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

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• ResortPass Survey Finds Americans Want to Take More Local and Shorter Escapes During Summer
• How to reach consumers planning summer vacations
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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:

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

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• More than half of U.S. women feel like they have to fight to get the medical care they need

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:

4-DAY WORKWEEK ON THE HORIZON?

The percentage of workers reporting that their employer offers four-day workweeks is higher this year than the previous two years (22% today compared with 17% in 2023 and 14% in 2022), according to the “2024 Work in America Survey” by The Harris Poll with the American Psychological Association.

• 81% of workers say that, if they worked four days a week, they could be just as effective but happier at work.
• 67% of U.S. workers believe the four-day workweek will become standard in their lifetime.
• 67% report at least one outcome of workplace burnout in the last month, including lack of interest, motivation, low energy, feeling lonely or isolated and a lack of effort at work.
• 33% are not working in their preferred location, be it remote, in person or a hybrid of the two.
• 59% currently work all in person, 24% hybrid and 17% completely remotely.
• 38% of workers would prefer to work all in person, compared with 34% who prefer to work hybrid and 28% who prefer to work remotely.
• 35% of employees use AI monthly or more often to assist with their work.
• Yet only 18% know if their employer has an official policy on using AI. Half say their employer has no such policy, and 32% are unsure.
• Younger employees are struggling: 45% of workers ages 18–25 feel lonely when they are working, significantly higher than workers ages 26–43 (33%), 44–57 (22%), 58–64 (15%) and 65+ (14%).
• Younger workers also are more likely than older workers to say they feel tense or stressed during their workday (48% are tense/stressed among those ages 18–25, 51% for ages 26–43, 42% ages 44–57, 30% ages 58–64 and 17% ages 65+).

CONTENT CREATORS DISCONNECTED FROM BRANDS

Brands and independent content creators/influencers – people who are paid by companies to develop entertaining and educational material for social– and owned-media channels – often are not speaking the same language, according to our Harris Poll research with Creator Rosetta Stone.

• 81% say brands are losing sales because of poor coordination between their content and checkout experience.
• 85% of creators say they never hear brand feedback about how their content is evaluated or what brands think of their work.
• 89% say they have audience insights that brands fail to access.
• 82% say their communities want to see themselves reflected in brand campaigns and, if brands don’t use diversity consistently, it feels less trustworthy.

LGBTQ+ EMPLOYEES WANT BETTER WORKPLACE SUPPORT

LGBTQ+ employees say they need more support in the workplace and when applying for new jobs, according to our Harris Poll study with Indeed.

• 52% of LGBTQ+ employees report that their company offers an employee resource group for LGBTQ+ employees.
• Yet 29% of LGBTQ+ workers say they feel their employers can do “a better job.”
• 30% of LGBTQ+ people and 50% of transgender job seekers have refused to apply for a position due to a company’s lack of support for LGBTQ+ issues.
• LGBTQ+ employees will not work for a company that has a history of LGBTQ+ discrimination lawsuits (48%) or negative reviews about LGBTQ+ treatment (43%).

MORE NEWS JUNKIES THAN SPORTS ONES

One in four Americans consider themselves news junkies, which underscores the benefit of businesses and advertisers investing in news – along with protecting democracy, according to Stagwell’s “Future of News” project.

• In a 50,000-person survey, 35% of Americans described themselves as “couch potatoes,” 25% as news junkies, 23% sport junkies and 17% entertainment junkies.
• Stagwell convened two panels at this week’s Cannes Lions Festival, continuing the discussion around the facts showing ads placed in quality news sources adjacent to articles on provocative and polarizing topics had no negative impact on brand favorability – despite fears of “brand safety.”
• For more on Stagwell’s SPORT BEACH buzz, see this link.

ICYMI

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• Stagwell’s chairman-CEO discusses political ads, AI, the pitch environment, Elon Musk and more
• Instagram users more often endorse the platform following political content limits
• Clio Sports Honors Athletes From Stagwell Sport Beach at Cannes

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:

PICKLEBALL SCORES TOP MOMENTUM

Professional pickleball has the greatest momentum among emerging professional sports leagues, based on our Harris Poll research with Allison.

