‘Shop Small’ campaign launches in Australia

1 November 2013 Books+Publishing

A national month-long campaign to encourage Australians to support small businesses has been launched.

Shop Small has previously been run in the US, UK and Canada. While the US event first started as a one-day event, the Australian campaign, which is supported by American Express, Energy Australia, MYOB, the National Australia Bank and Virgin Australia, will run for the whole month of November.

The campaign encourages shoppers to pledge to support small business in particular locations, offering $10 American Express credits to individuals who register their American Express cards and then spend $20 or more at up to five participating small businesses between 23-30 November.

American Express is also offering incentives for businesses to participate in the campaign, including the opportunity to win a $5000 cash prize for each day of November for businesses that process American Express transactions. The company will hold two free workshops in Melbourne (18 November) and Sydney (22 November) for small business owners, and offer free marketing material for small businesses to use.

A range of companies are also offering special deals to small businesses during the campaign, including the opportunity to win 10 $10,000 Virgin Australia gift vouchers and five $10,000 business grants from MYOB. Businesses can also receive advertising credits from Facebook and discounts on insurance and office supplies.

The campaign was officially launched by Prime Minister Tony Abbott in Croydon, Victoria, on 31 October, reports News Limited. Abbott said that his government ‘want[s] to see these businesses flourish and we want to create the economic conditions that make it easier for small business to start, grow, to expand, to employ and to invest’.

For more information about Shop Small, visit the website here.

Category: Local news