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:

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK, ‘CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?’

Young Americans are feeling left out of this year’s U.S. presidential election, based on our Harris Poll survey with UNICEF.

• 53% of those ages 14 to 22 feel excluded from the U.S. political process.
• 73% say their opinions do not matter to elected officials.
• 81% feel people in positions of power do not care about what young people have to say.
• Young people believe cost of living/housing affordability (60%), immigration (39%) and global conflict (35%) are the most important issues facing the country.
• 80% think people their age can make a difference, and 64% are engaging politically in some way.

AMERICANS EATING OUT LESS AS PRICES RISE

Fast food has long been an affordable meal option for busy families. Yet 8 in 10 Americans today are noticing steep price hikes, based on our latest Harris Poll “QSR & Fast Casual Industry Snapshot.”

• 32% of U.S. adults agree that quick service restaurants (QSRs) offer affordable meal options.
• 36% say price is the most important factor when eating out.
• 81% who have ordered from QSRs at least once in the last year say prices are higher – and 41% describe prices as “much higher.”
• 35% also have noticed “shrinkflation” – reducing the quantity or size of an item without reducing the price.
• What do most consumers consider to be a fair fast-food meal price? 47% say $5-$9.99.
• Men are willing to pay more: 38% of men say that $10-$14.99 is a fair price for a full meal (compared with 29% of women).
• Price hikes are taking a toll: 45% are eating out less now than they did a year ago.
• See also: Consumers want to pay $1 for a chocolate bar, $2 for a bag of chips and $3 for a gallon of gas

1 IN 3 STALLING ON STUDENT DEBT PAYMENTS

Nearly 43 million Americans have student loan debt, and 1 in 3 are foregoing repayments in hopes of government-funded forgiveness, according to our Harris Poll survey with NerdWallet.

• 31% of student loan borrowers say they have slowed repayment of their loan, hoping the federal government will reduce or forgive the loans.
• 23% have stopped their student loan payments completely for the same reason.
• 25% say they are concerned the courts will reverse recent student loan forgiveness efforts.
• 22% say student loan forgiveness is one of the most important issues when choosing a presidential candidate.

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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:

BILLIONAIRES = BAD, AMERICANS SAY

Americans are falling out of love with billionaires as the demand to address inequality grows, according to our latest Harris Poll research in Fortune.

• 59% of Americans believe that billionaires are creating a more unfair society.
• 71% deem wealth inequality a severe national issue – up 5 points from 2022.
• 58% blame billionaires for accelerating inflation.
• 62% believe “America has become a backyard for rich people.”
• While 46% don’t believe in limiting wealth, 69% suggest taxing the rich – with 80% of Gen Z in favor.

EMPLOYEES VOTE POLITICS OUT OF THE WORKPLACE

A CEO’s politics is a deal-breaker for Gen Z and Millennial employees, based on our Harris Poll research with Indeed.

• 54% are uncomfortable when politics come up in workplace discussions.
• 40% of Gen Z and Millennial workers would leave their company if its CEO expressed political views with which they disagree.
• Nearly 40% of workers in the same age range also would leave their jobs due to political differences in the workplace.
• 35% admit to openly discussing politics in their workplace.
• 44% have overheard colleagues discussing politics at work.
• 34% say politics in the workplace has negatively affected team morale.
• 16% admit to avoiding colleagues who had different political views from them.
• 39% have felt pressure to conform to certain political views at work.
• 39% have been discriminated against or harassed at work for their political views.
• Even 16% who work remotely have seen signs of a colleague’s political affiliation during a videoconference, such as mugs featuring a political party logo or a campaign sticker for a candidate.

RENTING IS RISING

The trend of under-consumption is making renting more popular for everything from clothes and furniture to cars and sporting equipment, according to our Harris Poll research with Credit Karma.

