Gumtree, Coles and ASOS top Google’s Australian brand rankings

Gumtree was the most searched for local brand in Australia this year, Google’s Brand Zeitgeist reveals, while Coles’ “Down, down” campaign was the most searched for advertisement.

Google’s Brand Zeitgeist is a list of the hottest advertising campaigns and trends in 2012 as measured by Google searches made by Australians.

The Australian Brand Zeitgeist, which follows on from a more general list released yesterday, offers insight for marketing professionals and agencies to tailor their campaigns in 2013.

In 2012, Gumtree overtook the Commonwealth Bank as the most searched for brand, after failing to make the top 10 in 2011. Another newcomer to the top 10 is Seek, which came in fifth.

The success of these two sites suggests brands that can help consumers overcome economic challenges are well positioned to make strong gains online.

“Actions in the real world make a difference in the products and services that people search for,” says Ross McDonald, industry leader of local and retail at Google Australia.

“All brands should make sure their online presence can meet demand generated by trends and changes offline.”

Meanwhile, the list of the most searched for advertisements in 2012 was topped by Coles, which impressed consumers with its “Down, down, prices are down” advertising campaign.

Searches for the term “Coles ad” spiked in July shortly after the supermarket unveiled the latest iteration of this campaign, which featured British rock band Status Quo.

According to McDonald, Australian consumers will take to the web for the advertisements that move them. This, he says, can be exploited.

“Brands who understand this can extend their reach beyond television by helping their customers create their own commercial breaks – making their TV spots available on sites like YouTube and promoting them to online viewers,” he says.

And while 2011 saw overseas retailers gain further momentum, the 2012 list was dominated by Australian retail heavyweights – Woolworths, Big W, Coles and Harvey Norman topped the list.

However, British fashion retailer ASOS was ranked 9^th. It’s the first time an online-only retail brand has cracked the top 10.

ASOS was also the most searched for fashion brand in 2012, ahead of Forever New, Country Road and Witchery.

With this in mind, McDonald says it’s “more important than ever” for Australian retailers to embrace the opportunities of the web.

“Australian shoppers trust their local brands and tend to look for them first – but overseas retailers are catching up,” he says.