Speaking their language: Australian advertisers missing the mark with Chinese speaking audiences

Australia is a multicultural country, made up of many diverse and thriving ethnic groups. According to the ABS in 2017, 21% of Australians speak a language other than English at home. Regarding Chinese-speaking consumers specifically, the 2016 Census found Australia is home to more than 1.2 million people of Chinese ancestry, with around 68% of which speak either Mandarin or Cantonese at home. Yet, for the most part, our advertising doesn’t reflect this.

Thinkerbell’s recent ‘Tastes Like Australia’ Vegemite campaign, ran in conjunction with Harmony Week, bucked this trend and generated a bit of industry buzz as a result. And while it can only be a good thing to acknowledge and celebrate culturally diverse campaigns, they shouldn’t just be running during Harmony Week. They should not be the exception, but the norm.