• 28% of Americans rent or lease goods/services, including a car (17%), clothing/accessories (9%), electronics (8%) and furniture (7%).
• When factoring in housing, the percentage of American renters/leasers is now at 47%.
• 58% of those who rent or lease goods/services do so as a personal choice.
• What’s driving the decision to rent/lease? Top reasons include: flexibility that renting allows (35%); being better able to save money (31%); wanting to try things out first before deciding whether to make a purchase (27%); and avoiding overconsumption (21%).
• 58% who rent/lease goods or services say they find more value in renting than buying.
• 64% do not subscribe to the notion that renting translates to throwing away money.

SPORTS COACHES ARE KEY TO YOUTH CHARACTER

Nearly all parents (93%) agree that kids can learn important life skills from playing sports, yet four out of five parents also believe there is a shortage of high-caliber coaches today, based on our Harris Poll survey with youth development organization First Tee.

• 89% of parents feel character is a lost value that should be more emphasized in today’s society – 4 points higher than last year.
• 93% of parents believe children learn important life skills from playing sports.
• Parents believe coaches are essential to youth development, including teaching kids character, self-confidence, determination and leadership.
• 83% wish their child had more access to well-trained coaches.
• 94% of parents prefer coaches who have been background-checked.
• 74% of parents say their kids are involved in extracurricular activities, on par with last year.

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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:

MENTAL HEALTH NOW AS IMPORTANT AS FINANCES

When Elmo tweeted “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” on social media earlier this year, the consensus was clear: people are struggling. Based on our new Harris Poll research with Sesame Workshop, Americans now rank mental health on par with economic stability in terms of importance.

• 1 in 3 parents say their family’s well-being is negatively affected by mental health issues – jumping to 1 in 2 for families with teens.
• 61% of parents say their family is still experiencing negative effects from the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 56% describe their fellow Americans as “anxious.”
• 55% say the average American is “kind,” and 59% feel the average American is “resilient.”
• 82% believe their well-being would improve if society were kinder.
• 8 in 10 Americans feel the news media play an important role in promoting kindness.
• 84% say it’s important to have more kindness-focused characters in children’s shows, rising to 93% of educators.
• 67% “wish my parents had been more honest with me about their mental health struggles.”
• 82% of Gen Z and Millennials “wish I had been taught more about how to understand and manage my emotions as a child,” compared with 65% of older generations.
• 63% of Gen Z and Millennials believe schools should focus on social and emotional skills just as much as academics.

KIDS EXPECT MORE INHERITANCE THAN IS COMING

More Americans are expected to turn 65 now through 2027 than in any time in history, and many of their kids have outsized expectations of an inheritance, based on our Harris Poll survey with Northwestern Mutual.

• While 32% of Millennials and 38% of Gen Z expect an inheritance, 22% of Gen X and Boomers plan on giving one.
• Cash-strapped Millennial families are the likeliest (59%) to say an inheritance is “highly critical” to their financial security.
• 75% of Gen Z and 81% of Millennials say leaving an inheritance is their single most important financial goal (versus 46% for Gen X and Boomers).

1 IN 3 WORRY ABOUT JOB LOSS

Employed job seekers increasingly fear they will lose their jobs before finding a new one, according to our Harris Poll survey with Express Employment Professionals.

• A third of employed job seekers report concerns about unexpected layoffs, up from 28% in the fall of 2023 and 24% in the spring of 2023.
• 44% say an even bigger fear is not receiving a salary increase or raise they deserve at their current company.
• 46% of employed job seekers list the top reasons for a job search as better compensation (46%), better work/life balance (41%) and better growth opportunities in their industry (41%).

ONLINE BANKS HAVE A TRUST ISSUE

A significant trust gap exists for online-only banks, based on our Harris Poll study with Apiture.

• More than half of Americans trust large or local banks and credit unions, while 35% trust online-only banks.
• 40% say they have experienced identity theft or fraud, such as data breaches that compromise personal information or phishing attempts.
• 87% say financial institutions should invest in more significant cybersecurity measures, including enhanced security protocols.
• 91% regularly review their financial statements for unusual activity or unauthorized transactions.

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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:

PARENTS EMBRACE SECOND-HAND BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPING

A majority of parents bought used clothes last year, and it’s part of their back-to-school shopping this year, according to our Harris Poll research in AdAge.