• Professional pickleball has a momentum score of 59.41 in the new index, followed by women’s hockey (56.63), flag football (55.30), lacrosse (54.79) and surfing (54.40) with the greatest buzz and new interest.
• 25% of Americans who have an interest in these pro sports are new fans (with less than three years of fandom), and 40% would watch more pickleball, lacrosse, women’s soccer and surfing if content were available.
• 60% of Americans – including 58% of men – say they are excited to see the growth of women’s sports.
• Case in point: Between February and May, the WNBA saw significant increases in metrics and self-identified fans (from 46.22 in February to 52.79 in May).

62% FAVOR AI REGULATION

Americans are split on whether companies or the government has ultimate responsibility for AI, yet consumers are clear on the need to regulate this technology, according to Stagwell’s National Research Group.

• 62% favor strict AI oversight to protect consumers and society.
• 71% say companies should be legally liable for AI-driven decisions.
• Support is not politically polarized: 73% of Republicans and 70% of Democrats believe companies should be legally liable for decisions they make using AI.
• The desire for regulation is fueled by anxiety about AI’s potential consequences: 66% fear threats to the democratic process, and 60% are concerned about job losses.
• Overall, Americans want companies to slow down to ensure AI is implemented responsibly and to be more transparent when AI is used. In fact, 48% want disclosure of AI when it is used for video content creation, and 40% want more disclosure of AI-based customer service interactions.

GOING INTO DEBT TO BE BEAUTIFUL

Beauty spending has exploded since the pandemic, and many Americans believe trips to Ulta and Sephora are essential for professional success – even if it means going into debt, based on our Harris Poll research with NerdWallet.

• 75% of Americans say the “pretty privilege” – personal and professional advantages for those perceived as beautiful – is real.
• 75% say social media has made the focus on beauty – and, by extension, beauty spending – worse.
• 31% consider beauty products and services they buy as essential in their budget.
• 14% pay for beauty products with a credit card that they didn’t pay off by the due date.
• 9% use “buy now, pay later” services.

SEEING AROUND CORNERS IN CANNES

The Stagwell team will be on the beach – Sport Beach – during the Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity next week. This includes Wednesday’s “Seeing around corners: What’s ahead for B2B and B2C communicators and marketers.” The session will answer “what’s next?” with insights from: NBA legend and wine entrepreneur Carmelo Anthony; sports business executive and founder of ‘I Am Wholehearted’ Asani Swann; Axios’ Sara Fischer; LinkedIn’s Ty Heath; Sesame Workshop’s Samantha Maltin, and Harris Poll’s John Gerzema – moderated by Stagwell’s Ray Day. 

• Joe Burrow, Eric Cantona, Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce are among a roster of sports icons joining the Stagwell discussions. Other highlights from Stagwell’s Cannes agenda:
• “What CMOs need to know about the mental health crisis”
• “Whose job is it anyways? Driving equity in sports”
• “Why brands can’t afford to ignore gaming”
• If you will be in Cannes and are not yet registered to be with Stagwell on Sport Beach, please reach out to Alexis.Williams@Stagwellglobal.com.

ICYMI

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

• Why Your Website Needs Motion, According to a Digital Transformation Expert
• What media and entertainment execs are saying about generative AI
• 3 questions job applicants say they want to be asked
• Many U.S. Women Unhappy With Maternal Health Care, Poll Finds
• 76% of Retail Investors More Likely to Vote Their Proxy If Offered a Shareholder Perk

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:

SCHOOL’S OUT AND SO ARE TEACHERS’ SAVINGS

School’s out for summer, and the majority (61%) of American teachers are stressed about their finances – with many looking for a second job or considering leaving their job for one that pays more, according to our Harris Poll research with DailyPay.

• 42% of teachers say they find it challenging to pay bills on time.
• 27% say they ran out of money between paychecks in the past year.
• 22% say they had to secure a second job or side hustle to make ends meet.
• 27% say they have considered leaving their current job for one that pays more.
• 70% of teachers say it would be helpful to be paid more frequently than twice per month.

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED – TO SAVE MONEY

8 in 10 Americans (84%) are planning to travel this summer, yet 66% say the economy has forced them to scale back or “swap” travel plans, according to our Harris Poll survey with Intrepid Travel.

