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:

BORDER ISSUES VIEWED AS CRISIS

American sentiment on immigration is boiling over, according to latest Axios Vibes by The Harris Poll.

• 64% of Americans say the current U.S. southern border situation is a crisis, not a politically driven media narrative.
• 51% – including 42% of Democrats – would support mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
• The survey also found discrepancies between Americans’ perceptions of immigration and facts: 64% wrongly believe immigrants receive more in welfare and benefits than they pay in taxes, and 56% wrongly assume that illegal immigration is linked to spiking U.S. crime rates.
• Americans strongly support immigration as long as it is lawful, with 65% thinking the U.S. should make it easier for anyone seeking a better life to enter legally.
• 58% support expanding legal pathways for orderly immigration.

MOOD OF COUNTRY REMAINS FLAT

Americans’ views of how things are going remains little changed from last month, according to our most recent poll with the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University.

• 34% of Americans say the country is on the right track (equal with 34% a month ago), and 35% say the economy is on the right track (up slightly from 34% last month).
• 48% say their personal financial situation is becoming worse (compared with 47% a month ago), while 29% say it is improving (compared with 27% a month ago).
• Top issues for Americans remain immigration (35%) and price increases/inflation (35%), followed by the economy (with a 3-point improvement in perception from a month ago).
• Right now, Americans are more focused on domestic issues than foreign policy: 59% say this is a time in world affairs that enables the U.S. to focus primarily on domestic issues, rather than spend more on military and foreign affairs (Democrats: 58%, Republicans: 57% and Independents: 63%).
• 58% say the U.S. does not have the leadership necessary to handle world affairs.
• 56% support sending $26 billion in aid to Israel; 49% support sending $8 billion in aid to the Indo-Pacific, including Taiwan; and 48% support sending $61 billion in aid to Ukraine.

RELIGION AS PART OF DEI RECEIVES MIXED REVIEWS

As employees’ needs and employers’ budgets have evolved, so have DEI teams. Based on our latest Harris Poll research with HR Brew, sharing religious beliefs at work is causing conflict among some coworkers.

• 67% of Americans think companies should have a formal DEI program.
• Yet only 49% of employees report that their company has a formal initiative, and 22% are not sure.
• 43% report having religious/faith DEI programming, yet employees are split over whether or not religion should be part of DEI: 54% said it would be appropriate to integrate it into DEI, while 41% said it shouldn’t – more than those who said the same about disability (26%), race (31%) and gender (33%).
• Workplace tensions might be driving the split: 41% say that conflicts related to faith/religion have caused tension at their workplace.
• Also, while 78% of Americans want companies to reflect the diversity of the U.S. population, 49% find the acronym “DEI” to be divisive, based on our previous research.

HOW YOU SHOWER SHOWS YOUR AGE

You might think your shower habits are random, yet new data from The Harris Poll reveals that showering is indicative of your age.

• The older you are, the shorter your shower time: Gen Z spends the longest time in the shower, at an average of 21.2 minutes, nearly twice as long as the 12.3 minutes for Boomers.
• 17% of Boomers shower five minutes or less.
• Gen X is mostly likely to take a daily shower (at 69%).
• Men are more likely to shower in the morning, while women are more likely to shower in the evening.
• The time of day that a person showers also varies by age group: 51% of Gen X say they typically are showered by 9 a.m., while 50% of Gen Z report showering after 8 p.m.

GEN Z LIKES USED HERMES AND CARTIER PRODUCTS

Surging demand for secondhand luxury goods is helping to boost the image of upscale brands Hermès and Cartier among Gen Z, according to our Harris Poll research with Ad Age.

• Hermès tops our latest Gen Z brand tracker, while Cartier comes in ninth. The tracker ranks brands that made significant progress in gaining attention from Gen Z in the first quarter of 2024.
• Other brands cracking the top five are Peppa Pig, Firehouse Subs, Coinbase and StubHub.

ICYMI

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

• Businesses Are Way More Optimistic Than Consumers, Poll Finds
• Stagwell Announces ‘Future of News’ Summit on May 15 Featuring Trailblazing Panelist Discussions and 50,000-Respondent Study Revealing the Importance of Investing in News
• Human Progress Report: Continuous learning is critical to achieving security and well-being.
• Navigating a new era of streaming
• Why Trees And Green Spaces Are Good For Our Health And Wellbeing

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

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

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:

HOW TO FAIL A JOB INTERVIEW

When interviewing, hiring managers recommend showing up on time and being nice if you want to land the job, according to our Harris Poll survey with Express Employment Professionals.

