Editor’s Note: This blog was originally published by Snooper App. Snooper App was acquired by Wiser Solutions in 2022 and this blog has been revised and repurposed for a global audience. A version of this blog is also published in National Liquor News.
Footy Finals is a big deal for Australians. More than just a sports event, it became a not-to-be-missed event. Every year on the last Saturday of September, the Melbourne Cricket Ground welcomes thousands of fans to determine the Australian Football League premiers!
If sports events are golden opportunities for brands to boost their sales performance, Footy Finals is no exception.
At Wiser Solutions, we were really curious to understand what consumption trends would emerge from that event. We, therefore, conducted a broad survey among our 220 fans in our shopper community.
If several insights come out of this survey, one major observation stands out: Convenience Foods are the big winners!
Where Do Fans Watch The Game And How Are They Celebrating?
Friendly Reunions
No less than two-thirds of Australians actually prefer to watch the game at home or at a friend’s place. This impressive majority promotes friendly reunions with groups of 10 people at maximum, while only 14 percent planned to watch the game in a pub (and of those the vast majority was single).
Snacks & Beverage Combos
Seventy percent of our shopper community intended to buy Chips, 60 percent dips, and 75 percent soft drinks. That is an obvious opportunity for supermarket retailers and brands to inspire shoppers with “Footy Finals” themed zones with cross-category occasion-based displays.
BBQ & Convenience Foods
A third of those staying at home host events with friends and family. That explains why 44 percent of shoppers intend to buy BBQ items such as sausages or more gourmet options. Fans are also looking for convenience—hence shareable and single-serve packs are good opportunities.
Reinforcing the need for cross-category promotion of the footy finals occasion, while beer was the alcoholic game-watching drink of choice for 88 percent of males and 59 percent of females, 38 percent still planned to buy RTDs (likely due to their convenient format when people want to concentrate on watching the game).
