Marketers relying solely on age, gender and postcode may be missing what really drives Australians, according to new research from The Research Agency (TRA).
TRA’s proprietary consumer insights framework, Aussie Minds, was designed to help marketers understand the motivations, values and trust signals shaping Australian consumers. Developed through ongoing quantitative research involving more than 3,000 Australians, supported by qualitative interviews and online discussion boards, Aussie Minds gives brands a way of understanding audiences beyond age, gender and postcode.
Rather than relying only on demographics, the framework identifies six ‘Australian MindSets’ that influence how people think, what they value and who they trust. The six MindSets – The Keepers, The Chasers, The Mavericks, The Nesters, The Anchors and The Strategists – reveal the underlying perspectives that shape how Australians make decisions and respond to brands.
Research Highlights
- The Keepers (26%) – Loyal and self-reliant Australians with traditional media habits who value stability, proven choices and protecting what they’ve worked hard to build.
- The Anchors (11%) – Grounded, community-minded people focused on supporting those around them while seeking fairness, stability and trusted relationships. Lean into established media environments.
- The Mavericks (18%) – Information-led, channel-fluid, independent thinkers who embrace new ideas but expect authenticity, substance and evidence over hype.
- The Strategists (11%) – Ambitious planners who are motivated by progress but want clear value and confidence before taking the next step. More likely to use channels that support search, streaming, and self-directed discovery.
- The Nesters (12%) – Quietly ambitious Australians looking for practical support, reassurance and ways to make everyday life easier. Spread across familiar and mainstream media environments.
- The Chasers (22%) – Future-focused consumers driven by progress, authenticity and purpose as they pursue new opportunities. The most highly connected and digitally engaged MindSet.
Terri Hall, Managing Partner Australia, TRA, said the research responds to a growing challenge for marketers, with traditional audience segmentation becoming less effective in an increasingly diverse and fragmented market.
“Australia isn’t one audience. Two people can share the same demographic profile but have completely different motivations, values and expectations of brands,” said Hall.
“Demographics remain important, but they don’t explain why people make decisions, what they trust or how they respond to messaging. Aussie Minds gives marketers another layer of understanding by revealing the underlying MindSets shaping behaviour.”
Aussie Minds is grounded in moral psychology and values research and has been developed by TRA over several years. According to TRA, the framework is designed to support a range of marketing applications, including brand strategy, communications, customer experience, innovation, behaviour change and audience targeting.
According to TRA, the research found that Australians cannot be treated as a single consumer group, with each MindSet exhibiting distinct attitudes towards trust, media, brands and decision-making. While people may share similar demographic characteristics, TRA says they interpret messages and experiences in fundamentally different ways
The full report is available here.