• 68% of hiring managers say being rude is the reason an applicant is disqualified from contention.
• 55% indicate showing up late is a dealbreaker.
• 53% say dressing inappropriately ends consideration.
• Hiring managers’ other pet peeves: being uninformed about the organization and/or the position (47%); using unprofessional body language (44%); and not asking questions (27%).
• Other don’ts: talking negatively about a previous position or manager (45% of hiring managers say this will disqualify you) and answering phone calls or exchanging text messages during an interview (41%).
• A third of candidates admit they’ve made these fatal mistakes: checked their watches (33%), swore (32%) or were caught in a lie (28%).

GET READY FOR THE POLITICAL AD ONSLAUGHT

2024 will be the most expensive U.S. election cycle ever – with an estimated $12 billion spent across media channels, according to Stagwell’s Assembly agency.

• 65% of political spending this season is expected on traditional TV, followed by streaming TV (13%), social media (12%) and radio (10%).
• While spending overall will be a record, ads will be centered on a few key markets: Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Reno and Pittsburgh are the top five using Assembly’s Market Intensity Index, which evaluates expected political spending. 
• The discussion on AI-created political ads is making headlines, yet the continued shift to streaming and digital is the big political advertising story of 2024.
• DIGGING DEEPER: Stagwell’s Risk and Reputation Unit leaders will discuss the latest issues from the campaign trail and the political advertising environment during a free 30-minute webinar at noon ET Thursday, April 18. Email Alexis Williams for an invitation.

AMERICANS ARE EXHAUSTED BY NEGATIVITY

Americans are finding it harder to have fun, are hanging out less and are fatigued by divisive polling data and a news cycle that spurs division, according to the new National Temperature Check conducted by The Harris Poll for Johnsonville.

• 80% of adult Americans say they are exhausted by the anger and negativity in America today.
• 89% would like to see less negativity in the news and social media.
• 60% say having fun with people has become harder.
• 67% are hanging out with people less than they did five years ago.

ICYMI

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

• Tackling Misinformation: A Conversation With PRSA Chair-Elect Ray Day, APR
• Podcast: Mark Penn discusses how businesses navigate the polarizing political environment
• Consumers struggle to distinguish videos recorded by humans from those generated by OpenAI’s Sora
• Overwhelmed Job Recruiters Getting Sloppy, per Survey
• Companies Recognize the Power of Comprehensive Benefits in Attracting and Retaining Top Talent
• 3 virtual reality trends brands should know

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:

MAGIC NUMBER NEEDED TO RETIRE SKYROCKETS

Americans’ “magic number” needed to retire is at an all-time high – rising faster than inflation and up more than 50% since the pandemic, according to Northwestern Mutual’s 2024 Planning & Progress Study with The Harris Poll.

• U.S. adults believe they need $1.46 million to retire comfortably, a 15% increase from the $1.27 million reported last year.
• The magic number has jumped 53% from $951,000 Americans targeted in 2020.
• At the same time, the average amount U.S. adults have saved for retirement dropped from $89,300 last year to $88,400 today – and far below the $98,800 in savings in 2021.
• 31 is the average age Americans start saving for retirement.
• Most people expect to work to 65. That varies by generation, however: Gen Z expects to retire at age 60, Boomers at 72, Millennials at 64 and Gen X at 67.
• 32% of Millennials and 30% of Gen Z expect to live to 100 – higher than the 22% of Gen X and 21% of Boomers who expect to become a centenarian.
• Among those closest to retirement, only half believe they will be financially prepared for retirement when the time comes (48% of Boomers and 48% of Gen X).
• 43% of Americans believe they could outlive their savings – highest among Gen Z (46%) and Millennials (46%).

PROPOSED TIKTOK BAN DOESN’T CHANGE GEN Z’S MIND

Despite a bill that could ban TikTok in the U.S., support remains strong among Gen Z, the app’s core constituency, according to our Harris Poll survey with Ad Age.

