Recently, the Sydney Morning Herald ran a story on the results when  Australians were asked “who do you like best?”

The Top 10 looked like this;

1. Hugh Jackman - Actor and entertainer
2 Andrew Denton - TV Host (think Australia’s version of Michael Parkinson)
3 Jennifer Hawkins - ex Miss Universe and TV presenter, model
4 Ernie Dingo - Actor and TV personality
5 Dave Hughes - Comedian
6 Magda Szubanski - Actress
7 Glenn Robbins - Actor and Comedian
8 Hamish Blake - Comedian
9 John Clarke - Comedian
10 Shane Bourne - Comedian and TV host

These results were compliled as a result of Audience Development Australia showing 600 photos to a sample of 2000 adults in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and asked them to say who they recognised and how much they liked them on a scale from 0 to 4.

(The research findings, called the Q Scores, are bought by television networks who want to know if their stars represent good ROI)

The article cited “You’d be tempted to conclude that the qualities Australians value in a public figure, apart from pleasant looks, are;”

• intelligence, 
• irreverence, 
• curiosity, 
• independence, 
• enthusiasm, 
• straightforwardness, and 
• a capacity for self-mockery.

However, I tend to disagree with this…this list seems too complex.  These results say to me that Australians value the brand attributes of;

 

1. Humour - they laugh with us and at us
2. Good looks - the classic Aussie ‘look’
3. Humility - the ability to laugh at themselves
4. Generosity - they all have great stories of giving!

 

What do you think…and what are the brand attirbutes of the most ‘popular’ people in your country?  Are these brand attributes represented across the population?

Fascinating topic…