Sae whaur th bludy heel ur ye?

CHASING THE STRALYAN EXPAT POUND

Known as Stralyan Expats, the current wave of Australians immigrating to Scotland constitutes a distinct and signicant market segment, but courting these expatriates requires skill. Lauren Isaak identies just who these antipodean consumers are, how they think, and most of all, how to market to them.
Ah, an Australian in the UK now theres an original concept.
The stereotype of the UK-based Aussie is easily called to mind. Predominantly found in London, he or she is simply the latest of the horde of young Australians who ock to the UK on their rite of passage two-year working holiday. Our young Aussie expat surely lives in a sharehouse with a large number of his or her compatriots; a Little Australia in a west London suburb such as She Bu. Thats Shepherds Bush for those who like their words unabbreviated. Temporarily here to escape responsibility back home, the Aussie works to live in low-paid but undemanding jobs, blows the earnings devil-may-care on travel or at the Walkabout, then sods off home. While Aussie homesickness for creature comforts have created a niche market for Australian-themed pubs, pie companies and - God forbid, Vegemite importers - the temporary nature of the Aussie expats stay and the narrow focus of their interests have hardly distinguished them as a sought-after target market for most businesses. Following the Global Financial Crisis of late 2007 and the subsequent protracted British economic downturn, the appeal of living in the UK diminished for many Australians, who chose to return - or stay - home for better salaries and job prospects. More stringent regulations regarding visas made a further contribution to the 2008-2012 exodus of Australians en masse from our shores. enthusiasm to the lush Scottish scenery, the pioneering spirit of the story, and its depiction of Scottish-Australian mateship. Swiftly capitalising on the success of Loveless Monster, VisitScotland executed a maverick campaign to entice Aussies back to the UK. Cleverly entitled Sae whaur th bludy heel ur ye?, the campaign parodied the controversial Tourism Australia campaign of 2006 and through its humour found resonance with Australians. According to the Ofce for National Statistics, immigration gures for 2018 show record-high numbers of Australians entering the UK. The ONS has commented that it believes the gures can be attributed to a strengthening UK economy and the removal of earlier caps on tier 1 (highly skilled migrant) and tier 2 (employer-sponsored) visas for Australians. But here comes the unexpected part: regional data shows that immigrants are bypassing London in favour of Scottish cities; namely Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. In an ad recall survey of 1,000 long-term*

Timeline of Australians in the UK

1788 Late 1950s- early 1960s Australia settled by Britain Large postwar migration of British to Australia

Australian immigrants, it was found that 98% had seen the VisitScotland campaign, with 95% citing it as the basis of their decision to immigrate. In what might truly be considered a case of striking while the irons hot, VisitScotland has managed a remarkable feat of marketing; the success being all the more sweeter when viewed as a oneup on England.
*dened as resident of Scotland for two or more years.

arts world (directing Britains Royal Ballet, Londons South Bank Centre, Edinburghs International Film Festival) and are prominent in Hollywood. This insight is useful in understanding the current wave of Australian immigrants, the Stralyan Expats. An elite cohort of professionals, they are career-focused, highly employable and relatively prosperous.

Demographic
Age: Mid-twenties to mid-forties Gender: Roughly even split; 55% male and 45% female Education: Relatively well-educated; 85% to degree, 65% holding postgraduate qualications Occupation: Various white-collar, earlymid career stage Income: AUD75,000-150,000 per year

1959-1964 Immigration of prominent Australian expats Barry Humphries, Clive James and Germaine Greer to London Late 1960s- Many UK-born early 1970s settlers return to Britain 1994-2002 2007 2008-2013 Oct 2015 Rapid increase in numbers of Australian-born immigrants to UK Global Financial Crisis begins Aussies wave goodbye to Britain Release of Loveless Monster

Understanding the new Aussie expat

Our familiarity with the UK-based Aussie stereotype may lead us to assume we have Australians all summed up, but this overcondence has led to disastrous results for Scottish powerhouse brand Irn-Bru, which was quick off the mark to target the Aussies last year. Putting their faith in the old stereotypes, IrnBrus experiential marketing campaign featured a pop up sharehouse and guest appearances by well-known Londonbased Australian expats Germaine Greer and Natalie Imbruglia. However, the experience was a turn-off for Australians, who felt that it lumped them in with the old clich of moving to London and tarnished their image by tagging them as bogans with poor living standards. To add insult to injury, the two celebrities are largely unpopular in Australia, with one a much-derided, openly unpatriotic commentator and the other something of a one-hit wonder. This just goes to show that - though no less bronzed - the face of the Aussie expat has changed. Its time to look again.