• 64% of Gen Z are on TikTok daily, compared with 33% of Millennials, 24% of Gen X and 5% of Boomers.
• 75% of Gen Z believe losing access to TikTok would negatively affect brands (compared with 51% of the general population).
• 76% of Gen Z believe TikTok advertisements are a good way for brands to reach consumers – and 40% have shopped on TikTok.
• While 59% of all users believe TikTok promotes content that spreads misinformation, 59% of Gen Z trusts TikTok more than other social media (compared with 29% of the general population).
• 66% of Gen Z use YouTube daily (compared with 45% of the general population). That is slightly higher than the 64% of Gen Z who use TikTok daily (versus 26% of the general population).

VIRTUAL REALITY INTEREST CLIMBS

Virtual reality technology is steadily becoming less virtual and more accurate, according to our Harris Poll research in Ad Age.

• 18% use VR technology, and 33% have not tried it yet but are interested.
• 27% have not used it and are not interested in trying it.
• 65% of those who have used or would like to use VR headsets are motivated by gaming.
• 51% have used or want to use it to watch immersive content.
• 47% use VR to simulate travel or other real-world experiences.
• VR usage decreases with age: 38% of Gen Zers use the tech compared with 28% of Millennials, 15% of Gen X and 4% of Boomers.
• At the same time, older generations are most interested: 38% of Boomers and X are interested in trying VR, compared with 33% of Millennials and 16% of Gen Z.

CONSUMERS IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT OF ‘WHOLE HEALTH’

The wellness market in the U.S. is worth $480 billion and is expected to grow 5% to 10% annually. The future is about “whole health,” however, with consumers taking matters into their own hands more than ever before, according to Stagwell’s Assembly’s new Whole Health Navigation Guidebook.

• A 300% increase is seen in people looking to utilize GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.
• 71% of Americans express interest in taking a microbiome test to get personalized diet recommendations.
• 71% of Gen Z and Millennials are turning to social media to self-diagnose conditions – particularly related to mental health – instead of going to a healthcare professional.
• 77% of Gen Z athletes that say they feel more connected to others when seeing their friend’s or family’s activities on Strava.

ICYMI

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

• Gen Z and Millennials say streaming costs them too much
• Should Distracted Driving Laws Apply to Your Dog?
• Gen-Z, Millennial Workers Say On-Demand Pay Would Help Them Pay Bills On Time
• It’s Time To Fuse AI And Blockchain: 5 Ways To Do It

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 SLIGHTLY MORE OPTIMISTIC

Americans are feeling a bit better about the country – yet not their personal financial situation, according to our most recent poll with the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University.

• 34% of Americans say the country is on the right track (up from 32% a month ago), and 34% say the economy is on the right track (the same as a month ago).
• 47% say their personal financial situation is becoming worse (compared with 45% a month ago). This view is highest among Republicans (65%) and Independents (49%) versus Democrats (28%).
• 36% say immigration is the most important issue facing the country, followed by inflation and price increases (33%).
• From a personal standpoint, inflation remains the top issue (38%, down 3 points from last month).
• When asked about a ban on TikTok, 64% believe the risks to Americans’ personal and national security outweigh the benefits of using TikTok. This view is highest among those ages 65 and older (85%).
• 65% support the bill that would ban TikTok in the U.S. if ByteDance does not sell it to a U.S. government-approved buyer.

SNACKING, THE GREAT STRESS RELIEVER

The world loves to snack, and it’s become the way consumers take their minds off the issues of the day, according to the fifth annual global State of Snacking report from The Harris Poll and Mondelēz.

• 88% of global consumers snack daily – and 60% enjoy snacks twice daily.
• The numbers are even higher among younger consumers: 94% of Gen Z and Millennials snack once or more a day; 68% snack at least two times a day; and 33% have three or more snacks a day.
• 6 in 10 consumers prefer snacks over traditional meals – favoring small, more frequent meals throughout the day.
• 67% are looking for snacks that are portion-controlled – 5 points higher than last year’s study.
• 54% are eating more plant-based snacks – 4 points higher than last year.
• A global favorite: chocolate. 65% of consumers in North America would rather give up social media for a month than chocolate (57% globally).
• 84% of consumers in North America have been loyal to specific snacks or brands for a long time (compared with 76% globally).
• 68% seek out snacks that evoke memories of their childhood or past experiences.

