Tomorrow, most of Australia will knock off early and head over to the pub to watch the race that stops a nation.
And while it might seem like a frivolous excuse to get on the sherbets, it’s also a great opportunity for brands to push their own agendas.
In a survey of 670 panellists in Australia by YouGov, the top five brands recognised as being associated with Melbourne Cup are:
1. Emirates (73 per cent)
2. Myer (34 per cent)
3. Crown (29 per cent)
4. Yellowglen (18 per cent)
5. AAMI, Lexus (15 per cent)
Interestingly, the survey showed that 51 per cent of respondents don’t want to participate in any Melbourne Cup activities, however 38 per cent still take part in a sweepstake and another 38 per cent tune in to the race on TV.
A further 24 per cent get together with their mates or co-workers to watch, 23 per cent place a bet with a bookmaker, and 13 per cent keep up to speed on social media.
For those who actually want to get involved in the Cup action, 69 per cent cite having a good past experience as reason to celebrate, 62 per cent say it’s a national event and everyone should join, and 47 per cent insist it’s a good excuse for them to get together with friends and family and have fun (read: to get on the piss).
And proving we’re not immune to a little peer pressure, 32 per cent of respondents take part in Melbourne Cup activities because everyone else around them is.
The survey also showed Aussies have practically no inclination to back a horse with any sort of science or thought: 39 per cent choose a horse based on a ‘feeling’ and 30 per cent pick randomly, while 24 per cent choose based on expert tips and 28 per cent based on previous performances.
