WHAT THE DATA SAY: 42% of Americans still rely on previous generations for financial support

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 and Allison Worldwide. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

PARENTS ARE STILL PAYING THE BILLS

Many Americans still depend on family support, and 1 in 5 doubt they ever will become financially independent, according to the 2026 Planning & Progress Study by Harris Poll and Northwestern Mutual. 

• 42% of U.S. adults still rely on previous generations for financial support.
• Reliance is especially high among younger adults, with more than half of Millennials and about 1 in 4 Gen Zers reporting it.
• On average, Americans say they have achieved or expect to achieve financial independence at age 37.
• Fewer than 1 in 3 Americans plan to leave an inheritance behind. Among those who do expect to leave one, the average inheritance is below $50,000.
• See also: Young Americans say parenthood now feels like a choice between family and financial security

HALF WATCHING THE WORLD CUP

Half of Americans plan to watch at least one World Cup match on TV, streaming or social media during the next several weeks, according to our Harris Poll research.

• 52% say hosting major international sporting events in North America is making them more interested in sports they would not normally follow.
• 51% say they have noticed brands sponsoring or advertising around the World Cup.
• 50% hope their favorite brands are involved with the tournament in some way.
• See also: How “beyond the broadcast” engagement strengthens sports fandom
• See also: America’s Surge in Soccer Fandom

MEN ARE GOING FOR A GLOW-UP

Men’s grooming routines have become the next frontier in beauty, as more men view skincare as part of their overall wellness journey, based on our Harris Poll data.

• Nearly a fifth of men (18%) say beauty/skincare spending would be the hardest to cut back this summer.
• Half of Gen Z and Millennials (48%) would still buy a favorite skincare product even with a price tag of $100.
• With an annual estimated 8% growth, forecasts predict men’s skincare will hit $16 billion by 2032 and men’s grooming products as a whole $276 billion by 2030.

SUMMER JOB GHOSTING SEASON

Job applications have a new worry this summer: In addition to a rising number of job seekers who say they never hear back from applications, a growing trend is a “ghost position” – an online listing from companies with no immediate intention to fill it or for a job that does not exist at all, based on our Harris Poll and other research.

• 53% of applicants assume they will not receive any response from a company after applying.
• Up to one third of all job postings are assumed to be fake.
• Ghost postings are said to be phantom listings to collect resumes in reserve, create an illusion to their workforce that help is on the way and even portray an appearance of company growth.
• Several lawmakers are pushing for legislation to crack down on phantom postings.
• See also: 4 in 5 believe careers in creative fields are undervalued

LGBTQ+ SEE BRANDS PULLING BACK

LGBTQ+ consumers are paying close attention to whether brands stand by their values when support gets tested, according to new Inclusive Insights research from Harris Poll.

• 81% of LGBTQ+ consumers say brands have pulled back support in the last two years.
• 84%  lose trust in brands that back away from causes or communities.
• 89% of LGBTQ+ consumers say they trust brands more when support is consistent over time.
• 90% say brands should treat LGBTQ+ consumers as a valuable audience, not just a social issue.

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

• Sport Beach reveals final athlete line-up and schedule for Cannes Lions 2026 (Stagwell)
• Crypto becomes hot-button election issue (Harris Poll)
• Unreliable childcare is a mental health issue (Harris Poll)
• Summer is the season that breaks working parents (Harris Poll)
• How should you meaningfully incorporate AI into your daily workflow? (Allison and Ray Day)
• Jamie Dowd named Allison’s new Global President, Health + Wellness (Allison)