1 IN 4 AVOID COLLEAGUES WHOSE NAME THEY CANNOT PRONOUNCE

Mispronouncing a work colleague’s name – particularly a person of color – is a regular occurrence and a source of office stress, based on our Harris Poll research with Fast Company.

• 36% of people of color say their names are mispronounced most or all the time (compared with 18% of white counterparts).
• 33% of professionals of color report experiencing discrimination at work because of their name (versus 16% for white workers).
• 35% of Americans become anxious when they see a name they cannot pronounce, and 23% avoid someone whose name they cannot pronounce.
• Conforming rather than informing: 56% of people of color say they have changed their name at work in some way, and 13% have been told to change their name to make it easier to find a job.

SUMMER VACATION = MORE DRIVING

Spring has sprung, and America is thinking about summer vacations – with more planning to travel by car to save money, based on our Harris Poll survey with NerdWallet.

• 45% of Americans are planning a summer trip requiring airfare or a hotel stay.
• We will spend an average of $3,594 on vacations this year.
• 91% are taking action to save money on travel expenses – with 42% driving instead of flying to their destination (compared with 35% driving last year).
• 20% will go into debt for vacations this year.
• 22% will skip a vacation this summer because travel has become too expensive.
• 43% say recent air travel incidents have made them more wary to fly.

STREAM AND CANCEL

Consumers today are confused by all the streaming options, and they’re ready to watch and cancel at a moment’s notice, according to our Harris Poll survey with Ad Age.

• More than half of viewers subscribe to a streaming service for an individual show and then cancel after watching. The trend is higher among younger people: 63% of Gen Z and 62% of Millennials say they’ve streamed and canceled.
• Netflix continues to dominate the streaming market: 66% are interested in Netflix’s original content among a list of competitors – jumping to 83% among Gen Z and 74% among Millennials.
• Prime Video ranks second with 55% interest overall.
• Gen Z’s second preferred streamer for original content is Disney+ with 60% of respondents selecting it.
• Second among Millennials is Hulu at 59%.

ICYMI

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

• RiskRep Radar: The Politicization of Return to Office
• What the rise of generative AI means for America’s creative class
• Execs plan to invest more in AI this year but implementation barriers remain
• Most HR pros say companies are likely to expand, not reduce, fertility benefits
• Only 22% think they know the middle names of at least half of their friends or acquaintances
• Nearly Three-Quarters of Americans Mistakenly Assume Clear Pool Water Is Clean, Swim-Safe Water

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:

FINANCIAL INSECURITY HIGHEST IN A DECADE

American financial insecurity is at its highest point in at least a decade, according to our Harris Poll research with Northwestern Mutual.

• 33% of Americans say they don’t feel financially secure, up from 27% in 2023. It’s the highest concern level seen going back to 2012.
• The reason for the concern: the high cost of living. In fact, 54% expect price pressures to increase this year.
• Only 9% say their household income is outpacing inflation.
• A third think inflation will stay where it is, and fewer than one in five expect it to fall.
• 54% predict a recession this year, down from 66% in 2023 – yet higher among Gen Z (62%) and Millennials (59%).
• 45% consider themselves “disciplined financial planners,” down from 65% in 2020.
• While most are focused on cutting costs and saving, 59% said they will either spend the same amount or more this year on restaurants, vacations and entertainment.
• Gen Z (36%) is most likely to engage in more discretionary spending overall this year, compared with Millennials (28%), Gen X (24%) and Boomers (20%).

EMPLOYEES WILLING TO QUIT OVER CEO’S POLITICS

A third (36%) of U.S. workers say they would consider quitting if their CEO expressed political views they don’t agree with, based on a new Harris Poll survey with Indeed.

• Among younger employees, 46% of 18- to 34-year-olds and 44% of 35- to 44-year-olds would consider quitting.
• 43% have heard colleagues talking about politics in the office.
• 56% of employees say talking politics in meetings makes them uncomfortable – even higher for women (62%).
• 18% admit to avoiding coworkers with different political opinions.
• 40% say politics has affected team morale – higher among for 18- to 44-year-olds (47%) versus those 55 and older (28%).

HEALTH CARE RECEIVES WEAK REPORT CARD

Two years ago during COVID, The Harris Poll found the health worker shortage was real for Americans. Today, it has become even worse, according to our new poll with the PAN Foundation.

