GumGum has released The Marketers’ Take On Mindset: 2026 Global Report, revealing Australian marketers believe mindset advertising works, but not all have adopted it.
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 per cent 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 per cent 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 per cent 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. Sixty-seven per cent say it has a positive effect on brand favourability, and 49.7 per cent say the same for brand recall. They also see it reaching beyond the core audience, with 96.3 per cent 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 per cent citing time of day as a valuable signal for understanding a consumer’s mindset and 48 per cent citing the device or channel.
According to the report, most respondents believe they are already getting mindset advertising right, with 81.8 per cent saying their brand aligns its advertising with consumer mindset effectively or very effectively. Only 34 per cent of Australian respondents say they always factor mindset into campaign planning.
Furthermore, just 35 per cent 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 per cent of Australian responses, followed by data access, quality, or integration (17 per cent) and resources, budget, or time (13.7 per cent).
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,” concluded Coote.
