Mateship is out and me-ship is in as Aussie values shift

The great Aussie ideal of mateship is gone, with consumers responding to years of uncertainty with an increased focus on their individual needs.

Mateship is out and me-ship is in as Aussie values shift to individualism

Consumers want brands to provide practical value to their lives as people abandon mateship and focus on me-ship, according to a new report on Australian values.

The Aussie Futures 2025 report, produced by Havas Labs and YouGov, reveals significant shifts in values as a result of the ongoing uncertainty in the post-Covid years, as well as the cost-of-living challenges. The research reveals ideals of mateship and community, which were highly valued in 2022, have diminished with a strong focus on the individual in 2025.

More than half of the respondents (58 per cent) are optimistic about their own personal future, whereas just 34 per cent are optimistic about the nation’s future.

While me-ship dominates all consumers’ values, the research revealed a significant chasm between how this manifests for different segments of the population, and with that comes a challenge for marketers to tap into an overarching Australian ideal.

Havas chief strategy officer Olly Taylor said the report highlights the changing values and needs of Australians.

“The research reveals six big needs,” Havas chief strategy officer Olly Taylor said. “At one end, you’ve got people who feel the Australian dream is moving away from them and they want brands to be supportive. Then at the other end, you’ve got people who are not as impacted by the cost of living; they are optimistic, living well and what they want from brands is about status. In between those there are many nuances.

“What that means for marketers is that there’s no point saying everyone’s struggling or everyone’s happy, because their needs are quite different.

“The best way for a brand to create meaning is usually to attach to a need, but there’s not one need and the needs are very different.

“As marketers, we need to be deep in our category and understand those needs but we can’t overlook the really big things that are happening in people’s lives, which change their psyche, change what they value, and therefore are the backdrop to which they make all consumer decisions.”

Reckitt ANZ marketing director Florence Paoli

Yet, with nearly three-quarters of the respondents (72 per cent) citing cost-of-living pressures as the biggest barrier to achieving their financial aspirations, the majority are looking to brands to help provide some value.

Reckitt ANZ marketing director Florence Paoli said this value exchange is not necessarily about pricing and discounting.

“While there is definitely a pressure on spend and expenditure, it is more about your larger sense of the value of what your brand brings to the table.

“It’s not so much the cost of it, it’s more about defining the value exchange that your brand is proposing, and that is something we will continue to connect with those consumers.

“This research highlights the need for marketers to raise the bar on the entertainment value and really acknowledge that if we want to have a meaningful role in consumers’ lives, we need to also bring some level of enjoyment because consumers are desperate for it.”

Tourism Tasmania chief marketing officer Lindene Cleary said the shift to me-ship has driven a major change in the way individuals prioritise their lives.

Tourism Tasmania chief marketing officer Lindene Cleary

“Travel has shifted from being a desire or a want, into a need. Travelling and exploring new cultures came out as the number two desire in this study. It’s no longer a cost conversation. It’s how do I rearrange my life to ensure that I can prioritise it? Because I’m not willing to sacrifice it.”

The report found that less than a quarter (23.7 per cent) of Australians report a strong sense of community and less than half (46.2 per cent) view social groups as essential to achieving life goals, further showcasing the shift away from mateship towards more values of individualism.

Australia’s personal optimism rate was 54 per cent, which is strong compared to other countries. In the US, personal optimism currently averages 32.3 per cent, while in the UK, only 21 per cent of people identify as optimistic, according to YouGov research.

Security was the top national value for Australians reinforcing that safety from crime, terrorism, and general instability is foundational to Australians’ vision of the future.