• Overall, the state of healthcare access among patients with a chronic health condition received a grade of “C,” or 75.8. Looking specifically at five key categories in the scorecard: Access to Care = C+ (78.8); Relationship with Healthcare Professionals = B (84.2); Affordability of Prescription Medications = B- (82.3); Access to Treatment through Healthcare Plans = D- (62.8); and Financial Toxicity = C- (70.7).
• 48% of patients face logistical barriers to care, including trouble getting appointments (18%) and financial difficulties paying for needed care (13%).
• People of color (57%), younger patients (70% Gen Z and Millennials) and LGBTQIA+ patients (77%) are more likely to report logistical barriers to care.
• 36% of patients taking prescription medications said they had taken at least one financially related action to afford their needed prescription medication(s): reducing spending in other areas (15%); dipping into retirement or other savings (13%): exploring discount saving apps (12%); taking on credit card debt (11%); or delaying payment of other bills (10%).

THE CHECK NO LONGER IS IN THE MAIL

Digital payments are universal, and paper checks are nearly a thing of the past. Our National Research Group’s 2024 Payouts Landscape study with Onbe found that 97% of U.S. consumers use at least one form of digital or electronic payment every month.

• Top digital payment methods include debit cards (57%), credit cards (55%), electronic bank transfers (40%) and payment apps (38%).
• 52% will not select any physical payment method, like paper checks or cash.
• Check use is down to 22%, and money orders have declined to 8%.
• Arguments against paper checks: takes too long to arrive (47%), inconvenient to deposit at a bank or ATM (45%), too long for funds to show up in an account (34%) and don’t know how to deposit it (16%).
• Paper checks are becoming so rare that 31% of consumers accidentally have thrown away or lost a check before cashing it.
• When it comes to security, digital also wins. When asked which types of payments are most secure, 53% say digital/electronic, and 47% say physical.
• Looking ahead, mobile wallets and peer-to-peer payment apps are set to continue growing in popularity, with 67% (mobile wallets) and 73% (payment apps) of consumers expecting to use these services as much or more in 2024 as they did in 2023.
• 21% expect to use cash less often this year.
• 56% expect that they will use paper checks less frequently or not at all.

ICYMI

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

• Name bias at work is real and employees of color are most impacted by it
• 1 in 5 Gen Zers haven’t had a single conversation with someone over 50 in their workplace in the last year
• Who Is Optimistic About Buying a Home? Not Younger Americans
• Nearly 3 in 4 Gen Z Hourly Workers Love/Like Their Job
• Guardant Health exposes colorectal cancer screening gap with new Harris Poll report

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:

HOME OWNERSHIP DREAM IS DEAD FOR RENTERS

The American dream of owning a home is dead for renters, according to our Harris Poll research.

• While 81% of renters want to own a home in the future, 61% worry they never will be able to.
• 57% say the American dream of owning a home is dead (compared with 43% of homeowners).
• 56% say rent/mortgage is the number one reason they can’t get financially ahead (compared with 34% of homeowners).
• 62% say their area has become so unaffordable it’s “barely livable” (compared with 38% of homeowners).
• Redfin estimates only 16% of home listings in 2023 were affordable to the typical U.S. household. That compares with 50% of listings viewed as affordable 10 years ago.

AMERICA SPENDS MORE ON STREAMING THAN GAS

Streaming is costing many households more than they can afford, according to our Harris Poll study with Tubi.

• Americans spend an average of $119.76 monthly on streaming video services – more than the $112.11 they spend monthly on gas.
• 53% of Gen Z and Millennials believe they’re overspending on streaming.
• 71% are canceling due to tiered memberships that force them to pay more to access certain content.
• 58% would watch ads while streaming for an extra coffee every month versus paying for an ad-free service.
• 48% of Gen Z and Millennials feel pressure to stream current TV shows to stay abreast of pop culture.
• 74% prefer original programming over remakes or franchised content.
• 56% stream one to three hours of programming in one sitting.
• 40% stream three or more hours at a time.

1 IN 4 WORRIED ABOUT CYBER ATTACKS

Cyber threats are among the top concerns today for Americans, based on new Harris Poll data with MITRE.

