“More than a mascot”: Why the Dulux Dog still matters at 50

For half a century, the Dulux Dog has padded across Australian screens, quietly embedding itself into the cultural wallpaper of home ownership, renovation and Saturday morning DIY. Few brand assets enjoy that kind of longevity. Even fewer remain relevant.

But as Dulux celebrates 50 years of one of Australia’s most recognisable advertising icons, marketing director Richard Hansen argues the Dog’s endurance is no accident. And its role is far from nostalgic.

“In an algorithmic world recognisable brands are more important than ever,” Hansen told Marketing-Interactive.

“Feeds move fast and attention is fragmented so distinctive brand assets are what cuts through and create instant recognition. At the end of the day algorithms may distribute content but memory is still built in people’s minds.”

It’s a striking point given how much of modern marketing revolves around performance, automation and speed. Hansen’s argument is simpler: brands still win by being remembered, trusted and instantly recognisable.

And the timing is deliberate. Dulux’s refreshed Weathershield campaign doesn’t replace the Dulux Dog. It introduces Dulux puppies, a creative device Hansen describes as signalling “the next generation of protection”.

“Introducing Dulux puppies in this campaign represents the next generation of protection, New Dulux Weathershield - our toughest paint yet,” Hansen said.

“It celebrates both our history and our commitment to keeping homes beautiful and protected.”

A category shaped by pressure

Home improvement has ridden volatile cycles over the past few years: lockdown nesting, supply disruptions, rising rates and persistent cost-of-living pressure. Yet Hansen says the paint category continues to show surprising resilience.

“Australians continue to embrace DIY projects,” he said. “In a cost of living crisis we’re seeing more consumers wanting to tackle renovation projects themselves and paint plays an important role in that.”

Paint, he said, occupies a unique psychological and economic space within home improvement.

“The beauty of paint is that people can completely transform a room or a piece of furniture in a very short period of time and the results can be quite dramatic,” Hansen said.

“Paint remains one of the most accessible and cost-effective ways to refresh a space, allowing Australians to update their homes without the financial commitment of a full renovation.”

Rather than retreating from home investment, households appear to be recalibrating.

That shift is visible in one of Dulux’s strongest recent data points: one in 10 Australians having repainted their home exterior in the past six months.

“The fact that 1 in 10 Australians have recently repainted their home’s exterior is a strong signal that, despite softer sentiment overall, people are still investing in their homes, just in more considered ways,” Hansen said.

Maintenance, he adds, is now the dominant driver.

“Weather protection remains the number one driver. Australians understand that exterior paint is not just cosmetic, it’s functional.”

In a softer property market, repainting has also become a value strategy.

“Improving property value is another key motivator,” Hansen said. “Homeowners are looking for relatively low-cost ways to strengthen their asset. Exterior repainting offers a visible upgrade that enhances street appeal without the expense of structural renovation.”

The generational surprise

One of the more intriguing shifts sits within demographics.

“A third of the market falls within the age group of 18–34, and they represent the largest group of active painters,” Hansen said.

It challenges the traditional assumption that repainting activity skews older, wealthier and more established.

Younger consumers, Hansen notes, are highly engaged but equally exposed to financial pressure.

“We also see that they are just as sensitive to cost of living pressures vs other demographic profiles.”

The implication for marketers is nuanced and the opportunity is growing, but so is price sensitivity. Brand trust and perceived value become critical levers.

Paint categories are often treated as functional, price-driven and promotionally sensitive. Hansen rejects the notion that innovation is optional.

“Product innovation is an important aspect for Dulux in driving value for our category and customers,” he said.

“We are the most trusted and known paint brand in Australia and this is important for consumers when they’re making decisions for their home.”

The strategy blends performance and reassurance: reformulated Weathershield positioned as “our toughest paint yet”, anchored by a deeply familiar brand asset.

Long-term brand memory

Internally, Hansen describes the Dulux Dog not as a mascot but as a long-term brand memory structure.

“Our Dulux Dog is a long-term brand memory structure,” he said. “It demonstrates trust and emotionally it’s woven into generations of Australian homes.”

That language reflects a growing industry focus on distinctive brand assets - colours, characters, sonic cues - designed to build cumulative mental availability.

“For us it’s a reminder that the strongest brands are built through consistency and stewardship over time,” Hansen said.

The Dog’s endurance, he argues, sits in that consistency.

“Our Dulux dog is much more than a mascot, it’s such an intrinsic part of our brand and the memories that come with such a trusted product.”

Crucially, Hansen says the asset resonates across generations.

“We know that there are multi-generational memory triggers for homeowners that have grown up with seeing the Dulux dog on their television screens but there is also a whole new generation of homeowners that identify as well.”

Why icons still matter

As platforms fragment and algorithms dictate distribution, Hansen sees recognisability as an increasingly valuable marketing currency.

“In an algorithmic world recognisable brands are more important than ever.”

And Dulux’s response is not reinvention for reinvention’s sake. It’s evolution anchored in familiarity: puppies instead of a pivot, continuity instead of disruption.