AdNews: Running on fumes

Research Team

Jed Simpfendorfer

Overview

This month in AdNews, we explored what financial resilience really means for Australians today — and what it tells us about the future of brand trust.

After years of uncertainty, Australians are still feeling the pinch. Our latest research shows that 37% are living with only a few months’ worth of savings — that’s around eight million people running on financial fumes. And when life throws a curveball, most don’t reach out for help.

Key Takeaways:

• Resilience is the real consumer metric – It’s not about income brackets or postcodes. Even high earners can feel the pressure. What matters is whether people have enough in reserve to handle life’s bumps.
• Silence isn’t golden – Only one in three Australians facing financial hardship contact their provider. Waiting for distress calls means you’re already too late.
• Support is equity in disguise – Offering genuine help in hard times builds long-term trust. Australians value hardship support that protects credit scores, proactive tips, and empathetic customer service.
• The four plays of resilient brands:
• Design out friction
• Dignity in every interaction
• Act before the ask
• Proof beats promises
• Trust is the new battleground – In low-trust sectors like finance, telco, and energy, brands that deliver dignity, empathy, and real support earn loyalty that money can’t buy.

To stay ahead, brands must stop seeing support as a compliance task — and start seeing it as strategy.

Read the full article in AdNews.