Psychographic
Reected in educational and careerrelated attainments, the Stralyan Expat is driven by a need for achievement. However, while hardworking, the Stralyan Expat places great importance on work-life balance. This duality of priorities also features in their decision to immigrate, with the move viewed as both an opportunity to develop their skills on the international stage, and a chance to indulge a lifelong passion for travel. Rooted in the idea of a well-connected base and land of opportunity, the appeal of Scotland for the Stralyan Expat parallels that of London for previous waves of Australian immigrants. A key point of difference, however, is the Scottish Factor. Regarding the perception of their new home by Scottish-based Australians, ad recall research conducted by VisitScotland produced descriptions such as alluring, almost mythical and a strikingly unique seachange. This insight implies the segments appetite for adventure. Further, it may also indicate a belief that living in Scotland will add to a personal mystique, highlighting the potential importance of image and personal branding for these consumers.

An unexpected development
Late 2015 saw the release of Loveless Monster, a piece of independent Scottish lmmaking about an estranged father and son forced to confront their relationship during an expedition to nd denitive proof of the Loch Ness Monster. Featuring critically acclaimed performances from Sean Connery and Hugh Jackman, the lm achieved unanticipated and phenomenal success in Australia, where audiences responded with overwhelming

Dec 2015 VisitScotland campaign Sae whaur th bludy hell ur ye? 2018 ONS reports record-high gures for Australian immigration.

Consumer snapshot
A former US Government ofcial coined the term Axis of Ocker, referring to Australians propensity in recent years to pop up in prominent positions in a range of elds internationally. Theyve run iconic American companies (Coca-Cola, Ford), edited leading publications (The Times, New York Post), penetrated the British

Towards a warm reception

When targeting the Stralyan Expat, consider the following tacks: The Scottish Factor Scotlands allure as a unique and beautiful far-off place continues to strike a chord with the expatriates. If youre in a position to do so, emphasise the pure Scottish origins of your product. If not, you could consider introducing an element of myth or mystery into your advertising. Fun Dont forget that a seachange - for anyone - holds the promise of good times. At heart, Australians are larrikins who dont take themselves too seriously, and nine times out of ten theyre up for a laugh. Make your brand a talking point and create an emotional connection by opting for experiential campaigns and making them fun. Play on ego Theres still an element of uncertainty as the Australians seek acceptance in their new communities. A strong connection between your brand and the Stralyan Expat may be built by stroking their ego in your marketing. Validate the courage it takes to make the move over by positioning your brand as one for the pioneers.

Case in point:

Marmite
Its the last product youd expect to have a following amongst Australians. With a product that famously polarises even within the British population, Marmites decision to pursue the Stralyan Expat market looked set to rival its 2013 animal rescue advert in the audacity stakes. Noting that the Vegemite importers of old had long returned home, Marmite spotted an opportunity to convert Australians tastes to a new salty breakfast spread. The unpredicted success of the campaign is a lesson in the importance of knowing your audience. Plugging into the Stralyan Expats sense of adventure and need for achievement, Marmites marketers trawled guidebooks for attractions considered off the beaten track and likely to be visited by Australians. Despite numerous battles with local authorities and English Heritage, Marmite then erected billboards at the sites, with the slogan Youve pushed yourself this far, so why not give Marmite a go? Site locations were unpublished and largely a secret, and discovering new Marmite billboards unintentionally became a treasure hunt, creating buzz.

Avoiding marketing misres

When targeting the Stralyan Expat, avoid hints of the following in your marketing: Treating them as doing the clich thing by moving to the UK While moving to the UK is viewed as a well-trodden path even amongst Australians, they dont want you to remind them of it. Making them feel like traitors/idiots for leaving their country Yes, they know the weather and beaches are better back home. But theyll come to appreciate that in their own time. Moreover, why are you trying to send your market running in the opposite direction?! Colonial references Theres to be no alluding to convicts, criminal genes, etc., please. Making them feel uncultured The Stralyan Expat psyche is a complex thing. Some Australians still feel a sense of inferiority regarding the young age of their cultural and educational institutions. Highlighting this point of difference in your marketing will not achieve that warm and fuzzy feeling for your brand.

Post-campaign research showed that the cumulative effect of the billboard advertisements on eager Australian daytrippers was the lingering idea that they try Marmite. After the initial try, Australians were found to be susceptible to Marmites love it or hate it message. By positioning their product as a dare requiring courage; a challenge for openminded people with maturing tastes, Marmite played on the notion that Stralyan Expats pride themselves in differentiating themselves from the ock - whether this be Australians back home or the common Marmite hater. Marmite reinvested the success of its Australian campaign in subsequent British-focused advertising with the slogan If Aussies can learn to love it, we must be doing something right!

Conclusion
A concern of Scottish marketers is the permanence of the Stralyan Expat in Scotland. Is chasing the Stralyan Expat pound worth the investment? Of course, the future is - as always - unknown, and how long Australians fascination with Scotland will last, uncertain. By current statistics the market segment is large and lucrative; the rewards worth the risk for marketers who are able to let go of old stereotypes. Marketing to the Stralyan Expat will test creativity and require boundaries to be pushed. Viewed from a

different perspective, a little reinvigoration and an invitation to think outside the box might be just what the doctor ordered.

Youve pushed yourself this far, so why not give Marmite a go?