Home featured Digital eCommerce Economy Digital Shopping local no longer the norm Stephanie Zillman October 31, 2013 In a world where brand behemoths are king, it’s not surprising that small business owners can feel a little forgotten. New research into the attitudes of small business owners found more than two thirds of shop owners feel overlooked by their local communities , and one in four feel no connection to the communities where they operate. Yet a new campaign is aimed at changing this very problem. To reconnect consumers with small businesses , the national Shop Small campaign is being rolled out across Australia for the first time. Started by American Express, and run overseas since 2010, the initiative calls on Australians to support small businesses during November. Via a partnership with several big names, including American Express, Energy Australia, MYOB, NAB and Virgin Australia, Shop Small will drive a social media and traditional advertising campaign to communicate the message to consumers. “We’ve got a coalition of partners, including ourselves, who are driving the key message which is to get Australians out to shop small during the month of November. We want to make sure that we connect Australians to their small business communities,” Jason Fryer, Vice President of Small Business Services at American Express told Dynamic Business. The media strategy, which involves radio, print and television advertising across the country, is kicking off from November 1. “But the biggest part of how we’re going to communicate [the message], and get