Coles launches new brand positioning

Coles has launched its new brand positioning celebrating the Australian way of life centering around food and gatherings of friends and family.

The new campaign, ‘Value the Australian Way’ celebrates the role Coles plays in feeding Australians and champions it at the heart of the nation. 

Coles CMO, Lisa Ronson, said the new campaign reflects the important role food and culture plays in Australian families and communities.

“Our purpose is to sustainably feed all Australians, so we understand the integral role food plays in our lives – and when it comes to how we shop, cook and eat, our new campaign Value the Australian Way celebrates our past and future,” Ronson said.

The centrepiece is a TV ad featuring real Australian friends and families, not actors, set to the sound of Missy Higgins’ song ‘Feel Like Going Back Home’ recorded as a collaboration between Missy Higgins, Dingo Spender and the current lead singer of Yothu Yindi, Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu. 

Coles, which is Australia’s largest private sector employer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, wanted to support Indigenous artists in the campaign. A nine-time Aria Award winner, Higgins said this was the first time she has been part of an ad campaign because it features Indigenous artists.

“It’s been a tough year for lots of Aussies, so I love the optimistic feel of this new campaign. It’s great to see how diverse and inclusive it is. It’s also great to see Coles backing great Indigenous Australian talents like Stephen Pigram, who originally wrote this tune, and Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu with whom I dueted on the track,” Higgins said.

As part of this new campaign, Coles has undertaken its 'Australian Kitchen Census' to uncover what Australians value most when it comes to cooking and sharing a meal. It surveyed almost 5500 customers around the country to understand Australia’s modern food values and how they shape our approach to shopping, cooking and eating in 2020 and beyond.

The survey has found family recipes are still a favourite, with 42 per cent of customers saying childhood memories of food play an important role in how they cook today. Responsible sourcing matters more, with 35 per cent of customers saying animal welfare is extremely important to them when purchasing meat. 

The experience of being in lockdown or living restricted lives this year because of the coronavirus pandemic shows, with 60 per cent of customers noting they cherish time spent with friends and family more now than six months ago.

The survey has also found Australians are becoming more adventurous in food choices, with 65 per cent of customers agreeing they are much more adventurous with their eating than their parents. And the way to our heart is though our stomach, with 28 per cent agreeing it is important for their partner to be a good cook.

Ronson said its research shows people want to support Australian food producers and the local community. “We’re committed to helping our farmers and fishermen produce ethical and sustainable food for all Australians so we can continue be a part of Australians lives for many more centuries to come,” she said.

Follow CMO on Twitter: @CMOAustralia, take part in the CMO conversation on LinkedIn: CMO ANZ, follow our regular updates via CMO Australia's Linkedin company page, or join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CMOAustralia.