• For 74% of those surveyed, “summer swaps” or “dupe destinations” popularized on TikTok are now the plan, as travelers seek out less-trodden alternatives to popular hot spots to save money.
• 64% plan to take a trip with family.
• 42% will seek a new destination, while 40% will take a repeat vacation.
• 67% will travel within the United States.
• 25% report less interest in traveling to classic Southern European summer destinations like Italy and France and are, instead, swapping out for South America.
• When it comes to the best advice on where to vacation, 61% rely on recommendations from friends and family.
• 54% believe generative AI could be a game changer for vacation planning in the future, with 25% already using AI for travel.
• SEE ALSO: Have points, will travel: Survey shows generational and gender differences in how Americans vacation

WHAT’S IN YOUR WALLET?

Older Americans tend to use credit as a strategy for racking up points, while young people are using it to get by, based on our new Harris Poll survey with NerdWallet.

• 44% of Boomers use credit cards to accumulate rewards or cash back.
• 22% of Gen Z and Millennials use a credit card to pay for necessities, such as groceries and bills, because they do not have enough cash on hand.
• 27% carry a monthly balance on at least one credit card.
• 33% feel better about their ability to manage their debt now than they did a year ago.
• Yet 58% of Gen Z and 57% of Millennials have been charged a late fee in the past year (versus 32% of Gen X and 13% of Boomers).

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:

AMERICANS DON’T TRUST SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES WITH AI

With AI reshaping the economy and culture, Americans have high bars for the companies that should be handling this new technology, according to our 2024 Axios Harris Poll 100.

• The U.S. public trusts tech companies leading the generative AI wave – including Nvidia, Microsoft and (to a much lesser extent) OpenAI – more than social media platforms Meta, ByteDance (TikTok) and X.
• Nvidia is a newcomer to the reputation list in 2024 and also No. 1 in overall reputation, “vision” and “growth.”
• Social media companies overall have fallen behind the rest of Big Tech both in terms of value to investors and public perception. ByteDance (TikTok) scored a poor reputation score of 60.7 (#95 on the list), Meta a very poor score of 59.6 (#97), and X/Twitter very poor at 58.8 (#99).
• While 58% of Americans recognize the importance of integrating AI into products, only 30% said they are more likely to buy a product or service just because it uses AI.

BOEING NOT GROUNDING AIRLINE REPUTATIONS

Boeing’s corporate reputation took another significant hit this year, but it’s not affecting airlines, based on our Axios Harris Poll 100.

• Boeing’s reputation fell to a “fair” level of 65.9, down 13.5% from 76.2 and a “very good” reputation last year.
• Delta Air Lines is tied for the best airline on the list – with a “good” reputation rating of 74.4, compared with 74.9 last year.
• Alaska Airlines also is rated “good” at 74.4 – making the list for the first time, likely in response to its strong handling of the Boeing crisis.
• Southwest Airlines also is rated “good” and improved to 72.8 from 71.9 last year.
• While they did not make the list of America’s most visible companies for 2024, American Airlines’ and United Airlines’ reputations are straddling a good-to-fair rating.
• 80% blame Boeing for the Alaska Airlines door malfunction, and 75% say they know enough about the situation to attribute blame.

DIG DEEPER INTO CORPORATE REPUTATION

Overall, corporate handling of inflation and culture wars are denting the reputations for more than 70% of American companies in the Axios-Harris Poll 100 annual ranking of the reputations of the most visible U.S. companies. If you and your company/team would like a briefing on this year’s corporate reputation results – including data on many companies that did not make the 100 most visible list – please contact Alexis Williams.

WEDDING PARTY EXPECTATIONS ‘OUT OF CONTROL’

As wedding season kicks into gear, 65% of Americans say expectations of wedding party members are out of control, and 75% worry weddings have become more about parties than marriage, based on our Harris Poll research with Fast Company.

• While 94% say they had a positive experience the most recent time they were in a wedding party, 66% of bridesmaids and groomsmen are shocked by how expensive it is.
• 87% feel that wedding expenses are “ridiculous.”
• Among the most common duties of wedding party members: 33% plan or host a bachelor/bachelorette party; 31% decorate, set up or clean up the wedding space; and 25% give a speech.
• Those who have participated in a wedding in the past five years report spending $2,795 on average – an increase from $2,576 five years ago and $1,157 10 years ago.

