Leah Cioccio, Strategy Director, Equality Media + Marketing
As a strategist, I know most plans do not reset simply because the calendar flips.
Real strategy runs to financial years, investment cycles and long-term ambition. A new year does not automatically make an existing plan wrong. In fact, constantly rewriting strategy in response to short-term mood shifts is often where momentum is lost.
And yet, the start of the year does something interesting. The bookend of Christmas, the return to routine and the diary that is briefly empty create a pause. It becomes easier to lift your head from the plan and ask a different question. What is happening around us right now, and how might that change the way our marketing lands?
This is not a call to rip up your FY26 strategy. It is a reminderto sense-check it against the reality Australians are living in as we enter the year. Because while the fundamentals may still be sound, the emotional context has shifted.
Optimism hasn’t disappeared, but it is under pressure
The data tells a nuanced story.
McCrindle research shows 64% of Australians remain optimistic about the country’s future over the next three years, down from 72% in 2021.
Optimism is still present, but it has softened. At the same time, the Westpac–Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index remains below neutral, reflecting ongoing short-term caution. Australians still believe in the country’s long-term vision, but many feel more exposed in the present.
That tension is shaping behaviour, from how people spend and how quickly they switch, to how much tolerance they have for friction and how fast they disengage when something feels unnecessary or unfair.
For marketers in 2026, the challenge is no longer simply about cutting through. It is how to show up in a way that people are willing to stay with.
In low-trust environments, competence becomes visible
Roy Morgan’s Trust in Institutions research places trust in government at around 30%, alongside media and banking. This long-term erosion of institutional trust has reshaped how Australians respond to authority, messaging and promises of any kind.
In low-trust environments, scepticism becomes the default. Australians are more alert to exaggeration and less willing to suspend disbelief simply because something looks impressive or entertaining. People are less interested in being wowed and more interested in being reassured that a brand will do what it says, behave predictably and treat them fairly.
Creativity still matters. Memorability remains the first battleground for growth, and emotionally engaging work is more likely to be noticed and remembered. But in 2026, creativity must also signal competence. The strongest brands combine emotional impact with credibility.
Value is judged after the purchase, not just at checkout
Australians are value-conscious, and increasingly value-weary. ABS retail data shows that spending spikes around events like Black Friday are now firmly embedded in the calendar. Outside those moments, however, retail growth remains modest, and many households are simply holding steady in real terms.
Discounting can unlock transactions, but it does little to build confidence over time. Where value is now truly judged is after the purchase. In categories like insurance, where annual switching rates consistently sit between 20 and 25 per cent, customers are making practical assessments about whether the experience matches what was promised.
In this context, value is created through the everyday moments that follow the sale, as clear communication, advertising included, and predictable service work together to confirm whether a brand is worth choosing.
Housing pressure is identity pressure
Housing has become one of the most emotionally charged issues in Australia.
Home ownership has fallen from 70% in 1991 to 66% in 2021, with the sharpest declines among younger Australians. At the same time, nearly 30% of Australians are now born overseas, making this one of the most culturally diverse periods in our history.
Despite that diversity, home ownership remains a powerful symbol of stability and progress. For some, it is something to protect. For others, it is a milestone that feels increasingly out of reach.
Brands operating near housing, finance, insurance or major life stages are therefore working in emotionally charged territory, whether they intend to or not. In this environment, brands have an opportunity to build stronger meaning through clear narratives and genuine differentiation, giving Australians a clearer sense of who they are and what they stand for.
A final thought
Taken together, these shifts point to a quieter but more demanding moment for brands. Australians are not closed to marketing, but they are more selective about what they give their attention to and what they trust.
Your strategy is probably not wrong, but the context in which it is playing out has changed.
That makes this a moment to refine, not reset. To stay the course where it still makes sense, while adjusting how clearly, consistently and credibly you show up.
The start of the year is a good time to ask that question. Not whether we change the plan, but whether we are still showing up in the right way.