By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

AMERICANS ADD PARENTS’ FINANCES TO RETIREMENT WORRIES

Americans already are worried about their own retirement, and, now, they are adding their parents’ financial futures to the list, based on our Harris Poll survey with NerdWallet.

• 36% think their parents will need financial assistance as they age.
• 22% of Millennials currently assist their parents financially.
• 37% say their parents do not have the financial means to prepare for the future.
• 10% say their parents expect them to help pay for things, and the same number expect to need their children’s help financially in retirement.

YOUNG PEOPLE DON’T SEE THE STARS IN THEIR FUTURE

Interest in astrology skyrocketed in the late 2010’s. Today, however, birth chart memorizing and horoscope use are waning among younger Americans, according to our Harris Poll survey with Cosmopolitan.

• 83% of Millennials are “somewhat” or a “total” believer in astrology, compared with 62% of Gen Z and 69% of Americans overall.
• 95% know their zodiac sign, and 65% believe it is an accurate representation of themselves (75% for Millennials and 61% for Gen Z).
• Astrology skepticism is highest among Gen Z: 54% say “I judge people who take astrology too seriously” (versus 46% of Millennials who say the same).
• 81% of Millennials say they have consulted or would consult the stars for guidance on relationships (versus 59% for Gen Z).

RECORD ELECTION AD-SPEND NEGATIVITY ABOUT TO BEGIN

If you are in Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix or Reno, prepare for a nearly 24/7 negative advertising blitz as the U.S. General Election is just six months away, according to the latest insights from Stagwell’s Risk and Reputation Unit.

• Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Reno will be bombarded the most by a record $12 billion to be spent across media channels this election cycle.
• Other markets with expected high political advertising and political talk in general include Pittsburgh, Tucson, Missoula, Billings, Boston, Wilkes Barre-Scranton, Butte-Bozeman, Detroit, Los Angeles, Charlotte, Atlanta, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Harrisburg, D.C. and Raleigh-Durham.
• Negative communications about the economy could not only affect people’s votes; it could depress their willingness to spend.
• To prepare businesses for the next six months, Stagwell is conducting company briefings with data, insights and recommendations. If your organization would benefit from smart info about the upcoming election, email Alexis Williams to schedule time.

2 IN 3 STILL HIDE MARIJUANA USE

Most Americans don’t know marijuana isn’t entirely legal across the United States, according to our Harris Poll with Politico.

• 59% are surprised marijuana hasn’t been legalized across the U.S.
• 64% say it no longer carries the stigma it used to have.
• 68% believe it soon will be as common as drinking alcohol.
• 77% of marijuana users prefer it to cigarettes, and 73% prefer it to alcohol.
• 40% report being marijuana users (15% daily and 25% weekly).
• 62% have traveled to places where recreational marijuana is legal.
• Despite wider acceptance, 64% of users say they are selective about sharing their marijuana usage.
• 56% wouldn’t disclose usage on the first few dates.

ICYMI

In case you missed it, check out some of the thought-leadership and happenings around Stagwell making news:

• 68% of Americans Prefer Hybrid or In-Person Schedule
• 2024 Influencer Trends Report
• Job Seekers Press Pause on Parenthood: Survey Highlights Work/Life Balance as Top Priority
• ChatGPT consideration is highest among minority groups

ABOUT COLLE MCVOY

Colle McVoy (CM) is a full-service creative agency that builds enduring relationships between forward-thinking brands and people. We believe this time of rapid change is filled with opportunities, so we constantly strive to push the boundaries of creativity, pressure-test best practices and create new brand futures. As a Certified B Corporation, we believe a better future means we have a responsibility to use our expertise as a force for good to benefit all people, communities and the planet.

Frontiers in Focus

Want to explore more of the frontiers of marketing? View more of our work on the cutting edge of AI and immersive brand experiences here. 

SIGN UP FOR OUR INSIGHTS BLASTS

We’re sure you’ve heard about JOMO (the joy of missing out). Here’s the reality: It’s one thing to miss out, it’s an entirely different thing to find the joy in it. 

To reinforce La-Z-Boy’s new platform, Long Live the Lazy, Colle McVoy’s creative technology team designed and fabricated “The Decliner,” a first-of-its-kind recliner allowing owners to AI-generate a cancellation excuse via SMS simply by pulling the handle. 36,000+ people signed up for a chance to win their own Decliner just in time for National Lazy Day as part of the earned creative brand act. 

