DEMOCRATIC PARTY APPROVAL REMAINS UNDERWATER WITH 71% OF VOTERS SAYING IT NEEDS NEW MODERATE LEADERS
79% OF VOTERS WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET BY REDUCING EXPENDITURES BUT NEARLY HALF ARE UNSURE BY HOW MUCH
ELON MUSK FAVORABILITY DROPS FROM NEUTRAL TO 10-POINT NET UNFAVORABLE
NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) today released the results of the March Harvard CAPS / Harris poll, a monthly collaboration between the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard (CAPS) and the Harris Poll and HarrisX.
In his second month in office, President Donald Trump’s approval rating is at 49%, 3 points lower than February 2025, with majority approval among Republican, male, 25-64 y.o., white, and rural voters. Most of his policies continue to see strong support, with the deportation of illegal immigrants who have committed crimes (80%), closing the border (74%), and eliminating fraud and waste in government expenditures (72%) most popular. Tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada (50%) and renaming the Gulf of Mexico (39%) are his least popular policies. This month’s poll also covered public opinion on immigration, separation of powers, the budget, tariffs, and U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and Ukraine. Download key results here.
“There’s still strong support for most of Trump’s policies while Democratic Party approval continues to nosedive,” said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. “Opinions are still in formation as people are unsure how tariffs will affect the economy, but voters generally believe he is doing a better job than Biden.”
GENERAL MOOD ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY REMAINS MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN BIDEN TERM
- 38% of voters say the U.S. economy is on the right track, consistent with last month and up 10 points from January 2025.
- 33% of voters say their personal financial situation is improving (+2 pts. from February 2025), though more Democrats, Independents, women, 18-24 year-olds, Hispanics, and rural voters feel their situation worsening than improving.
- Inflation, the economy, and immigration remain the top three issues for voters, with 43% of voters saying inflation is the most important issue to them personally.
TRUMP APPROVAL RATINGS SEE SLIGHT DROP FROM LAST MONTH; KEY REPUBLICANS SEE MIXED FAVORABILITY
- 42% of voters say Trump is doing worse than expected (+7 pts, Feb. 2025), but 54% say Trump is doing a better job than Joe Biden as President (Democrats: 19%; Republicans: 89%; Independents: 50%).
- Trump’s approval ratings on key issues have dropped across the board, with voters most approving of his performance on immigration (53%), reducing the cost of the government (49%), and returning America to its values (49%).
- Voters have a more favorable view of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (+7 more favorable than unfavorable), and a more unfavorable view of Elon Musk (-10) and Pete Hegseth (-5). Voters are split on Marco Rubio and Trump.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY APPROVAL RATINGS REMAIN AT RECORD-LOW; MOST SAY THE PARTY NEEDS NEW MODERATE LEADERS
- 37% of voters approve of the Democratic Party (the lowest since at least March 2018 aside from February 2025 (36%)), with the majority of voter groups other than Democrats and Black voters disapproving. 34% of Democrats and 43% of Black voters disapprove.
- 71% of voters say the Democratic Party needs new moderate figures to lead the party into the 2026 midterms and 2028 election, including 57% of Democrat voters.
- 55% of voters support moderate Democrats who are willing to compromise with Trump on issues (Democrats: 27%; Republicans: 78%; Independents: 59%) over Democrats who want to fight harder against the administration.
- 57% of voters approve of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats supporting the GOP spending bill that funds the government until September 30 rather than holding the line on Democratic demands risking government shutdown (Democrats: 46%; Republicans: 71%; Independents: 51%).
MIXED VIEWS ON CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF ILLEGAL, STUDENT VISA, AND GREEN CARD MIGRANTS
- 58% of voters support birthright U.S. citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants (Democrats: 80%; Republicans: 40%; Independents: 56%), with 64% and a majority across parties believing it to be a constitutional requirement.
- 62% of voters say illegal immigrants should not have the same First Amendment rights as U.S. citizens and should be subject to deportation if they support causes counter to U.S. foreign policy.
- But 53% of voters say legal migrants on student visas have such rights, and 63% of voters say the same for green card holders (Democrats: 75%; Republicans: 40%; Independents: 64%).
- 69% of voters believe the federal government should have the authority to revoke green cards and deport individuals if it can prove active support for U.S.-designated terrorist organizations like Hamas (Democrats: 55%; Republican: 86%; Independents: 64%).
