Trust, Connection, Control: New cultural research to help marketers cut through to a sceptical, stretched Australia

How are Australians really feeling - about their money, their lives, and the future? And what does this mean for how marketers show up?

Join leading cultural insight specialists T Garage and Of A Feather Social as they unpack the latest findings from CultureCast, Australia’s leading cultural trends program. Drawing from 2,000+ Australians tracked over two years, 100+ qualitative interviews combined with an ongoing social listening program. We’ll reveal how economic pressure and global uncertainty are reshaping mindsets, behaviours and what people actually need from brands.

Topics Covered

• Reclaiming: How Australians are trying to regain control in a world that feels increasingly out of their hands - and what that means for your brand’s role
• Resonating: How to cut through in an era of information overload, eroded trust and collapsing credibility
• Rejoining: How the desire for connection is reshaping the way people engage with brands and each other
• Spending priorities: Where consumers are cutting back, trading down, and where they’re still willing to spend
• Marketing in this climate: Practical strategies for understanding the Australian cultural lens and applying this to brand strategy, communications planning and creative briefing

What You Will Learn

• How Australians are feeling about life, finances and the future, by generation
• Where trust is eroding and which brands are still earning it
• How financial pressure is changing everyday behaviour and decision-making
• Which marketing campaigns, approaches, and strategies are resonating, and which are backfiring
• Actionable strategies for connecting with consumers when the mood is cautious but optimism still exists

About the presenters 

Jed Simpfendorfer
Director of Strategy, T garage

Jed brings a unique blend of qualifications in both Marketing and Psychology. Having served as Strategy Director at Mars Petcare in Europe and later as Chief Marketing Officer for Carman’s Foods in Australia, he integrates knowledge of consumer psychology with extensive commercial experience.

Anna Bryant
MD Sydney, Cultural and Social Research Lead

Anna brings more than 25 years of research experience. She is formally trained in ethnography and semiotics. Anna specialises in understanding the complex relationship between people, culture and brands, helping organisations uncover the deeper forces shaping behaviour and growth. Anna is a two-time ESOMAR Insight250 award winner.

Jodi Cousins
General Manager, Of A Feather Social

With more than a decade of experience, Jodi specialises in helping brands understand what is happening in culture and how it shapes consumer behaviour. As General Manager of Of A Feather, she works across strategy, social media and content to identify emerging trends, decode online communities and help brands build relevance with the next generation of consumers.

*This course qualifies for 4 CPD points under the AMI’s Certified Practicing Marketer program.