Our Approach to Transformation

For a chance to put their feet up with AI assistance and La-Z-Boy style, people were asked to submit the most creative excuses they’ve ever used to protect their JOMO. And, influencers created content to amplify attention to the contest. The innovation was a technological hack—with 225 lines of code directing the AI server and 344 lines for each fabricated chair. An indicator of sorts had to be fashioned to let people know requests were processing, which took the form of an LED-lined puck at the handle base. The tech choices needed to be as reliable as the chairs themselves and couldn’t disrupt La-Z-Boy’s comfort and durability standards.

Our Impact

Colle McVoy drove 1.1B media impressions across 317 placements in the likes of USA Today, Better Homes & Gardens, Architectural Digest and more. People definitely put their feet up, juicing La-Z-Boy’s website traffic by 200% and increasing brand sales by 50% during the first weekend of the campaign.

The La-Z-Boy Decliner has gone on to win several awards, including Best in Technology at the 2023 PRWeek Awards and Best in Research & Consumer Insights in MediaPost’s Planning & Buying Awards. Nearly 13,000 cancellations have been sent by Decliner owners, giddy with AI-assisted JOMO. 

Wondering where to begin with AI implementation in your organization?

Email Beth Sidhu, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Stagwell, to discuss how we can support your organization’s digital goals. 

ABOUT LEFT FIELD LABS

Left Field Labs is a digital agency dedicated to solving our common challenges through uncommon creativity. Our team of over 100 designers, developers, and strategists has launched hundreds of digital products and experiences – from VR and websites to apps and experiential installations – for clients, such as Google, Discovery, Android, Estée Lauder, Uber, and Disney.  

Frontiers in Focus

Want to explore more of the frontiers of marketing? View more of our work on the cutting edge of AI and immersive brand experiences here. 

SIGN UP FOR OUR INSIGHTS BLASTS

Google set out to create a 360° event-scale augmented reality (AR) experience at CES that would help attendees experience its presence in a whole new dimension. Google partnered with Left Field Labs to blend its physical booth location with a digital overlay, focused on bringing helpful and contextual information to attendees, as well as delightful moments.  

Our Approach to Transformation

LFL leveraged Google’s latest AR technologies in partnership with Adobe to inspire developers, creators, and brands at Google’s CES booth. The team aimed to demonstrate how AR has the potential to solve everyday challenges, whether orienting yourself around a busy environment, getting the scoop on more demos to see, finding transportation, or helping with decision making. 

First, LFL used Google’s Geospatial Creator, powered by ARCore and Google Maps Platform, in Adobe Aero to create an effective storyboard that integrated physical and digital elements seamlessly for the AR experience. LFL then built Google’s beloved Android Bot into the AR experience as a guiding figure with simple yet richly expressive interactions. Taking an agile approach, LFL iterated and tested on a wide range of Android and iOS mobile devices to ensure smooth performance for attendees.  

Our Impact

The AR guide to Google on Android at CES 2024 was a successful “show rather than tell” experience that helped attendees enjoy the space with immersive surprises along the way. The experience was activated nearly 9,000 times over the four-day event.  

Wondering where to begin with immersive experience implementation in your organization?

Email Beth Sidhu, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Stagwell, to discuss how we can support your organization’s digital goals. 

ABOUT AROUND

ARound is a first-of-its-kind stadium-level shared augmented reality platform within the Stagwell Marketing Cloud. ARound keeps audiences engaged by capturing their attention through immersive, interactive and shared experiences with fellow fans across the venue. Where other AR products offer isolating, singular experiences, ARound’s massive multi-user AR – which uses 3D spatial computing to localize content – redefines what it means to be part of a connected fan experience.

Frontiers in Focus

Want to explore more of the frontiers of marketing? View more of our work on the cutting edge of AI and immersive brand experiences here. 

SIGN UP FOR OUR INSIGHTS BLASTS

Recognizing that smartphones are already part of the modern spectator experience, the Cleveland Cavaliers aimed to transform these devices from potential distractions into essential components of the game action. The objective was to introduce mass gamification and real-time visualizations to the NBA Playoff experience through Stagwell’s ARound, making every fan and brand feel like a bigger part of each magical moment.

Our Approach to Transformation

ARound implemented its cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) platform at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, transforming spectators’ smartphones into interactive gameday devices. This technology allowed fans to interact with larger-than-life players and mascots, live game animations, and immersive AR challenges directly linked with other fans and the ongoing action. Additionally, sponsored content was integrated into the AR experiences, enabling brands like Cliffs to engage with fans through captivating and interactive games right on the court.

Our Impact

The implementation of ARound’s AR technology led to a dramatic increase in fan engagement, with spectators actively participating for an average of 14 minutes per game. By making smartphones an integral part of the live event, the Cavaliers enhanced the game-day experience, deepened fan immersion, and created new opportunities for innovative sponsor activations. This strategic use of AR technology enriched the playoff atmosphere, ensuring fans were not just spectators but active participants in the excitement of NBA games.

