New study compiled by Pureprofile commissioned by Focal Attractions reveals popularity of Australian personalities.
Kyle Sandilands has been dethroned as Australia’s most disliked public figure, in the 2015 Encore Score survey gauging the popularity of Australia’s personalities.
The most hated person in the public domain is disgraced television personality Rolf Harris. While Prime Minister Tony Abbott, a new figure to the list since it was last produced in 2013, is the second most disliked person in the country, joined by fellow politicians Joe Hockey, Clive Palmer and Pauline Hanson in the bottom 10.
Sandilands was the third most disliked figure in the last study, but appears to have had a resurgence in popularity, also rating as the most improved on the list. His score, calculated based on recognition and positive or negative sentiment, jumped from -334 to -202.
Hugh Jackman topped the list as the most popular celebrity, followed by fellow home-grown Hollywood success stories Cate Blanchett (2) and Eric Bana (3).
The Encore Score was released at media and marketing industry conference Mumbrella360. Launched in 2012 and commissioned by Focal Attractions, the parent company of Mumbrella, the Encore Score uses a list of more than 1000 local and international names that have graced Australian screens, radios, magazines and billboards.
It asks 3000 everyday people whether they’ve heard of the figures, and how they rate them on a scale from those they consider to be their favourites to those they hate.
This is the third time the data has been collected by Pureprofile and crunched by specialist research firm The Acid Test.
The Encore Score is designed to serve people working in the television and advertising industries when searching for the right talent for a show or an ad campaign. It offers insights drawn from consumers’ opinions of public figures as well as their demographic, locational and purchasing behaviour.
Pureprofile CEO Paul Chan says The Encore Score is much more than a simple popularity contest.
“The survey is used as a barometer for brands and marketers to gauge public sentiment around key public figures and the potential influence they have on consumers.
“Those at the top are there because they’re either the kinds of people you’d want to be friends with, like Anh Do and Amanda Keller, or the people you want to be like, which is why Hugh Jackman and Cate Blanchett are firm favourites. They embody talent, success and style, but they’re human and humble with it, and consumers can relate to that.”
A surprise entrant as the 16th most disliked public figures in the country is last year’s Bachelor Blake Garvey who was vilified after reportedly dumping his chosen Bachelorette Samantha Frost, for another contestant, just weeks after proposing to her in the season finale.
Controversial Paleo chef Pete Evans, whose book advocating the cave-man diet for children caused widespread outcry, was also among the most disliked.
Comedians were popular, with Anh Do, Hamish Blake and Amanda Keller, in the top 10. Packed to the Rafters actress Rebecca Gibney remained popular, but her star looks to be falling, as she became one of the top declines in popularity, along with Magda Szubanski.
The curator of the Encore Score, Brooke Hemphill, says:
“In the two years since the Encore Score data was last collected, there’s been some serious movement for some big names. We’re most intrigued by the faces to watch such as The Project’s Waleed Aly and Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli. They have clearly made quite an impression on the public in that time.”
For the first time the full list of data sets will be available for purchase following The Encore Score’s unveiling at Mumbrella360. To find out more visit on encorescore.com.au
The Top 10 | The Bottom 10 |
| 1. Hugh Jackman | 1. Rolf Harris |
| 2. Cate Blanchett | 2. Tony Abbott |
| 3. Eric Bana | 3. Kyle Sandilands |
| 4. Olivia Newton John | 4. Joe Hockey |
| 5. Anh Do | 5. Clive Palmer |
| 6. Hamish Blake | 6. Pauline Hanson |
| 7. Rebecca Gibney | 7. Ben Cousins |
| 8. Amanda Keller | 8. Tom Waterhouse |
| 9. Nicole Kidman | 9. Brynne Edelsten |
| 10. Simon Baker | 10. Lara Bingle |