ICYMI

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

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• Stagwell Sport Beach at Cannes Lands Kelce Brothers and Other Sports Stars

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 DENTS CORPORATE REPUTATION

Corporate handling of inflation and culture wars are denting the reputations for more than 70% of American companies, and the public has a higher bar for corporate excellence than ever. Those are among the insights of the Axios-Harris Poll 100, the 26th annual ranking of the reputations of the most visible U.S. companies, which was released by Stagwell and The Harris Poll this week.

• Nvidia, 3M, Fidelity, Sony and Adidas have the top-five best reputations in America.
• Social media platforms and companies viewed as politically polarizing are the ones with the poorest reputations or that suffered the steepest declines. This year, The Trump Organization, X (formerly Twitter), Spirit Airlines, Meta/Facebook and Fox Corporation are at the bottom, with poor reputations.
• 63 of the 89 companies (or 71%) see a decline of half a point or more.
• Only 15 companies (17%) see an improvement of half a point or more.
• Top reasons for declining reputations include: companies not doing enough to keep prices fair from inflation (26%); poor ethical behavior related to unfair pricing and passing along costs or suppressing wages/lack of hiring despite profit-making (20%); and too much focus on cultural issues not important to consumers (18%).
• 72% believe companies are taking advantage of inflation to increase their profit margins rather than being fair and transparent with the prices they charge.
• To improve reputation, Americans believe companies should: be more focused on keeping prices fair during inflation (53%); improve product quality, safety and consumer satisfaction (48%); and pay good wages while promoting economic growth through job creation (48%) – rather than ESG (23%), AI (13%) or taking proactive stances on societal or culture issues.
• Biggest individual company gainers: BP, Hobby Lobby, Fidelity, Subway and eBay.
• Biggest decliners: Boeing, Shein, Reddit, Starbucks and Anheuser-Busch.
• New to the list: Nvidia, Mattel, Novo Nordisk, Bayer and Alaska Airlines.
• LEARN MORE: If you and your company/team would like a briefing on this year’s corporate reputation results – including data on many companies that did not make the 100 most visible list – please contact Alexis Williams.

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.

• 33% of Americans say the country is on the right track (compared with 34% a month ago), and 34% say the economy is on the right track (compared with 35% last month).
• 48% say their personal financial situation is becoming worse (compared with 48% a month ago), while 28% say it is improving (compared with 29% a month ago).
• Inflation is far and away the most important issue to voters personally, 25 points higher than immigration, the second choice.
• 52% of Hispanic Americans and 42% of Asian Americans say their personal financial situation is getting worse.
• 79% believe student protesters should be removed from college campuses through detainment or arrest if they become violent or damage university property (64% for ages 18-24 and 92% for ages 65+).

AFRAID TO TAKE PTO

Employees are struggling with burnout, yet they also feel guilty about taking time off, according to The Harris Poll’s new “Out of Office Culture Report.”

• 83% say they are happy with their employer’s time-off policy, and 60% receive more than 10 days off a year.
• 78% don’t use all of their days off: The average American took 15 days off last year, although half have more than 15 days off available.
• Half of employees said they become nervous asking to take time off. This increases to 61% for Millennials.
• 76% said they wished their employer placed more emphasis on the value of taking time off.
• While 62% of people say being out of office means not working, 60% say they struggle to fully disconnect, and 56% have taken work calls or meetings during their time off.
• Nearly 90% of employees said they read emails from their boss during their time away.
• Employees are coming up with their own work-arounds: 31% have moved their mouse to keep their status active on their company messaging system.
• 30% have scheduled messages to send outside of working hours to create the impression they are working longer.
• 28% have taken time off without telling their manager.

ICYMI

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

• Navigating the AI Brand Dilemma: A comprehensive guide to consumer expectations, anxieties and brand distrust in a new era of AI
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• 74% of Gen Z and Millennials Prefer Original Content Over Franchises
• Baby Boomers look to TripAdvisor to chase away their winter blues

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:

ADVERTISING AND NEWS GOOD FOR BUSINESS AND DEMOCRACY

Americans are smart enough to know the difference between a news story and an ad, and many fears about the “brand safety” of advertising are unwarranted, according to new Stagwell research on the “Future of News.”