Wondering where to begin with AI implementation in your organization?

Email Beth Sidhu, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Stagwell, to discuss how we can support your organization’s digital goals. 

ABOUT CODE AND THEORY

Code and Theory is the only network with a balance of 50% creative and 50% engineers at scale. The technology-first group within Stagwell is built to partner with businesses to navigate the complexity of changing consumer behaviors, emerging technologies and AI.

Frontiers in Focus

Want to explore more of the frontiers of marketing? View more of our work on the cutting edge of AI and immersive brand experiences here. 

SIGN UP FOR OUR INSIGHTS BLASTS

Tipico engaged Code and Theory to lead Bet Like You’re From Ohio, an integrated campaign to capitalize on the moment sports betting would be legalized in Ohio and bring Tipico to market. The agency utilized ChatGPT for persona development and leveraged real-time data to inspire everything it did, including creating hyperlocal messaging that helped Tipico meet 57% of its annual registration target in one month. 

Our Approach to Transformation

To earn the trust of Ohioans, Code and Theory first had to understand Ohio. What became clear fast was that Ohio has a chip on its shoulder. On a good day, Ohio is viewed by the rest of the country as average; on a bad day, as a flyover state that’s the butt of the joke. And as a sporting mecca, the sports industry just views it as a “market.” So when sportsbooks descended on the state with a universal attempt to sanitize sports betting, making it feel like it’s “for everyone,” Code and Theory ensured Tipico took a different approach. 

Faced with an extremely tight turnaround, Code and Theory tapped into AI using ChatGPT for persona development. A process that would often take weeks took their agency less than 48 hours. They created three living AI personas — Jay “The VIP Bettor,” Eric “The Ambitious Amateur,” and Josh “The Social Bettor.” These synthetic humans answered the agency’ questions, and the team leveraged this real-time data to better inform everything it did. 

The AI personas continued to mature thanks to app and website data. The outputs proved so effective in producing what Code and Theory calls “4th party data” (1st and 3rd party data + AI = 4th party data) that the agency has implemented this system for all of its work ever since. 

Our Impact

Code and Theory’s work drove 40,000+ registrations in one month (accounting for 57% of the annual 2023 target registrations goal) and 32% share of voice in Ohio for Tipico. The work has been well received, picking up awards for Best in Digital Industries – AI at the Drum Awards and a Gold in Marketing at W3. 

Wondering where to begin with AI implementation in your organization?

Email Beth Sidhu, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Stagwell, to discuss how we can support your organization’s digital goals. 

By

Stagwell’s Risk and Reputation Unit

How business is a key election issue

For the first time in decades, immigration is the number one concern for voters, according to the latest Harvard CAPS-Harris poll. Yet, when asked what issue matters most to voters personally, every demographic group picks inflation and cost increases.

This focus will bring business into the crossfire. With Donald Trump’s tax cuts set to expire next year, CEO pay and corporate taxes will become key talking points for both campaigns. With abortion rights rising to the fore again following Arizona’s recent Supreme Court decision, corporate health care policies could come under increased scrutiny, especially by political candidates looking to drum up outrage.

Equally, businesses with strong ties to China could come under fire.

Based on Stagwell’s experts working inside all the campaigns, Democrats and Republicans will be running hard on the following issues:

A battle of generations, not just parties

Age, not just than partisanship, also is behind several of the issues dividing Americans today. Gen Z is by far the most comfortable with employee activism, and tensions over Israel-Hamas continue to spill into the workplace. Google just fired 28 workers for participating in protests over its Israel contract. Universities have faced most of the criticism from politicians so far, but companies should be ready to be next.

The same pattern is emerging around TikTok. While roughly two thirds of Democrats, Republicans and Independents support a TikTok ban, there’s a wide difference by age. Gen Z (18-24-year-olds) is the only age group to oppose a TikTok ban (57%). At the other end, 84% of those 65 and older support the ban.

Key markets will be swamped with ads creating a negative communications environment

Stagwell’s omnichannel agency Assembly projects a record $12 billion will be spent across media channels this election cycle year. This spending will be highly targeted and concentrated in key markets.

Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Reno will be bombarded the most, followed by Pittsburgh, Tucson, Missoula, Billings, Boston, Wilkes Barre-Scranton, Butte-Bozeman, Detroit, Los Angeles, Charlotte, Atlanta, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Harrisburg, D.C. and Raleigh-Durham.

Importantly, as the election ads heat up, these markets will be inundated with nearly complete negativity – which will make communicating and marketing more difficult than ever. Specifically, negative advertising about the economy could not just affect people’s votes; it could depress their willingness to spend.