MAJORITY OF VOTERS BELIEVE POWER TO HALT A NATIONWIDE PROGRAM SHOULD BE RESERVED FOR A PANEL OF MULTIPLE JUDGES
- 56% of voters say the administration is exceeding its authority and getting hit with fair injunctions restraining its powers (Democrats: 73%; Republicans: 40%; Independents: 56%).
- 52% of voters say the president should be able to deport suspected members of Venezuelan criminal gangs without a court trial.
- 50% of voters believe a federal judge has the authority to turn around military planes under suspicion of wrongful immigration procedures.
- 52% of voters say federal judges are in general acting appropriately within their authority (Democrats: 66%; Republicans: 41%; Independents: 49%).
- But 69% of voters and a majority across parties say the power to halt a nationwide program should be reserved for a panel of judges rather than a single federal judge.
AMERICANS WANT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET AND CUT DOWN GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES BUT DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH TO CUT AND WHETHER MUSK AND DOGE ARE HELPING
- The majority of voters continue to say the current level of U.S. federal government debt is unsustainable (68%), the government should move to balance the budget in the next few years (83%), and it should do so by reducing government expenditures rather than increasing taxes (79%). But the plurality of voters (47%) are unsure how much expenditure to cut.
- 63% of voters perceive government expenditures are filled with waste, fraud, and inefficiency.
- 68% of voters support the goal of cutting $1 trillion of government expenditures, but only 42% believe Musk and DOGE will be able to hit the goal by the end of the year.
- 56% of voters say DOGE and Musk are helping make major cuts in government expenditures (Democrats: 33%; Republicans: 83%; Independents: 50%).
VOTERS BELIEVE U.S. SHOULD RESET TRADE AND TARIFF POLICIES WITH CHINA, MEXICO, AND CANADA
- Voters are split on whether Trump’s tariffs will end on better terms for the U.S. (51%) or if they will be counterproductive and worsen the economy (49%).
- 59% of voters say the U.S. should reset trade and tariff policies with China, Mexico, and Canada (Democrats: 45%; Republicans: 72%; Independents: 60%).
- The majority of voters believe China (67%) and Mexico (53%) are taking advantage of the U.S. in trade and tariff policies, while 54% believe Canada is acting fairly.
U.S. ACTIONS AGAINST IRAN AND HOUTHI TERRORISTS RECEIVE SUPPORT BUT MOST SAY IT WAS WRONG TO HOLD DISCUSSION ON SIGNAL APP
- Support for Israel over Hamas in the conflict (77%) remains unchanged. 54% of voters support Trump’s handling of the conflict (+21 points, Biden in January 2025).
- 72% of voters support destroying Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities, and 59% of voters say the U.S. should support Israel in airstrikes to do so.
- 71% of voters support the administration’s air strikes against Houthi terrorists who were firing missiles at U.S. warships and blocking shipping at the Suez Canal (Democrats: 58%; Republicans: 86%; Independents: 68%), with 60% of voters agreeing the U.S. was right to engage rather than leave it to Europe.
- 60% of voters, however, say it was wrong to hold the discussion on Houthi strikes over the Signal app. 56% believe the journalist was added deliberately.
- 54% of voters think the Signal app incident is a big deal with major ramifications (Democrats: 70%; Republicans: 41%; Independents: 52%) and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz should be fired.
MOST VOTERS WANT AN END TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE BUT ATTITUDES TOWARD TRUMP NEGOTIATIONS ARE MIXED
- 70% of voters want Ukraine to negotiate a settlement over continuing the war against Russia.
- 56% of voters are satisfied with how Trump is managing negotiations to end the war.
- 53% of voters do not perceive Trump as abandoning Ukraine in favor of Russia (Democrats: 29%; Republicans: 73%; Independents: 55%).
- Voters are split on whether Trump has been too tough on dealing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Too tough: 35%; Not tough enough: 34%; About right: 31%), but a majority (61%) think he has not been tough enough on dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The March Harvard CAPS / Harris poll survey was conducted online within the United States on March 26-27, 2025, among 2,746 registered voters by The Harris Poll and HarrisX. Follow the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll podcast at https://www.markpennpolls.com/ or on iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.
