Interbrand Australia and New Zealand has revealed the brands across the region with the potential to become global icons, including New Zealand-based B Corp broker, Sharesies.
The region’s second-ever annual Breakthrough Brands report also features New Zealand brands Spalk, a platform providing access to sports commentary from athletes, fans, and influencers; Halter, a company making solar powered cow collars; Karma Cola, the cola company making the world a better place; and Method Recycling, thebins diverting waste from landfill, have all been named Ones to Watch.
“We’ve unearthed a diverse group of amazing local brands that have the potential to become global icons. The report is a real testament to the calibre of innovators and entrepreneurs across Australia and New Zealand.
“Some of the brands will be familiar to you, some will be new, but all are incredibly exciting, and experiencing tremendous growth. There’s FMCG, skincare, dairy, media, and recycling brands. There’s even headphones, cow collars, and sex toys. But the common thread is that each brand is challenging norms and creating new ones,” says Nathan Birch, CEO at Interbrand Australia and New Zealand.
Sharesies was listed as One to Watch in last year’s inaugural report, which featured the likes of Atlassian, Canva, F45, and Xero as Breakthrough Brands. This year, it has graduated to become a Breakthrough Brand, along with non-alcoholic beer brand Heaps Normal.
“Sharesies has had an incredible 12 months, and I know it has a bright future ahead. I’m delighted that a couple of our 2020 Ones to Watch have become 2021 Breakthrough Brands,” adds Birch.
As the digital trading sector continues to surge, it’ll be difficult to compete in a largely homogeneous market. But one answer may lie in that B Corp status. In a B Corp case study of Sharesies, co-founder Brooke Roberts says, “We’re really keen to dig into the community and environmental side” and that “people are looking to us to work out how their businesses can be structured”. By extending its positive impact beyond investors, Sharesies could legitimately change the category – and people’s lives while they’re at it.
“Individual financial empowerment is exciting. But what happens to a community of people who are all financially empowered? What impact could that have? It’s this type of thinking from Sharesies that we need from today’s brands. Not only is the brand set up for access and ease, but it speaks the language of impact,” says Amanda Szylo-Duncan, Executive Strategy Director at Interbrand.
Three key themes emerge from the branding consultancy’s report, across both the Breakthrough Brands and Ones to Watch lists: Successful brands are tapping into wellness, empowering customers, and many are making alternatives (alcohol, meat, milk, and banking, to name a few) mainstream.
The report’s launch is supported by a Breakthrough Brands podcast mini-series, featuring conversations with Go-To’s CMO Leonie Faddy, Normal’s Creative Director George Howes, Up’s Head of Product Anson Parker, and Heaps Normal’s Head of Brand Pete Brennan.
Read more: Sharesies wins Supreme Award at 2020 TVNZ-NZ Marketing Awards.
