On March 20, the World Happiness Report was released.
For many Australians, the sun is still shining over our Vegemite toast, but maybe not quite as brightly as it once did.
Australia ranked 11th this year - just behind Mexico and ahead of New Zealand. What’s concerning though, is the 13-year decline in our happiness levels. Back in 2011, we scored 7.34 out of 10 and were in 9th place, now we are at 6.97 – enough to push us out of the top 10.
Why are we feeling less happy?
It’s not exactly a mystery. Right now, we’re really feeling the economic pinch, with rising costs, housing affordability, and the generational wealth gap putting extra strain on Australians, especially Gen Z. Social isolation and the “comparison trap” of social media aren’t helping either. It all just leaves us feeling a little bit more ‘meh’ every year.
Drivers of Happiness
At T garage, we wanted to dig into what is bringing Australians joy, because if we understand that, we can find ways to make more of it.
We asked 1,000 of our SaySo community members what they value most when it comes to happiness.
Then we asked what factors are actually contributing to their happiness right now. This time, the order shifted.
We know what matters to us – but we’re not always experiencing it.
We want meaningful relationships, but they don’t always fit into our mid-week rush. We value our health, but it’s fallen out of our top 5 when we look at our daily happiness. And financial security has dropped to 8th place, highlighting the stress caused by current economic pressures.
What does this mean for us as marketers?
If we want to bring a little bit more “yeah” into the world, we should be asking ourselves the classics:
- Are we creating genuine moments of joy?
- Are we helping people feel more connected – to each other, their communities, or themselves?
- Are we making people feel good, rather than overwhelmed, left out, or less-than?
We’re already seeing lots of great examples of this out there. Car brands capturing the joy of escaping the everyday, food brands celebrating the rituals of shared meals, and community-driven campaigns that focus on small acts of kindness.
But here’s the watch-out: Australians still want authenticity.
We’re not all about polished kitchens and perfectly folded laundry. We’re real, a bit gritty - and increasingly skint. The brands that acknowledge this, showing happiness in small wins and unfiltered moments, will go further. Especially with a Gen Z audience, who are sceptical of anything that feels too perfect.
The Power of Small Gestures
One theme kept surfacing - both in the World Happiness Report and in our own research:
Small gestures matter.
It’s not exactly ground breaking, but it is powerful. Countries with strong social connections, where helping is the norm, not the exception, report higher levels of trust, belonging, and well-being.
When we asked Australians about small pleasures that bring them joy, they started saying things like:
“Seeing someone help a stranger.”
“Someone holding the door open.”
“Letting someone in need go ahead in the queue.”
It feels a bit counter to the global mood right now, but maybe that’s why we appreciate it. More kindness. Less chaos.
How Brands Can Show Up
I hate to bang on about Cadbury again, but their latest ‘Made to Share’ campaign? Spot on.
Some more honourable shoutouts to:
- McCain’s focusing on togetherness and sharing
- Grill’d’s Local Matters program
- IGA’s “Proudly Local”
- Bakers Delight’s Pink Bun Week, raising funds for BCNA
You don’t need to wrap your whole brand in purpose. But when you show up for your community, whether it’s baked into your DNA or just something you quietly support, people notice. And they appreciate it.
Because right now, when the world feels unsteady, brands that demonstrate care, kindness, and connection won’t just stand out, they’ll stand for something that matters.
Jed Simpfendorfer – Director Strategy & Partner T garage