• 78% are concerned about cyberattacks and the risk to “the vital services we depend on every day.”
• 51% are not confident the U.S. would be prepared to recover from a cyber-attack – even higher for Gen X (59%), Boomers (56%) and rural residents (59%).
• Although 64% believe the U.S. has one of the safest and most secure critical infrastructures in the world, 81% worry about how secure it really is.

1 IN 5 FELL FOR PHONE SCAMS LAST YEAR

Americans lost more than $25.4 billion last year to telephone-based scams, with 21% victimized, based on our Harris Poll study with Truecaller.

• Those ages 18 to 44 were three times more likely than older adults to have lost money.
• Men (25%) were more likely than women (18%) to have lost money.
• Hispanic (30%) and Black Americans (39%) were scammed more than White Americans (15%).
• Scam tactics have evolved from large-scale robocalls to more sophisticated, highly targeted and contextually relevant AI-driven spearfishing.

ICYMI

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

• RAY DAY AND JOHN GERZEMA: It’s not just ‘woke.’ These are the most polarizing words in America
• HARRIS POLL: 78% of Boomers Think Age Would Be a Factor When Being Considered for a New Position
• NATIONAL RESEARCH GROUP: Is the Apple Vision Pro VR’s “iPhone moment?”
• STAGWELL AT SXSW: Five New Consumer Trends for the C[x]O
• HARRIS POLL: Huge bipartisan support among students for government loan help
• QUESTBRAND: Israel-Hamas war shifted how TikTok users think about the platform
• HARRIS POLL: 65% eat Irish-inspired foods on St. Patrick’s Day
• HARRIS POLL: Brands Using Imported Waste in Recycled Products Are at Risk of Greenwashing
  

THE POLITICS AND RISKS OF RETURN TO OFFICE

Join our next monthly 30-minute webinar from Stagwell’s Risk and Reputation Unit at noon ET next Thursday, March 21. We will dig into new data showing that 67% of employed Americans think remote work has become unnecessarily politicized and 57% believe companies are out of touch for focusing so heavily on back-to-office protocols. Please e-mail Alexis Williams to RSVP.

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:

RETURN TO OFFICE IS NEXT POLITICALLY POLARIZING THEME

Where do you work from? In our Harris Poll research with Bloomberg, the answer to that question has become a cultural flashpoint.

• Democrats say remote work helps equalize office inequities (15 points higher than Republicans) and think it’s unfair when companies require in-person work for jobs that can be done remotely (14 points higher than Republicans).
• Republicans say remote work limits career advancement (10 points higher than Democrats).
• 67% of employed Americans think remote work has become unnecessarily politicized.
• 57% believe companies are out of touch for focusing so heavily on back-to-office protocols – 64% among Democrats and 51% among Republicans.
• 74% say employees need to stop complaining about returning to the office.
• DIG DEEPER: Join our next 30-minute risk-and-reputation webinar at noon ET Thursday, March 21, when we will focus more on the politicization of return to office. To join, please send an e-mail.

75% OF AMERICANS HAVE TROUBLE FINDING FACTUAL POLITICAL NEWS

While 80% of Americans believe in balanced political news, 54% admit they only consume from sources that align with their beliefs, according to our Harris Poll study with Otherweb.

• 75% report difficulty finding factual political news.
• 87% believe people are more misinformed about political news today than they were five years ago.
• A generational divide exists in news consumption: 40% of Gen Z cite social media as their primary news source – and they are the least likely group to think news-source diversity is important.

CAR DEALERS STILL HAVE A REPUTATION PROBLEM

Most Americans do not have a favorable reputation of car dealerships, according to our Harris Poll study with KPA.

• 86% are concerned about hidden fees when buying or leasing a vehicle.
• 84% say price transparency is lacking at most dealerships.
• 76% don’t trust the dealership is being honest about pricing.
• 34% feel pressured to purchase “add-ons.”
• When shopping for a vehicle, 84% say reviews are important in their choice of dealerships.
• 93% of Gen Z use reviews to make purchasing decisions – and are twice as likely to have their choice of dealership influenced by social media.

HIGH COSTS A BARRIER TO HAVING KIDS TODAY

56% of non-parents under 60 today say they don’t plan to have kids – and many say it’s due to the high costs of raising them, according to our Harris Poll survey with NerdWallet.

