Findings from oOh!media’s new study ‘How Aussies Move’ provides insights into how changes to our work and personal lives have impacted how we move post-COVID.

The study conducted by Pollinate Research and commissioned by oOh!, explored the attitudes, behaviours and mindsets of Australians and how these factors have influenced how and what we do each day when we leave our homes. The results revealed that respondents now prioritise themselves, family, and friends with 71 per cent saying they work to live.

oOh!, in conjunction with Pollinate, engaged leading experts in consumer psychology, human geography, the future of work and infrastructure planning, conducted in-depth interviews with commuters and travellers and carried out a nationally representative sample of 2,000 Australians to understand the changes in audience behaviour and what it means for brands.

At a launch event revealing the findings, oOh! explained that the work had been the result of many months of work and will set the tone for the company’s activities this year.

Bel Harper, executive group director of product strategy at oOh! and research consultant Stig Richards dug into the findings and what it means for marketers.

“The last couple of years have been interesting for Australia,” said Richards.

“What does that do to Australians as a whole with regard to their priorities? We asked people to express their priorities for the next three years…

“The fact is that at the top we can see quality time with family and friends, saving money, improving physical health, having a holiday, looking after your finances, and prioritising mental health are in the top third. All these things sound fairly reasonable but if we categorise them they are all things that are life-related, they are personal things, they are not work-related.

“If we try to find the majority of the work-related things, they’re all at the very bottom — career change, promotion, new job. Almost the entire bastion of professional life has been relegated to the bottom of life’s priorities over the next three years.”

Harper, meanwhile, explained that Australian cities are becoming less focused on one single CBD. Instead, thanks to democratised movement, they are becoming more multi-polar.

“Prior to COVID, if we look at the primary CBDs, the average percentage of cities’ workforce was 15.5 per cent. In the city of Sydney, its entire share of Sydney Metro workforce was 14.5 per cent. This varies up to 19 per cent in Adelaide,” she said.

“What we’re seeing [now] are multiple business districts popping up and becoming home to top ASX 200 businesses and big global businesses as well. In Sydney, businesses are spreading far and wide across our cities with their own commerce, shopping, and lifestyle precincts. So, think City of Ryde and Macquarie, Chatswood, North Sydney, Pyrmont. There are big populations that aren’t coming into the primary CBD.”

For advertisers, this presents a big opportunity to reach consumers through out-of-home advertising with multiple trips for different purposes and increases the likelihood of catching a shopper with their wallet out.

Neil Ackland, chief content, marketing and creative officer at oOh! said: “Surprisingly, while there is a focus on saving money, the top one-third of responses show Australians are prioritising mainly health and the well-being of ourselves and those around us.

“We’ve shifted into a mindset of valuing experiences over possessions and needs over wants. Cost of living pressures are very real, with 80 per cent of respondents concerned about the rising cost of living, however, our desire to spend more time outdoors with family and friends has increased, with 58 per cent acknowledging being out and about in public spaces results in a more positive mindset.”

Increased flexibility in our work arrangements has also significantly impacted our newfound mindset. According to the study, an overwhelming 93 per cent of respondents reported having more time to do what they want compared to pre-pandemic, this comes despite the fact most of us are still working a five-day week and more than half of us, 54 per cent, do not have the ability to work remotely.

The study found on average we are working 1.4 days a week from home. Chore time is now your time, as Australians have reclaimed the weekend once reserved for FADMIN (family administration), as a time to connect, through exercise, social and cultural activities which is leading to an increase in time spent in Out of Home environments.

Ackland added: “The report shows we have an appreciation for quality of life, we are enjoying being out and connecting with others. And while we have concerns, mostly relating to finances we’re trying to live positively. Our new mindset is motivating us to make plans again, with the study finding two in three Australians have plans to travel for leisure in the next six months, with almost half citing they will travel within their own state and, a third interstate. This shows a strong desire to stay local and discover our own backyard.

“How Aussies Move is an extensive research project that will shape our understanding of audiences for years to come. For advertisers and agencies, it offers the inside track on the changing nature of consumer and audience behaviour that will drive further return on their marketing investment.”