• 40% of parents find styles they like while thrifting.
• 80% of parents say wearing vintage clothing is trendy.
• 7 in 10 parents of school-age children (and 67% of those who aren’t) say more brands should integrate secondhand items into their collections.
• Other money-saving approaches mentioned by back-to-school shoppers included shopping sales (52%), using coupons (32%) and seeking out free options for school supplies (22%).
• Read more: How to Master Thrifty Back-to-School Shopping

HOLIDAY SHOPPERS START EVEN EARLIER

No matter which holiday they celebrate around the world this year – from Ramadan and Christmas to Diwali – consumers are shopping earlier than ever, according to Assembly’s 2024 Holiday Preview. Among the insights:

• In the U.S., modest 4.8% growth in holiday spending is predicted – with an emphasis on everyday items. E-commerce sales will grow 9.5%, and brick and mortar sales will increase 3.7%.
• Physical stores will be important again – serving as showrooms for product demonstrations and dialogue with in-store experts.
• Black Friday will become Cyber Friday – with $14 billion in e-commerce sales that day alone.
• One-third of holiday shopping will begin in October.
• Consumers can expect deep discounts well before Halloween since there are only 27 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• Specialized stores are seeing the strongest growth as the 2024 holiday season begins – with 4.3% year-over-year growth last quarter, followed by clothing (+3.8%) and electronics (+2.2%). Decliners are home and furniture (-4.4%), and building materials (-2.3%).
• In other parts of the world, UK consumers are the most optimistic entering the holiday season – with 46.8% expecting better personal finances during the next 12 months, compared with 37.6% in Germany and 29.7% in France.

AI HAS A TRUST ISSUE

Americans are skeptical of the U.S. government’s current approach to AI regulations, based on our Harris Poll research with Collibra.

• 76% support federal regulations to oversee the technology’s evolution (75% for state regulations).
• The biggest threats Americans cite as necessitating AI regulation include privacy concerns (64%), safety and security risks (64%), misinformation (57%), and ethical use and accountability (57%).
• Among business decision-makers, 88% have “a lot” or a “great deal” of trust in their own companies’ approach to AI regulations.
• Decision-makers at large companies (87%) are more likely than those at small companies (55%) to trust AI today.

GEN Z UNWARE OF FOOD RECALLS

Young consumers who rely on social media for news are missing information on critical food recalls, according to our Harris Poll survey with Fast Company.

• Boomers were most likely to hear about food recalls in the past year (69%), followed by Gen X (52%), Millennials (39%) and Gen Z (26%).
• Millennials (47%) and Gen Z (42%) were far more likely to say they would avoid a retailer associated with a recall than Boomers (28%).
• 72% of consumers say they feel informed about the quality of the food they buy (64% for Gen Z and 76% for Boomers).

MYTHS AFFECT HOME-BUYING

Buying a home can be daunting, yet many misconceptions are causing unneeded fear, based on our Harris Poll study with KB Home.

• 54% of Americans believe mortgage rates are at an all-time high. (They’re not).
• 56% can identify the meaning of APR.
• 54% know what PMI is – with Gen Z and Millennials least likely.
• Only 36% know that a minimum down payment of 20% is not required to purchase a home.
• Only 28% know someone could qualify for a mortgage with a credit score in the 500s.

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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:

MOOD OF COUNTRY IMPROVES

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

• 30% of Americans say the country is on the right track (compared with 28% a month ago), and 32% say the economy is on the right track (compared with 29% last month).
• 48% say their personal financial situation is becoming worse (compared with 52% a month ago), while 24% say it is improving (compared with 23% a month ago).
• Regarding the presidential election, 79% approve of President Biden’s decision to not run again, and 55% approve of his endorsement of Vice President Harris.
• Compared with June, more Democrats say they would vote for the Democratic candidate (+5 points), and fewer Independents are unsure of whom they would vote for (-10 points).
• On the other side, 89% of Republicans and 79% of Independents support GOP platform initiatives like protecting Social Security and Medicare, ending inflation, and stopping violence and crime.

HELP WANTED – PARENTS

Parenting should pay $60,000 a year, according to our Harris Poll survey with Skylight.

