In a campaign by Publicis for Suncorp, an Aussie tween spills truth bombs, intended to nudge people into giving up a short term indulgences so they can invest in more meaningful things down the road. With Australians already anxious about the cost of living, and the difficulty in saving for a home, we explore the insights behind the ad and understand how Aussies can give up short term treats for the benefit of their savings.
The Publicis ad campaign ‘spend better, save better, dream bigger’ in Australia, follows up 2017’s Money with Sunny spot, where Sunny – a truth-telling Aussie tween – lays down some financial tough love. Sunny enlightens people with astonishing stats and money management advice in multiple short skits; she points out “soon, less than 50% of Australians will own their own home,” saying that if they’d skipped their morning lattes, people could save $200 a month towards buying a house. In another spot, Sunny also recommend swapping gym memberships for walking, since 16.8% of weekly income goes into transportation. Australians spend $1,800 a year on clothes and $30,000 on average for a wedding. Sunny advises them to consider their impulsive buyers as 35% of women and 24% of men cope to making frequent impulse buys.
Money is the top concern for Australians today and it’s causing “inertia, pessimism and lost hope,” according to Simone Waugh, managing director at Publicis in Brisbane. ME Bank also reports that just over a quarter of Aussie households are planning on saving for a holiday or a car, compared to just 11% of those saving for a home. What’s more, 52% of Australians are not confident managing their money, and 16% said they wouldn't talk to anyone about the state of their savings, not even their partner. 'Sunny's Truth Bombs' aim to offer a simple advice in a fun way, breaking away from what it’s a sensitive topic for Aussies.
This campaign turns anxiety into optimism by guiding Aussies with simple steps, actions, and tools to help them spend, save and ultimately live better by encouraging financial well-being and awareness. With 73% of Aussies thinking that the cost of living has increased in the last year, brands that offer ways to manage budget and deal with these anxiety will be warmly welcomed. Afterpay is an online and offline payment provider that lets Aussies buy instantly and pay in four fortnightly instalments. AMP Goals 360 combines a digital platform with a face-to-face conversation to help each customer explore, plan and track their financial goals.
Lucia Seoane-Pampin is a behavioural analyst at Canvas8, which specialises in behavioural insights and consumer research. Born and raised in Spain, she loves experiencing different cultures and emotional expressions. She studied psychology and communications in Boston and has a master’s in digital & visual media.