About The Harris Poll & HarrisX
The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing.
HarrisX is a technology-driven market research and data analytics company that conducts multi-method research in the U.S. and over 40 countries around the world on behalf of Fortune 100 companies, public policy institutions, global leaders, NGOs and philanthropic organizations. HarrisX was the most accurate pollster of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
About the Harvard Center for American Political Studies
The Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) is committed to and fosters the interdisciplinary study of U.S. politics. Governed by a group of political scientists, sociologists, historians, and economists within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, CAPS drives discussion, research, public outreach, and pedagogy about all aspects of U.S. politics. CAPS encourages cutting-edge research using a variety of methodologies, including historical analysis, social surveys, and formal mathematical modeling, and it often cooperates with other Harvard centers to support research training and encourage cross-national research about the United States in comparative and global contexts. More information at https://caps.gov.harvard.edu/.
Contact:
Carrie Hsu
pr@stagwellglobal.com
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DEMOCRATIC PARTY APPROVAL HITS A RECORD LOW AT 36%, NOW 15 POINTS LOWER THAN THE GOP
72% OF VOTERS SUPPORT THE EXISTENCE OF A U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY FOCUSED ON EFFICIENCY INITIATIVES
VOTERS WANT UKRAINE TO NEGOTIATE A SETTLEMENT WITH RUSSIA, BUT MOST ARE OPPOSED TO TERRITORIAL CONCESSIONS AND WANT THE U.S. TO GIVE SECURITY GUARANTEES
NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) today released the results of the February Harvard CAPS / Harris poll, a monthly collaboration between the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard (CAPS) and the Harris Poll and HarrisX.
In his first month in office, President Donald Trump’s approval rating is at 52%, with voters most satisfied with his job on immigration, reducing the cost of the government, and returning America to its values. The majority of voters support Trump’s policies on the border, focus on government expenditures, gender, DEI, and offshore drilling but have concerns on his foreign policies involving tariffs, the Israel-Hamas war, and the war in Ukraine. Download key results here.
“People are taking a generally positive wait-and-see attitude for Trump but have really reassessed their attitudes toward Biden, Harris, and the Democrats, taking a much harsher, more negative attitude,” said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. “Trump has a real opportunity here – we’re seeing a healthy, trudging approval edging toward real approval based on how the next couple of months turn out.”
VOTERS FEELING MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT DIRECTION OF COUNTRY AND ECONOMY
- 42% of voters say the country is on the right track, up 14 points from January 2025 (Democrats: 21% (-9); Republicans: 71% (+37); Independents: 31% (+12)).
- 31% of voters say their personal financial situation is improving (+5), particularly among Republican, male, Black, and urban voters.
- Inflation and immigration remain the top two issues for voters, with a 6-point increase in concern over corruption.
TRUMP AND THE REPUBLICANS START SECOND TERM WITH NET FAVORABLE RATINGS
- Donald Trump’s favorability stands at 50%, with a net favorable of +7 points.
- More voters have a favorable rather than unfavorable view of key cabinet members such Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (+9), J.D. Vance (+4), and Tulsi Gabbard (+3).
- Voters are split on Elon Musk and Mike Johnson.
- The Democratic Party received its lowest approval rating since at least March 2018, with 33% of Democrats, 86% Republicans, and 70% Independents disapproving. 49% of voters approve of the Republican Party (+1). 36% of voters approve of Congress (+5).
TRUMP POLICIES RECEIVE MAJORITY SUPPORT BUT FACE CONCERN OVER INFLATION AND DIVISIVENESS
- All of Trump’s key policies received majority support except for renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, with deportation of illegal immigrants who have committed crimes (81%), eliminating fraud and waste in government expenditures (76%), and closing the border (76%) as the top three most supported policies.
- 55% of voters support birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants, with 63% believing it is a requirement in the U.S. constitution, breaking with Trump on the issue.
- 70% of voters believe the government should make hiring decisions based on merit and objective evaluation rather than to achieve diversity. 51% of voters say Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion departments are needed in government.
- 40% of voters say Trump’s policies will make them financially better off, while 36% believe Trump’s policies will make them worse off. 46% of voters say Trump’s policies will increase inflation.
- 54% of voters are worried that Trump’s actions will divide the country (Democrats: 82%; Republicans: 20%; Independents: 61%).
VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT CUTTING DOWN GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES BUT ARE SENSITIVE AROUND DATA PRIVACY
- 67% of voters say the current level of U.S. federal government debt is unsustainable.
- 83% of voters favor reducing government expenditures over increasing taxes, and 77% say a full examination of all government expenditures is necessary.
- 70% of voters say government expenditures are filled with waste, fraud, and inefficiency (Democrats: 58%; Republicans: 78%; Independents: 75%), and 69% support the goal of cutting $1 trillion of government expenditures.
- 60% of voters think DOGE is helping make major cuts in government expenditures.
- 58% of voters say DOGE employees should not have access to sensitive information on Americans who benefit from government expenditure programs; including names, social security numbers, addresses, and incomes (Democrats: 75%; Republicans: 39%; Independents: 63%).
TARIFFS SEE MAJORITY SUPPORT BUT VOTERS SPLIT OVER CONCERN ON WHETHER THEY WILL HARM OR HELP
- 57% of voters say tariffs are an effective foreign and economic policy tool. The plurality of voters (44%) believe tariffs on imported goods will increase U.S. government revenue.
- 62% of voters believe tariffs will raise prices of everyday goods (Democrats: 75%; Republicans: 50%; Independents: 62%).
- 54% of voters say tariffs will help the Trump administration get concessions from other countries, but 49% of voters say the recent tariffs on Mexican, Canadian, and Chinese imports will harm rather than help, and 46% of voters say his tariffs on steel and aluminum imports will do harm.
- 61% of voters support reciprocal tariffs, with voters split on whether they will harm or help. 53% of voters believe reciprocal tariffs will cause other countries to lower their tariffs on U.S. goods.
THE MAJORITY OF VOTERS SUPPORT ENDING THE WAR IN UKRAINE, BUT OPPOSE LEAVING OUT UKRAINE AND EUROPEAN LEADERS FROM NEGOTIATIONS
- 72% of voters say they want Ukraine to negotiate a settlement with Russia instead of winning the war. 60% of voters favor Trump announcing direct U.S.-Russia negotiations (Democrats: 40%; Republicans: 85%; Independents: 53%).
- 59% of voters oppose the Trump administration leaving Ukraine’s leaders out of negotiations with Russia. 55% of voters oppose the exclusion of European leaders.
- 57% of voters oppose the Trump administration forcing Ukraine to make territorial concessions to end the war, and 66% of voters say Ukraine should receive security guarantees from the U.S. if it were to make concessions.
- 61% of voters say security guarantees should be contingent on Ukraine sharing revenue from rare earth elements to pay back U.S. military support.
- 63% of voters believe Russia will continue to advance onto other countries if it successfully claims Ukrainian territory.
VOTERS SPLIT ON WHETHER TRUMP WAS SERIOUS ABOUT THE U.S. TAKING OVER GAZA, BELIEVE IT IS A BAD IDEA
- 54% of voters support Trump’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict thus far.
- 67% of voters have heard of Trump’s proposal that the U.S. should take over Gaza to redevelop it. 47% of voters believe Trump was being serious, and 53% believe he was posturing to start negotiations.
- 70% of voters believe the U.S. taking over Gaza is a bad idea. 56% of voters oppose removing Palestinians from Gaza to rebuild the territory.
- Support for Israel over Hamas in the conflict remains high, with 77% of voters supporting Israel.
- 76% of voters say Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities should be destroyed. 57% of voters say the U.S. should support Israel in airstrikes on such facilities (Democrats: 45%; Republicans: 74%; Independents: 51%).
The February Harvard CAPS / Harris poll survey was conducted online within the United States on February 19-20, 2025, among 2,443 registered voters by The Harris Poll and HarrisX. Follow the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll podcast at https://www.markpennpolls.com/ or on iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.
About The Harris Poll & HarrisX
The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing.
HarrisX is a technology-driven market research and data analytics company that conducts multi-method research in the U.S. and over 40 countries around the world on behalf of Fortune 100 companies, public policy institutions, global leaders, NGOs and philanthropic organizations. HarrisX was the most accurate pollster of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
About the Harvard Center for American Political Studies
The Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) is committed to and fosters the interdisciplinary study of U.S. politics. Governed by a group of political scientists, sociologists, historians, and economists within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, CAPS drives discussion, research, public outreach, and pedagogy about all aspects of U.S. politics. CAPS encourages cutting-edge research using a variety of methodologies, including historical analysis, social surveys, and formal mathematical modeling, and it often cooperates with other Harvard centers to support research training and encourage cross-national research about the United States in comparative and global contexts. More information at https://caps.gov.harvard.edu/.