• Parents of minors say managing a household consumes 63% of their brain space on a given day and totals as much as 30 hours per week.
• This time and intensity are the equivalent of $60,000 per year if parenting were a paying job.
• 81% of parents say a family scheduling issue has affected them at work.
• 58% spend more time managing parenting logistics than experiencing the joys of parenting.
• More mothers (78%) are the default parent than fathers (58%) – and they also are the first to be contacted by schools (80% for mothers versus 60% for fathers) and children themselves (86% for mothers versus 62% for fathers).
• Even in dual-income households, mothers are the primary caregivers (64% for mothers versus 40% for fathers).

SOCIAL MEDIA ‘DE-INFLUENCER’ TREND GROWS

The trend of social media users revolting against influencers is affecting consumer buying habits, according to our Harris Poll study with Credit Karma.

• 38% of Americans have purchased products advertised on social media in the past year.
• 69% say they have been “de-influenced,” meaning they have chosen not to purchase items on social media.
• The top reason is lack of trust in influencers promoting products (32%), followed by too many counterfeit products (28%), social media overconsumption (26%) and being overwhelmed by how many products are advertised on social media (19%).
• More Gen Z consumers (88%) have been de-influenced, with 38% attributing it to unhealthy levels of overconsumption.

BUSINESS LEADERS WANT BETTER THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

While 90% of executives are hungry for thought leadership for their business, only 20% find efforts today to be effective, according to the Harris Poll’s new thought-leadership report.

• 90% of business leaders consume thought leadership themselves, and 93% view it as “an indicator of a category or industry leader.”
• 92% want thought leadership to attract new customers, talent or investment.
• Yet 83% feel most thought leadership today does not have a measurable impact.
• For better thought-leadership: 79% believe it should include more third-party validation; 94% believe custom research makes it stronger; and 86% say it needs to be more creative with new ideas that show how the company is “seeing around corners.”

ICYMI

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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:

OLYMPIC VIEWERSHIP GOING FOR THE GOLD

The 2024 Olympics games are here, and Americans are tuning in, based on the latest Sports Momentum Index from Allison and The Harris Poll.

• 77% plan to watch or follow Olympic coverage – via broadcast TV (48%), streaming (33%) or social media (33%).
• The most popular sports for Americans to watch (in order): Gymnastics, swimming, basketball, track & field, diving, volleyball, beach volleyball, soccer, boxing and tennis.
• New Olympic sports also are generating strong interest: 32% are interested in watching breaking, 36% surfing, 37% skateboarding and 26% sport climbing.
• Olympian Shaun White’s launch of the Snow League last month is turning heads.
• American professional sports with the highest scores on July’s Sports Momentum Index are: National Football League (62.07 – up 7.7 points from February); World Surf League (55.77 – up 1.4 points); Major League Baseball (55.66 – up 6.9 points); Snow League (55.66 – new); and Professional Women’s Hockey League (54.02 – down 2.6 points).
• See also: Olympic viewership and the launch of Shaun White’s Snow League

YOUNG VOTERS SEE GENERATION GAP

Americans today believe older leaders cannot fully comprehend the needs of younger generations, based on our Harris Poll “The Next Big Think!” research.

• 78% of Americans believe many political leaders are too old to accurately represent the desires of younger Americans.
• 67% believe older generations are blocking the way for younger leaders (71% for Gen Z, 74% for Millennials, 68% for Gen X and 56% for Boomers).

ONLY 1 IN 5 CONFIDENT ABOUT RETIRING

While many issues dominate the upcoming presidential election, our Harris Poll survey with Transamerica Institute shows U.S. workers are more concerned than ever about retirement.

• Only 20% of Americans say they are very confident they can fully retire with a comfortable lifestyle.
• 73% are concerned that Social Security will not be there for them when they retire.
• Workers’ top requests for policy-makers: addressing Social Security’s funding shortfalls (58%); dealing with Medicare’s funding shortfalls (46%); and ensuring all workers can save for retirement in the workplace (45%).

