Political parties spent 70% more on advertising this federal election than the previous national poll, according to analysis by Nielsen.
This election, Nielsen tracked $55,998,000, up from $32,811,000 in 2019.
In 2013 and 2016 the Liberal Party outspent Labor, but this changed with Labor ahead in this election and in 2019.
Billionaire Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party spent very little in 2016 but then outspent both major parties combined in 2019 and spent nearly a third more than both in 2022.
From the day the election was called, until the media blackout, the numbers for the majors (NOTE: Outdoor advertising component only includes April spending), according to Nielsen Ad Intel:
UAP: $31,346,694
ALP: $13,081,037
Libs: $10,544,211
Greens: $915,910
(Other estimates, which include Palmer's campaigning from late 2021, show the UAP with a total advertising bill of up to $100 million. Nielsen analyses the official campaign period from the day the election was called.)
Mungo McCall, commercial director, Ad Intel Portfolio, says more money spent on advertising doesn’t necessarily mean more impact.
“The message also has to resonate with the target audience,” he says.
“A key example of this is the impact, or lack thereof, of the UAP spend. Despite outspending both the major parties, the messaging didn't resonate with the majority of voters.
“Advertising without understanding how your audience is likely to respond to your messages is not going to make up for an excess of media spend.
“Understanding what drives your audience and working out how to reach them is more important than ever.
“Getting your message in front of an audience is one thing, getting the right message is key. It's more important than ever to understand your target audience, do your research to understand what will resonate with them.
“Ask yourself the question - how much do I know about my audience? How can I understand them better?”
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