Contact:
Carrie Hsu
pr@stagwellglobal.com
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By: Ray Day
CONTACT:
We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking (fielded Feb. 17-19):
WORRIES ABOUT ECONOMY MODERATE:
Today, 87% of Americans are concerned about the economy and inflation – down 3 points from last week and up from 82% in December.
- 80% worry about U.S. crime rates (down 4 points)
- 80% about a potential U.S. recession (down 2 points)
- 73% about political divisiveness (down 2 points)
- 72% about the War on Ukraine (no change)
- 68% about affording their living expenses (down 7 points)
- 55% about a new COVID-19 variant (no change)
- 46% about losing their jobs (down 1 point)
WORK FROM HOME BUT INTERVIEW IRL
A recent Harris Poll found that 41% of Americans are likely to consider pursuing a new job within the next six months. In our latest survey with American Staffing Association, remote employees like working from home, yet they want to meet their new boss face-to-face first.
- 70% of job seekers say they want to interview in person for a new job rather than a video (17%) or phone call (9%).
- 67% say they feel the need to modify their usual appearances in some way before a job interview.
- Before an interview, more Black Americans feel the need to shave their facial hair (33% versus 22% for White Americans), while both Hispanic (19%) and Black Americans (17%) also feel the need to cover tattoos (White 10%) and remove facial piercings (18% for Hispanic, 14% for Black and 9% for White).
COMMUNICATING MORE BUT NOT BETTER:
Today’s hybrid workplace is a whirlwind of communication – with employees spending more than 70% of their work week communicating on various channels. That’s up from last year – yet poor communications also is causing a steep decline in productivity and effectiveness, according to our “State of Business Communication: The Path to Productivity, Performance, and Profit” report with Grammarly.
- Employees are spending 9% more time communicating – 28.8 hours a week – compared with last year.
- Leaders report a 12% drop in the effectiveness of written communication over the same period and a 15% decline in productivity.
- This is causing employee stress – with workers reporting a 7% increase in stress due to poor communications compared with a year ago.
- 84% of business leaders are feeling the downsides of poor communication, with lower productivity, missed deadlines and increased costs ranking as the top three.
- Most leaders (60%) and nearly half (45%) of workers say personal connections have suffered in the hybrid workplace.
- 68% of leaders say they lost at least $10,000 or more in business in the past year due to poor communications. One in five also say poor communications eroded their brand credibility or reputation.
DOCTORS DON’T HAVE TIME FOR YOUR DATA
As patient portals become more common and telehealth data pours in from apps and wearables, doctors have more data than time, according to our survey with ZS.
- 71% of primary care physicians say they have more data than they can handle.
- The patient data problem is compounded by the fact that 57% of doctors report that technology flaws are a barrier to having better-connected health care.
- 86% of primary care physicians say that a lack of reimbursement for connecting health care is a hurdle.
ICYMI:
In case you missed it, check out some of the thought-leadership and happenings around Stagwell making news:
- February Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll: Perception of economy is improving but only a third believe it is on the right track
- All Generations Find Telehealth Beneficial, New CVS Health Data Shows
- Almost Two-Thirds of U.S. Doctors, Nurses Feel Burnt Out at Work
- Streamer ads performed well during the Super Bowl
As always, if helpful, we would be happy to provide more info on any of these data or insights. Please do not hesitate to reach out.
Thank you.
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MAJORITY OF VOTERS THINK BIDEN ACTED TOO SLOWLY ON CHINESE SPY BALLOON 69% OF VOTERS NOW THINK CHINA IS PLANNING TO INVADE TAIWAN WITHIN 3 YEARS
NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) today released the results of the February Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll, a monthly collaboration between the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard (CAPS) and the Harris Poll and HarrisX.
President Biden’s approval rating remains at 42% after a dramatic State of the Union that voters wanted to focus more on the economy. A majority of Americans want more answers on the Chinese surveillance balloon and are increasingly concerned about Chinese spying and a potential invasion of Taiwan. Download key results from the poll here.