ICYMI

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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:

DYNAMIC PRICING FRUSTRATING CONSUMERS

Dynamic pricing – popularized by ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft – is causing increasing consumer frustration, based on our Harris Poll survey with NerdWallet.

• Consumers are concerned about dynamic pricing transparency and fear of missing out on lower prices.
• 22% of Americans say they would not spend money at a business that uses dynamic pricing, especially older consumers (29% for Gen X, 26% for Boomers, 17% for Millennials and 15% for Gen Z).
• 25% say they would spend money with a business that uses dynamic pricing “only when prices are down” (39% for Gen Z, 28% for Millennials, 21% for Gen X and 20% for Boomers).

RECHARGING EV ADOPTION

With electric vehicle growth slowing, the Harris Poll joined with Urban Science to determine what it will take to recharge the market going forward.

• 68% of auto buyers indicate they will be ready for an EV by 2035 and 48% by 2030. (“Ready by 2030” is 56% among Gen Z, 45% for Millennials, 36% for Gen X and 28% for Boomers).
• Consumers want answers to the concerns holding them back from embracing EVs: distance on a single charge (38%), initial cost (30%), recharging time (28%) and home charging installation/cost (25%).
• See also: Navigating critical automotive retail challenges

CRAFT BEER COOLS OFF

Gone, it appears, are the labels of “beer drinkers,” “wine drinkers” and “spirits drinkers.” Younger drinkers, in particular, are drinking a bit of everything – except craft beers, according to our Harris Poll survey with the Brewers Association.

• During the past five years, weekly consumption has increased for all beverage alcohol types, except craft beer.
• Among those who drink craft beer, they are now more likely to drink spirits on a weekly basis: In 2015, 81% consumed craft beer several times a month or more often. Today, it’s 62%.
• 92% list flavor as the primary driver in making drinking decisions (94% for Boomers).
• Alcohol content (84% for those ages 45-54) and ingredients (83% for those 35-44) are the next most important factors, followed by packaging appearance (65% for those 21-34) and being locally made (61% for those 35-44).

ICYMI

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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:

WHEN THE BOSS IS AWAY, WORKERS ARE LESS PRODUCTIVE

A third of American workers admit to being less productive and “slacking off” while the boss is on summer vacation, according to our Harris Poll research with Dayforce.

• 41% of full-time employed adults report being less productive during the summer months.
• 35% say they often slack off while their boss is on vacation.
• To address this, 58% of employees say their employer offers some type of summertime flexibility, including flexible work hours/schedules (32%), increased work-from-home options (22%), summer Fridays (19%) and seasonal work-from-anywhere options (17%).

BLEISURE TRAVEL TREND FOR 1 IN 3 AMERICANS

Travel is back, and half of Americans say they are traveling more for work – with 1 in 3 extending work travel for personal time away, according to The Harris Poll’s new “Travel and Hospitality Snapshot.”

• 28% of Americans who travel for work say their company is ramping up travel.
• 51% say that it’s likely that they will travel more for work this year compared to last year.
• 18% say they still travel for work less now than before the pandemic.
• Of those who travel for work, 24% travel at least once a week, 24% travel at least once a month, and 43% travel at least once every three months.
• 56% of work trips remain within the same state where the employee works.
• 24% of work travel is international.
• 31% of those who travel for work try to extend the length of their work trips into personal vacations – creating the “bleisure travel” trend.
• Even if they can’t sneak in a few extra days, 58% of business travelers say they try to explore as much of the destination as time allows when traveling for work.
• 59% who travel for work say that they usually book with the same brands for personal and business travel accommodations.
• 49% of business travelers book their own work travel plans and accommodations.
• Delta Air Lines ranks No. 1 among the top U.S. airlines on customer satisfaction and is viewed as more “premium” and “fun” than American Airlines and United.
• Other brands that overindex among business travelers: Vineyard Vines, Qdoba, Hermes, Canada Goose and Omega.

AI IS THE NEW TRAVEL AGENT

Can AI create a dream vacation that includes culture, nature, hotels and transportation? Our Harris Poll study with MoneyLion shows it’s possible.

