AUSTRALIA is one of the strongest nation brands in the world and Australian manufacturers are increasingly becoming aware of the benefits bold and aggressive country-of-origin branding can bring to their goods.
The green and gold “Australian Made” logo is Australia’s most trusted and recognised country-of-origin symbol and is actively promoted overseas.
The not-for-profit Australian Made, Australian Grown Campaign that administers the logo recently received funding from the Federal Government to promote the logo in markets in North America, Asia and the Middle East. A range of promotional activities are now being developed to assist Australian growers and manufacturers market their products under the “Australian Made, Australian Grown” logo.
“Australian goods and produce are not just valued by Australian consumers, but are sought after by consumers around the world. There is a unique opportunity for Australian manufacturers to capture this hunger for Australian goods and leverage from the strong equity in our nation brand,” Ian Harrison, chief executive of the Australian Made, Australian Grown Campaign, told Manufacturers’ Monthly.
“The upcoming promotions allow businesses to participate in supermarket promotions, trade shows, product demonstrations and much more, all under the Australian Made, Australian Grown banner. We are working closely with Austrade to provide Australian manufacturers with great opportunities to get their products into new markets.”
The stylised kangaroo logo has been around for 22 years and can now be found on close to 10,000 products ranging from our freshest seafood to innovative high-tech machinery.
The “Australian Made” logo is recognised by 98 per cent of Australian consumers and while less known on the international scene, research shows that the symbol nevertheless is readily identified with Australia and recognised as a symbol of quality.
Local key tag manufacturer Kevron Plastics is one of the thousands of companies that has embraced the logo and used it as a marketing tool domestically and in export markets. The Kevron keytag, which comes in a myriad of colours and shapes, is without doubt one of Kevron’s most famous products.
The company hasn’t always been an exporting business, but once it had reached an impressive 90 per cent market share in Australia for some of its products, exporting was the only way to grow the business.
“Wherever possible we promote our brand, in conjunction with the Australian Made logo, to ensure our products are not simply seen as commodity items. As a company we are known as a reliable, versatile and trusted supplier and this has helped us build a loyal client base both in Australia and abroad,” said Phil Parton, managing director of Kevron Plastics Pty Ltd.
The promotion of the keytags as Australian has worked so well that the distributors in markets such as Scandinavia now often receives orders for “a box of Australians”.
“Cracking new export markets is sometimes not so easy and requires a lot of patience. We are a long way from the northern hemisphere and it is easy for people to find excuses not to source products from Australia. But we go to great lengths to ensure potential export clients run out of reasons not to buy from us.”
“Australian made is a unique feature with respect to offering a point of difference regarding origin and (higher) quality of goods. It has worked very well for us and we make every effort to ensure the Australian Made logo appears on all packaging and promotional materials,” said Parton.