auto intenders look to spend more than $21,000 and 25% intend to spend $41,000 or more
When it comes to auto preferences, 7% of car buyers are tapping into wider sustainability trends by looking to buy an electric or hybrid car in 2022, while 7% of auto intenders are looking to spend big on a new luxury or prestige vehicle.
Shifts in home and finance
Alongside changes to their garage, it’s clear that Australians are intending to make big changes inside their homes this year, too. According to Gumtree’s data, more than one in five (21%) Aussies intend to renovate or redecorate their home this year.
At the same time, 17% are looking to move home or buy a new home or investment property this year. On the financial side of things, 9% are aiming to take out a new loan, credit card or open a new bank account in the next 12 months.
Time to travel
After almost two years of being unable to travel beyond state and country lines, nearly two in three Aussies (65%) say they’re going on a holiday in 2022, with more than half looking to travel domestically. In fact, more than half (58%) of travellers will be going away over the upcoming Easter break.
Flying looks back on the cards for some, with almost 20% of Gumtree users surveyed saying they are willing to fly to their next holiday destination, with nearly half of those willing to fly (47%) saying they’re ready to travel internationally. Keeping things closer to ground level, more than half of travellers said they are going on a road trip or camping holiday (53%) in 2022.
What does this mean for marketers?
With many Australians’ intending to make 2022 a year to remember, it’s important for brands to help their customers realise their individual goals. Whether it’s buying a new car, moving to a new home or finally making that trip overseas, advertisers can tap into the mindsets and motivations of everyday Australians as they navigate a return to relative normality.
Gumtree together with CarsGuide and Autotrader brings Australia’s leading multi-category digital classifieds network to 7.8* million monthly users. The network leverages its highly transactional marketplace audiences and wealth of first-party data to unlock precision targeting for brands across hundreds of categories and major life stages.
Erin Holt (main photo), said: “Our audience is highly purposeful. Brands can harness Gumtree’s market-leading technology to analyse marketplace shopping behaviours, including search intent and new listings, and combine these insights with first-party audience data to connect with consumers at every stage of their purchase journey. Brands that add value at these pivotal moments will set themselves apart both now and in the future.”
With one in three Australians visiting the network every month, Gumtree, CarsGuide and Autotrader provide the unique opportunity to deliver highly relevant ads and native content at scale – effectively influencing consumer decision making in a game-changing year of ambition.
Source: Gumtree Australia User Survey, 17-28 January 2022, n=1225 | *Nielsen Digital Content Planning, Nov 2020- Aug 2021, P2+, Digital (C/M), Text, Gumtree, Autotrader, CarsGuide, Total De-Duplicated Unique Audience