• 70% of Americans are either using or planning to use AI for travel planning.
• 20% of 18- to 34-year-olds already integrate AI into travel plans.
• 56% are likely to use AI to help find restaurants, 53% to find hotel destinations, 51% for local transportation and 50% for flight recommendations.
• 50% also will use AI to help with travel budgeting.

CALLING ALL COMMS AND PR LEADERS

If you are a communications or PR leader – or a CEO with views on comms – please take our annual survey about perceptions of the industry. The research examines the state of communications in the workplace, evolving attitudes about AI, how strategies are shifting around DE&I, ESG and brand safety.

• Take the survey at this link.

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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:

MOOD OF COUNTRY DECLINES

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

• 28% of Americans say the country is on the right track (compared with 33% a month ago), and 29% say the economy is on the right track (compared with 32% last month).
• 52% say their personal financial situation is becoming worse (compared with 48% a month ago), while 23% say it is improving (compared with 27% a month ago).
• Inflation is far and away the most important issue to voters personally (it’s the top issue for 45% of Americans, up 4 points from last month), 30 points higher than immigration, the second concern.
• Concerns about the economy also are on the rise – as a top issue for 26% of Americans, up 3 points from last month.

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE IMPACT

Our monthly poll with the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University also shows that last week’s presidential debate did not change former President Trump’s lead over President Biden – but doubts have grown over President Biden’s mental fitness.

• President Biden’s overall approval rating dropped to 40%, his lowest since July 2022.
• 74% think President Biden is too old to be president, an 11-point increase after the debate.
• 66% have doubts about President Biden’s mental fitness for office, a 12-point increase after the debate.
• President Biden’s approval on handling inflation dropped to 34%, the lowest level in two years.
• 72% of Americans already have made up their minds, while 28% are still weighing their choices for November. That’s a slight increase from 69% who said they already had decided last month.
• 62% characterize their personal financial situations as “fair” or “poor,” up 7 points from May.
• Also, 52% say their personal financial situation is getting worse, especially Republican (69%) and rural (63%) Americans.

6 IN 10 RELY ON PARENTS AFTER OVERSPENDING

Multiple vacations and dining out are taking a toll on young adults, who are turning to parents to bail them out, according to our Harris Poll with Axios Vibes.

• 6 in 10 Americans feel financially squeezed each month.
• 40% of Millennials and Gen Z say the financial squeeze is due to “excessive spending on non-essentials” (compared with 17% of Gen X and Boomers who say the same).
• 46% who say their spending is “out of control” do so because of “FOMO,” or fear of missing out.
• 43% say they are trying to keep up with more well-off friends.
• As a result, 60% of Gen Z consumers say they rely on their parents for at least some financial support.

FAVORITE SUMMER FRUITS

Peaches are the winners this summer when it comes to the fresh fruit Americans want to eat the most, according to our Harris Poll survey with Instacart.

• 62% of U.S. adults are most looking forward to eating peaches this season.
• Peaches are not perfect: Only 29% express a love for peaches’ characteristic fuzz.
• Following peaches, cherries (49%), mangoes (40%), plums (35%) and nectarines (30%) are the top fruits Americans are looking forward to eating this summer.
• Love for stone fruits – including peaches, mangoes, apricots, cherries, nectarines, plums and pluots – varies for Americans state-by-state.
• New Mexico residents eat more stone fruits than anywhere else in America – 30% more than the national average. New Mexicans have a particularly sweet spot for Apricots (229% higher consumption than other states).
• Minnesota and New Jersey are second and third – 22% above the national average.
• Californians crave nectarines, eating them 76% more frequently than elsewhere.
• Surprisingly, Georgia – famous for its peaches – eats them 5% less than the national average. Georgia residents seem to prefer plums, buying them 28% more than the national average.
• Do you say ‘ape-ricot’ or ‘app-ricot’? 63% of Americans believe ‘app-ricot’ is the correct pronunciation.