It is more important than ever for business leaders to be prepared for this election cycle with bipartisan advisory teams, integrated vetting processes, scenario planning and 24/7 monitoring.

Explore our full presentation on the issues driving the 2024 campaigns here.

ICYMI: Risk and Reputation Unit in the News

• BCG: Stay Silent? Speak Up? How CEOs Can Navigate a Polarized World
• Marketing Brew: How Stagwell’s politics-focused agencies are advising brands in 2024

Originally Released On

PRNewswire

Media Contact
Kara Gelber
pr@stagwellglobal.com   

Originally Released On

PRNewswire

Media Contact

For APAC
Germaine Ong
germaine.ong@stagwellglobal.com

For U.S.
Kara Gelber
pr@stagwellglobal.com 

For Leverate Group
info@leverate.asia

By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

BURNED OUT AND CHECKED OUT

Employees and managers are burned out and checked out by the constant pace of change and new workplace demands, according to our Harris Poll research with The Grossman Group.

• 76% of employees and 63% of managers report feeling burned out or ambivalent in their current position.
• Yet managers aren’t recognizing just how overwhelmed employees feel: 89% of managers believe employees are thriving compared with the actual thriving figure of 24%.
• 58% of burned-out employees and managers strongly agree that they are mentally exhausted.
• 54% strongly agree that they feel overwhelmed in their current role.
• Top drivers of burnout with employees are constant change, unnecessary work and turnover.
• Top drivers for thriving employees include: manager invested in their success (61%); empathetic manager (57%); and approachable senior leadership (53%).

AMERICANS SAY PERSONAL FINANCES REMAIN TOUGH

While the news reports say the economy is improving, Americans are not feeling it in their own finances, according to our Harris Poll survey with the National Foundation For Credit Counseling.

• 32% say they are “just getting by financially.”
• 31% don’t pay all their bills on time – up from 27% last year.
• 61% feel most improvements in the U.S. economy do not benefit people like them.
• 39% of Americans are concerned that their money won’t last.
• 24% feel they will never have the things they want because of their financial situation.
• Also, fewer Americans today give themselves an A or B when considering their personal finance knowledge (53% today versus 57% a year ago).

UPSKILLING VERSUS A COLLEGE DEGREE

Upskilling could upend the college degree in the next 10 years, based on The Harris Poll’s new “Human Progress” global report with ETS.

• 88% feel the lifetime value of college is eroding as continuous learning becomes essential to success.
• 78% believe that evidence of ongoing skill acquisition will be as valuable as a university degree by 2035.
• Across the globe, however, cost is the number one barrier to upskilling and lifelong learning – especially for women, older generations, the unemployed and those in rural areas.
• 72% globally would trust AI-generated guidance for improving skills.
• Yet 71% also worry that AI has the potential to negatively affect learning assessments due to biases and programming flaws.

DECLINE OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER

More than 8 in 10 Americans say fake product reviews and paid influencer posts make it challenging to find honest recommendations, according to new Harris Poll research with ExpertVoice.

• When shopping online, 44% of consumers feel overwhelmed by the abundance of choices, and 57% feel compelled to continually cross-compare options.
• 77% distrust social media influencers.
• 81% are skeptical that social media influencers have expertise in the products or services they are trying to sell.
• 83% prioritize recommendations from knowledgeable individuals over social media influencers.
• 55% seek transparency and desire more verified expert reviews.
• 49% want to see non-paid reviews.
• 2 in 3 consumers make purchases without consulting reviews.
• Those who do rely on reviews spend an average of 19 minutes reading at least 11 reviews before finalizing a decision.

ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Young people are using social media more than ever for their news and information – and they do not consume news through traditional channels, according to our Harris Poll survey with Axios.

• Three fourths of Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X use social media to find news, compared with 44% of Boomers.
• The most popular platforms for news gathering among Gen Z include Instagram (71%), YouTube (69%), TikTok (65%) and Facebook (51%).
• 44% of Gen Z report consuming news on X and 22% on LinkedIn.
• At the same time, 65% of Gen Z members are reducing their news consumption to protect their mental health and wellness.

ICYMI

In case you missed it, check out some of the thought-leadership and happenings around Stagwell making news:

• How Stagwell’s politics-focused agencies are advising brands in 2024
• Building trust, credibility, and relationships through brand content
• Employees Embrace AI in the Workplace, Want More Training, Guidance From Employers
• Two-Thirds of U.S. Adults Would Rather Wait to Watch Movies on Streaming
• Companies that fail to take advantage of expanding work spans are leaving value and money on the table

Originally Released on

PRNewswire

Media Contact:
Madeleine Maher
pr@stagwellglobal.com