“President Biden didn’t get a bump from the State of the Union because it was designed to keep moderate Democrats in the fold, not reach outside the base,” said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard-CAPS Harris Poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. “China and Taiwan may become the biggest foreign policy issue in the next election cycle as Americans put a premium on a president who can deter growing Chinese aggression. The presidential race is still in early stages but we already see the theme will be the old guard fighting to keep their power against a new guard wondering if it’s their time.”
BIDEN HASN’T RECEIVED A BUMP FROM THE STATE OF THE UNION
- Biden’s State of the Union was received in a partisan manner: voters were split 50-50 on whether they found the speech favorable, and his approval rating remains at 42%.
- 35% of voters said they did not watch any of the speech.
- Voters said they wanted Biden to focus his speech more on inflation, the economy, and immigration.
- On Biden’s back-and-forth with Republicans on entitlements: 56% of voters believe Republican members of Congress are trying to cut Social Security and Medicare.
VOTERS CONTINUE TO WANT SPENDING CURBS INCLUDING SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM
- Most voters continue to side with the Republicans on the looming debt ceiling fight: 62% want Congress to raise the limit only with spending constraints, and 63% think Democrats should negotiate.
- Voters acknowledge Medicare and Social Security can’t continue without change: 57% think Medicare and Social Security do need reforms to remain solvent.
NIKKI HALEY GETS SOME MOMENTUM IN AN OPEN REPUBLICAN FIELD
- Nikki Haley rises after her presidential campaign announcement although most voters are still not familiar with her: among GOP voters she rose to third place in a potential GOP primary that does not feature Trump.
- Ron DeSantis is slipping slightly: among GOP voters he dropped 10 points in a potential GOP primary without Trump although he is still the frontrunner.
- The GOP field is wide open: only 54% of Republican and Independent voters think Trump will win the GOP primary if he runs.
AMERICANS ARE CHINA HAWKS ON SURVEILLANCE BALLOON AND ARE WORRIED ABOUT TAIWAN
- The shot-down surveillance balloon is a major concern to Americans: 66% of voters think it represented a challenge to US sovereignty by China.
- Americans thought Biden did too little in response: 63% think the Biden administration acted too slowly in shooting down the balloon.
- Americans also want more answers on the balloon and subsequent shot-down aerial objects: 82% support Congress investigating, and 75% want Biden to disclose what the administration knows.
- Americans are concerned about China’s aggression in other areas: 69% of voters think China is planning to invade Taiwan in the next 3 years.
AMERICANS DOUBT BIDEN ON FOREIGN POLICY ACROSS THE WORLD
- Biden’s foreign policy approval is low: 40% of voters think Biden has not done a good job on foreign policy including Afghanistan, Ukraine, and China – compared to 27% who think he has done a good job.
- 56% of voters think Biden is not up to handling challenges from China, Russia, and Iran.
AMERICANS STILL SUPPORT BIG TECH BUT ARE SUSPICIOUS OF TIKTOK
- 60-70% of voters do not want Big Tech companies (Google, Facebook, Amazon, or Microsoft) to be broken up.
- TikTok faces more suspicion: 59% of voters think TikTok spies on its US users.
- Voters are split on a full TikTok ban: 46% think TikTok should be allowed to operate in the US only if the app undergoes regular security reviews of its code base; 42% support a total ban.
- The FTC is seen as partisan: 48% of voters think it acts as a Democratic agency.
The February Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll survey was conducted online within the United States from February 15-16, 2023, among 1,838 registered voters by The Harris Poll and HarrisX. Follow the Harvard CAPS Harris Poll podcast at https://www.markpennpolls.com/ or on iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.
About The Harris Poll
The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing.
About the Harvard Center for American Political Studies
The Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) is committed to and fosters the interdisciplinary study of U.S. politics. Governed by a group of political scientists, sociologists, historians, and economists within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, CAPS drives discussion, research, public outreach, and pedagogy about all aspects of U.S. politics. CAPS encourages cutting-edge research using a variety of methodologies, including historical analysis, social surveys, and formal mathematical modeling, and it often cooperates with other Harvard centers to support research training and encourage cross-national research about the United States in comparative and global contexts. More information at https://caps.gov.harvard.edu/.