CALLING ALL COMMS AND PR LEADERS

If you are a communications or PR leader – or a CEO with views on comms – please take our annual survey about perceptions of the industry. The research examines the state of communications in the workplace, evolving attitudes about AI, how strategies are shifting around DE&I, ESG and brand safety.

• Take the survey at this link.

ICYMI

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

• To avoid a summer slump, some employers offer flexible work policies
• ResortPass Survey Finds Americans Want to Take More Local and Shorter Escapes During Summer
• How to reach consumers planning summer vacations
• How to Fix the Internet
• How Gen AI will change 16 film and TV production jobs

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:

INFLATION DIVIDES US

We will hear even more about inflation as the presidential campaigns move into high gear – and we should expect America to remain divided on who’s to blame, based on our Harris Poll Survey with Axios Vibes.

• 41% of Americans say government spending and policies are most to blame for inflation, while 39% say companies bolstering profits and 20% believe supply chain disruptions are the causes.
• Republicans are twice as likely as Democrats to blame the government for inflation (56% for Republicans versus 26% for Democrats).
• Democrats are twice as likely to blame corporate greed (54% for Democrats versus 23% for Republicans).
• Watch the swing voter: 41% of Independents blame government and business equally.
• DIG DEEPER: Our monthly Harris Poll with the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University will examine the pulse of the American voter after this week’s presidential debate. Register here for the session at noon ET Monday, July 1.

JULY 4 ‘QUIET VACATIONING’

The U.S. Independence Day fireworks could be loud next week, yet many working Americans will be “quiet vacationing,” according to our Harris Poll research with Inc.

• Last month, we coined the phrase “quiet vacationing” to describe employees scheduling off-hours without officially taking time off.
• 48% of American workers tend to “quiet vacation” during the Fourth of July holiday week – especially Gen Z and Millennials (56%).
• 10% of American workers say their employer is closed the entire week.
• 46% believe working during Independence Day week should be taboo in American culture.
• 62% of Gen Z and Millennial workers would make tradeoffs for their workplace to be closed the week of Independence Day, such as docking salary (33%), forgoing certain company perks/benefits (27%) or a portion of bonuses (19%).

1 IN 3 SAY COLLEGE NOT WORTH THE DEBT

A third of student loan borrowers say college was not worth the debt, according to our Harris Poll survey with NerdWallet.

• 57% of Americans think four-year college is worth the cost, while 30% say it is not.
• 36% regret the money they borrowed in student loans.
• 20% borrowed more than they needed just because it was offered.
• 19% keep their student loan debt a secret from their significant other.
• 19% don’t know their current student loan balance.
• 26% of Americans with student loans do not think they ever will completely pay their student loans off.
• 10% think it will take them 20 or more years.

BEST AGE TO GIVE KIDS SMARTPHONES?

When should parents give children their first smartphone? The Harris Poll surveyed parents of children ages 6 to 17 to find out.

• 80% of parents say their child has a phone.
• On average, the first phone was given at age 12 – with 41% of parents giving the first phone between 6^th and 8^th.
• Parents’ top motivations for giving children a smartphone include: safety/security (62%) and ability to communicate with parents when not together (59%).
• The downside: Parents are noticing that their child is distracted by their phone (48%), reading less (28%) and are less physically active (27%).
• 49% wish they had waited until their child was older, because their child is staying up too late (43%), exposed to too much mature content (41%) or losing interest in other things (39%).
• Despite these negatives, parents overwhelmingly feel that the benefits of their child having a smartphone outweigh the risks. They find their children to be more communicative about their whereabouts (44%) and have more independence (43%).
• At the same time, 84% worry about the effect of social media on the mental health of today’s young people, 88% of parents think young people are too dependent on technology, and 68% believe that smartphones should not be allowed in school.

ICYMI

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

• Ragan and HarrisX unveil 4th annual CEO/CCO Perceptions Survey
• Journalism needs advertising support, and should not be perceived as a risk, says Stagwell CEO Mark Penn
• Google Marketing Live 2024 Report: A New Era for AI Ads
• Most tipped employees would give up tips for higher pay: survey
• How AI could actually make the hiring process more human
• More than half of U.S. women feel like they have to fight to get the medical care they need