How Vegemite became an Australian icon

As Vegemite celebrates it’s 100th anniversary, a marketing expert has discussed how the spread which was originally unpopular became iconic.

Professor of marketing, studying behavioural eating at Deakin University, Chris Dubelaar, says the advertising campaign for the spread was clever.

“They really hooked into a number of things, they hooked into the emotions of parents … they used humour along the way as well,” he told Neil Mitchell.

Press PLAY to hear how Vegemite became an Australian icon

The grandson of the original creator of the spread says his grandfather always believed in the product despite it being a dud originally.

Author of Vegemite: The True Story of the Man Who Invented An Australian Icon, Jamie Callister says processed cheese is what gave vegemite a “life”.

“He came up with a method to process cheese only to discover that James Kraft beat him to it,” he said.

Press PLAY to hear how cheese helped boost vegemite’s popularity

Image: iStock.