Media Contact:
Sarah Arvizo
pr@stagwellglobal.com
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Former CCO of the Virgin Group brings decades of communications experience and expertise to lead Stagwell’s Risk & Reputation practice; joins Sloane as Senior Managing Director –
NEW YORK – Feb. 3, 2023 – Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing, and Sloane & Company (“Sloane”), a Stagwell company and an industry leader at the forefront of corporate and financial communications, have appointed Nick Fox as Stagwell’s new head of the company’s recently launched Risk and Reputation Unit. In his combined role at both companies, Fox will serve as senior managing director for Sloane.
Fox assumes his new role after a 14-year tenure at The Virgin Group, where he served as the company’s director of external relations, and, later, chief communications officer—overseeing the growth and protection of Virgin’s brand around the world. In addition to advising CEOs across Virgin’s partnerships in mobile, travel, health, space, and other sectors, Fox also managed the rollout of Virgin Galactic’s initial public offering in 2019 and that of Virgin Orbit in 2021. Following his departure from Virgin in December 2021, Fox has continued to provide strategic communications counsel for a range of clientele, with a primary focus on brand building, risk management and corporate reputation.
“Nick is an incredible addition to the Stagwell team,” said Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn. “He brings a wealth of global communications knowledge – working at the senior-most levels of international business. Our Risk and Reputation business unit has already curated an impressive slate of experts to tackle the most sensitive issues facing business leaders today. I am confident that with Nick at the helm, this practice will continue to drive immense value and top-notch guidance for our clients and their stakeholders.”
As head of the Risk and Reputation Unit, Nick will advise clients on how to manage some of the most complex business issues facing companies now, from increasing geopolitical tensions to financial system pressure to political and social polarization.
“Fox’s extensive communications background in both the U.K. and European markets poises both Stagwell and Sloane to broaden their international reach to attract new business—while also bringing a fresh perspective to existing client work,” added Sloane & Company CEOs Darren Brandt and Whit Clay. “As more companies seek trusted communications partners that will get into the weeds with them and help them navigate the travails of the U.S. market—or perhaps gain access to it for the first time—we are confident that Nick’s unique skillset will position us for impressive growth and client success, both now and in the long-run.”
“The expert roundtable that Stagwell and Sloane are building represents a deep knowledge base that you don’t find in a traditional communications firm,” said Nick Fox. “The opportunity to engage with and draw from the corporate, financial, and political arenas will provide an extremely valuable service for global leaders and companies facing increasingly complex challenges today. I am looking forward to working with such an entrepreneurially minded group.”
Fox began his new position in February, splitting his time between New York City and Washington, D.C.
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By: Mark Penn
Originally Published on: Barron’s
About the author: Mark Penn is chairman and CEO of Stagwell, a technology-based global marketing services firm.
Technology’s Wild West era is coming to an end. For decades, American policy has been hands-off technology to let it grow and innovate. On the eve of the dawn of artificial intelligence and the metaverse, the bad taste consumers have of social media and its divisiveness suggests that more aggressive regulation is just around the corner.
The recent round of layoffs won’t do much to staunch consumers’ fears that technology is enabling the possibility of a surveillance state. Their concerns will accelerate movement on tech privacy, censorship, anticompetitiveness, and national security legislation in the U.S. and abroad in 2023.
Half of consumers in America fear that technology will undermine their personal freedoms over the next decade, and 70% worry that tech will give more power to big corporations. The younger generations are particularly suspicious of Big Tech. Elon Musk gave some journalists access to Twitter’s records after he bought the social company. The reports they produced, known as the Twitter Files, were a damning revelation that government officials were pulling the strings behind the curtain and that the tech companies were willingly obedient much of the time.
In a recent Harvard-Harris Poll, 70% of voters now support a national law to prevent corporate censorship. The saving grace for the tech industry may be that many Democrats believe that they have been benefiting from the censorship and will oppose such a law, not understanding that what goes around comes around. They will regret blocking this legislation when they believe that they are the ones being censored. I expect this to be a significant issue in the 2024 campaign.