• In a study of 50,000 U.S. adults, Stagwell examined the concept of brand safety – the measures taken to ensure a brand’s advertisements do not appear alongside editorial content that could potentially harm that brand’s reputation.
• The data reveal that ads placed adjacent to news topics like politics, inflation and crime perform as effectively as those placed next to business, entertainment and sports stories.
• 25% of Americans today consider themselves “news junkies,” 23% “sports junkies” and 17% “entertainment junkies.”
• Among Gen Z, average purchase intent for brands with ads placed next to high-quality news articles on the Middle East conflict was 65%, compared with 66% for inflation and 67% for crime – differences that are statistically insignificant.
• Purchase intent was 69% for sports – widely considered a “safe” news topic – illustrating a minimal 4 percentage point difference between the “riskiest” and “safest” topics.
• Among affluent Americans, average favorability for brands with ads placed next to high-quality, yet political news articles on former President Trump and President Biden were each 72% – just 2 percentage points less than brands with ads were placed next to a non-political entertainment story.
• Recognizing that news is the foundation of a thriving democracy and a critical communications and marketing vehicle, Stagwell also is launching a series of Future of News studies and events to fuel discussions on the importance of advertising for a thriving news industry.
• To get a copy of the research, visit the Stagwell Future of News webpage. 

SOUTHERNERS DON’T SPLURGE ON STREAMING

If you live in the south or are Gen X or a Boomer, you likely spend the least on streaming each month, based on our Harris Poll study with Tubi.

• Residents in the country’s 16 states across the South are saving $111 annually compared with people in the Northeast, who spend the most at nearly $685 per year, or $57 a month.
• 53% of Gen Z and Millennials believe they are overspending on streaming services each month.
• Gen Z and Millennials spend $57 a month on average on streaming.
• That is higher than the $45 Gen X and Boomers spend on streaming.
• 27% of Gen Z and Millennials say they use more streaming services now than they plan to use in the future.
• 58% of consumers would rather have a free streaming account that is theirs than have a paid subscription they have to share with others.

BUY NOW PAY LATER CREATING PHANTOM DEBT ISSUE

“Buy now, pay later” (BNPL) is increasingly popular, yet it’s also racking up “phantom debt” that is difficult to track, according to new Harris Poll research with Bloomberg.

• Americans saving for college think it will cost more than $77,000 – a debt they don’t expect to pay off until age 45.
• 54% of BNPL users say it allows them to purchase more than they can afford.
• 24% say their BNPL spending is “out of control.”
• 43% of BNPL users who owe money said they were behind on payments, and 28% said they were delinquent on other debt because of spending on the platforms.
• 48% say they have started or have considered using BNPL to pay bills or buy essential items, including gas and groceries

CHILD CARE REMAINS KEY STRESSOR FOR PARENTS

Parental burnout is rising due to worries about access to child care, according to our latest Harris Poll Parent Confidence Index with KinderCare.

• 71% of parents say they constantly are thinking about childcare issues, a 7 point increase from 2023.
• 50% say providing childcare coverage causes substantial stress.
• 61% want their employer to implement flexible start and end times – to make child care easier.
• 64% think their employer should offset the cost of childcare.
• 88% believe access to consistent, high-quality childcare would improve their mental health.
• See also: Mothers cannot work without child care, so why aren’t more companies helping?

2024 CORPORATE REPUTATION RANKINGS

Stagwell’s Harris Poll and Axios will release the 2024 annual corporate reputation rankings next week.

• We are hosting an in-person working lunch for business leaders at Stagwell’s offices in New York City beginning at noon ET Wednesday, May 22.
• Joined by leaders from Stagwell and The Harris Poll, we will discuss what the latest reputation results mean for business, communications and marketing.
• Those who attend will receive detailed reputation insights, including specific data across industries and companies.
• If you would like an invitation to attend, please e-mail Alexis.Williams@stagwellglobal.com.

ICYMI

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

• New study reveals that Gen Z believes most in dealer relevance and online vehicle buying processes
• Harris Poll shows slight uptick in those who plan to buy houses
• Swing state voters on the crypto biz
• The $3bn question: What brands can learn from political campaign