Ebay launches new brand campaign as marketplace competition heats up

Internet Retailing

5th Sep 2017

Ebay Australia has launched a new brand campaign, reinforcing its 18-year history in the market as competition from Amazon looms.

Launching on 3 September, the first phase of the ‘Fill Your Cart with Colour’ campaign includes a 30-second television commercial and outdoor execution and celebrates the diverse community of Ebay sellers and large selection of products available.

The second phase of the campaign will roll out nationwide on television, outdoor, online and cinema channels from 10 September. It aims to raise consumer awareness of the Ebay brand, directly challenging viewers with the question: ‘Did you check Ebay?’

A statement from Ebay said the campaign launch was “particularly timely with a number of international competitors primed to enter the Australian market in the coming months”.

Although the statement did not mention Amazon specifically, when asked about the potential impact of Amazon on Ebay’s business in Australia, chief marketing officer Tim MacKinnon said competition was a good thing.

“Competition is healthy and it drives the pace of innovation. But when I speak to small businesses and retailers, they are worried about the way Amazon might compete with them if they sell on the platform. eBay is a true marketplace, we don’t succeed unless our sellers succeed,” he said.

Catch Group, which recently rebranded its daily deals site from Catch of the Day to Catch and expanded the offering to include a marketplace, has also ramped up its marketing, with the launch of its first above-the-line marketing campaign last week.

Australian marketplaces are not alone in their preparations for Amazon. Retailers like Woolworths and RCG have announced plans to offer faster delivery and click-and-collect options in the coming months.

However, Ebay said recent research shows one in five local shoppers are pledging to seek out smaller Australian sellers when shopping online, proving that one-of-a-kind, personalised experiences are important to consumers of today.

This logic forms the basis of the latest brand campaign, which highlights Ebay’s diverse community of buyers and sellers and encourages them to express who they are and break free from conformity.

“At the heart of eBay is a colourful and dynamic community, who turn to the marketplace to express their individuality through the way they shop,” MacKinnon said.

“Our new brand positioning tells this story and is a reflection of the tight-knit, yet global community Ebay has fostered,” he added.

The campaign was developed by creative agency 72andSunny Australia, which commissioned three directors to follow members of the Ebay community to understand their diversity, personality and perspective.

With over 40,000 small businesses and 80 of the top 100 online retailers in Australia, and more than 11 million monthly unique visitors, Ebay Australia is the largest online marketplace in the country.

“Our key point of difference is the breadth of our unique and interesting inventory and the strength of our community, entirely powered by the people of Australia. Now, more than ever, Ebay empowers shoppers to find exactly what they love and express who they are,” MacKinnon said.