• 44% say they just do not want children.
• 31% say the cost of raising a kid today is too high, as is the price of child care (23%).
• Family size also is coming into question: 22% of parents of minors who do not plan to have more kids say it’s because the overall cost of raising another child is too high, jumping to 30% for Millennials.
• 34% of employed Americans have put starting a family on hold due to a lack of work-life balance.
• 48% of working parents say finding childcare “feels impossible right now.”

ICYMI

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

• MARK PENN: Stagwell’s Mark Penn thinks it’s a mistake for companies to wade into politics
• QUESTBRAND: March Madness Mania: 20 Brands that Over-Index with NCAA Fans
• NATIONAL RESEARCH GROUP: Are awards shows still relevant in today’s media ecosystem?
• HARRIS POLL: Older adults Prefer Human Help to Manage Health-Related Needs

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 WORRY INFLATION IS HERE TO STAY

71% of Americans think price increases and inflation are sticky and are here to stay, according to our most recent poll with the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University.

• 42% say inflation is the most important issue to them personally, up 4 points from January.
• 45% say their personal financial situation is worsening – an improvement from 64% who said the same in summer 2022.
• Overall, 32% of Americans say the country is on the right track (up from 30% a month ago), and 34% say the economy is on the right track (up from 31% a month ago).
• In another Harris Poll with Staffing Industry Analysts, 53% of U.S. workers say their paychecks are not keeping up with inflation.
• 66% of Gen Z and 67% of Millennials intend to request a raise this year due to inflation (compared with 51% of Gen X and 42% of Boomers).

HOMEOWNERS WISH FOR A RECESSION

Housing affordability is so difficult today that 64% of prospective home buyers are ready for a recession if it would reduce interest rates, based on our Harris Poll survey with Credit Karma.

• With mortgage rates still near 7% and home prices high, pending home sales have dropped to their lowest level in more than two decades.
• In fact, 82% say the country is grappling with an “unprecedented” housing affordability crisis.
• 61% who never have bought a home do not think they ever will be able to do so.
• Renters have been hit especially hard: 57% of renters describe their current economic situation as “poor” (compared with homeowners at 29%).

IVF IS THE LATEST ‘WEDGE WORD’

Add another acronym to the list of terms confusing and dividing Americans, based on our latest Harris Poll research.

• We have been tracking the terms that either divide or unite the country. Acronyms and labels like DEI and ESG have become like dog whistles: Americans hear them and react politically.
• IVF and fertility terms now have made the list. Among those familiar, fetal personhood (or laws that regulate pregnant women) is now the third most divisive term, with 69% saying it is more likely to divide people than unite them.
• IVF (in-vitro fertilization) also is polarizing to 53% of Americans – even though, in the same study, 90% of those familiar with the term believe people should have access to IVF to try having a baby.
• Other polarizing wedge words: underrepresented (up 8 points in negativity since December); ESG (up 13 points in negativity since December); and DEI (up 11 points in negativity since December).
• Part of the problem is a lack of understanding of the terms. Today, two thirds of Americans do not know what ESG is – yet 62% say “it’s bad.”

REMOTE WORK STUNTS CAREER ADVANCEMENT, EMPLOYEES SAY

Working from home is popular, but employees are paying the price for doing so, according to our Harris Poll survey with Bloomberg.

• 63% of employed Americans would prefer to work remotely in some capacity if it were up to them.
• Yet more than half say remote work is detrimental to career advancement.
• 50% of remote workers believe doing so hurts career progression – jumping to 57% for hybrid workers.
• 52% of hybrid workers returned to the office because of concerns about either layoffs or career advancement.
• 50% say they worry that not being in the office makes them vulnerable to job cuts and hurts chances for promotions.

ICYMI

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

• HARRIS POLL: 56% of Americans under age 60 who don’t have kids say they don’t plan to have them. For many, it’s because of the cost.
• STAGWELL MARKETING CLOUD: Understanding the ad tech ecosystem and how to harness its power.
• HARRIS POLL: How Many Docs Are Feeling Burned Out? Almost All of Them, Survey Finds
• HARRIS POLL: How brands can engage workout-obsessed consumers
• CODE AND THEORY: 3 ways to protect the Black community from AI
• CODE AND THEORY: ‘Rip up the Playbook Because AI is Rewriting It,’ says Code and Theory’s Head of Product Strategy