Nearly nine in 10 Aussie marketers back mindset advertising, GumGum report reveals

New research finds 87% of local marketers say mindset advertising outperforms ads matched only to content, with 67% saying mindset alignment has a positive effect on brand favourability

GumGum, the Mindset Company™ transforming advertising, today announced the release of The Marketers’ Take On Mindset: 2026 Global Report, revealing Australian marketers definitely believe mindset advertising works. 

In a sign that mindset advertising is gaining a stronger foothold in planning, when asked which they would prioritise for a campaign next week, 36% of respondents indicated they would prioritise a mindset approach over a traditional identity-based approach if they were to launch a campaign next week. However, 64% still said they would prioritise identity-based advertising. 

The research, which polled over 2000 marketers across Australia, the US and the UK, found that 87% of Australian marketers agree ads aligned to a consumer’s mindset outperform ads matched only to content context. 

GumGum defines mindset as a person’s state of mind in the moment they encounter an ad, reflecting what they’re open to right then. It is shaped by factors such as where someone is and what they’re doing, the device or channel they’re using, their interests, and their patterns over time.

Local marketers also link mindset alignment to stronger brand outcomes. 67% say it has a positive effect on brand favourability, and 49.7% say the same for brand recall. They also see it reaching beyond the core audience, with 96.3% saying someone outside their target audience is at least somewhat likely to engage with an ad that matches their mindset.

Aussie marketers are more specific about what shapes mindset too, with 60.4% citing time of day as a valuable signal for understanding a consumer’s mindset and 48% citing the device or channel. 

According to the report, most respondents believe they are already getting mindset advertising right, with 81.8% saying their brand aligns its advertising with consumer mindset effectively or very effectively. Only 34% of Australian respondents say they always factor mindset into campaign planning.

Furthermore, just 35% of local marketers believe an ad that reaches the right audience in an unreceptive mindset will still be very effective. 

“Australian marketers have clearly embraced mindset as a concept. The challenge now is moving it from something teams consider to something they actually plan and buy against. Reaching the right person is only part of the job, but reaching them when they’re genuinely receptive is what really drives conversions,” said Matt Coote, Managing Director JAPAC, GumGum. 

The research found local marketers were also the most specific about what’s holding them back from implementing a dedicated mindset advertising strategy. Proper understanding of their audience came up in 17.6% of Australian responses, followed by data access, quality, or integration (17%) and resources, budget, or time (13.7%).

One Australian retail marketer said, “With a limited budget, I dare not try new models that have not yet been proven.” Another said one of the biggest hurdles is “connecting mindset insights to actual media decisions”.

“The appetite in Australia is clear, so our focus now is on demystifying mindset so marketers can put it into practice and start reaping the rewards. We are laser-focused on giving brands a clear definition of mindset advertising, a straightforward way to plan with it, and proof of the phenomenal results it can deliver. Greater adoption will follow when the upside is easy to see,” said Coote.