If Big Brother colluding with Big Tech keeps consumers up at night, the thought of TikTok being a Trojan horse for Chinese influence and spying is catnip for Congress seeking to look tough on China. Before the close of the year, leaders let loose a rash of state-based restrictions on the use of the platform by government officials. The House banned its members and staff from downloading the app. TikTok has dozens of trends working against it: Democrats and Republicans are largely aligned on the need to curb China’s influence, the Biden administration’s negotiations with TikTok have stalled, and difficult news continues to leak that employees at TikTok have misused the app, most recently to spy on journalists. The company has said it doesn’t share data with Beijing, and it fired staff members that it said were involved in the spying incident.
Voters might be less invested in the diplomatic implications of a TikTok ban than your senator, but rest assured that if the government enacts an outright ban, consumers will be up in arms. TikTok is the fastest-growing social-media platform in the U.S. and has been taking ad-market share from its legacy competitors. Expect a compromise that allows TikTok to operate but puts restrictions on how it can use and distribute information.
Beyond the U.S., data-privacy regulations will mature in 2023, meaning that global businesses will face more severe restrictions as they do business across borders. Countries have moved to enact data-privacy regulations since the implementation of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation in 2018, and now more than 100 have rules in place, according to Forrester. By 2024, an estimated 75% of the world’s population will be covered under modern privacy regulations.
The good news is that businesses have tracked the “will they, won’t they” drama around Google’s plan to phase out user-tracking “cookies” long enough that they’ve found solutions to replace the tool—and have adjusted data-privacy standards. But a more bullish Federal Trade Commission, with a renewed focus on “harmful commercial surveillance and lax data security,” will mean that it isn’t time to rest on laurels. It’s unlikely that the U.S. will get a national standard like the proposed American Data Privacy Protection Act. But expect the FTC to oppose virtually any merger-and-acquisition activities in tech, even if the government loses its cases.
The impulse isn’t uniquely American. The EU is also taking anticompetitive action against tech giants with the adoption of the Digital Markets Act, which aims to curb the market power of dominant digital companies. We have yet to see alignment on comparable federal efforts in the U.S. but the FTC’s recent intervention into Microsoft’s Activision deal hints at more to come. The FTC will take on Google, too, for alleged anticompetitive practices, in September.
Big Tech remains a critical engine of economic opportunity and innovation. But once it began carrying news and political speech, the industry crossed a line that put it in politicians’ crosshairs. This eroded their traditionally loyal Republican free-market supporters as the Democrats were moving further to the left, taking on a more anti–big business flavor. The combination of these trends just may result in the first major year of regulation of the industry.
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DESANTIS WOULD BEAT TRUMP IN A PRIMARY HEAD-TOHEAD THAT INCLUDES GOP-LEANING INDEPENDENTS
TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICANS WANT STRICTER IMMIGRATION CONTROLS WHEN TOLD THE EXTENT OF BORDER CROSSINGS
NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) today released the results of the December Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll, a monthly collaboration between the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard (CAPS) and the Harris Poll and HarrisX.
Joe Biden’s approval rating remains steady at 42% as two-thirds of Americans think inflation is still increasing. Ron DeSantis continues his ascent as the poll shows him defeating Biden in a 2024 matchup for the first time.
Strong majorities of voters think Twitter shadowbanned users and engaged in political censorship during the 2020 election. Seventy percent also want new national laws protecting users from corporate censorship. Download key results from the poll, which includes more on free speech, immigration, and inflation, here.
“Americans continue to show they are looking for new leaders. Ron DeSantis strengthens his grip as the Republican alternative to Donald Trump, and Elon Musk is in some ways the new Trump as the outsider taking on the establishment,” said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard-CAPS Harris Poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. “Americans also want more information: they are buying the Musk argument that there is an information chokehold in this country, whether by Big Tech, government, or mainstream media.”
AMERICANS THINK INFLATION IS INCREASING AND WILL LINGER
- 66% of voters think inflation is increasing, and 61% of voters think inflation will continue for at least another year.
- But Americans see economic troubles easing slightly: the percentage of voters who think the economy is heading in the right track and who are optimistic about their lives next year both increased by 3 points.
- Voters are split on whether Biden’s policies caused inflation.
IT’S NOW A TWO-WAY GOP RACE BETWEEN TRUMP AND DESANTIS
- Trump is still the GOP frontrunner in an open field: 48% of GOP voters would choose him in a primary, compared to 25% for DeSantis.
- But in a GOP head-to-head, DeSantis defeats Trump by 4 points if GOP-leaning Independent voters are included; Trump wins the head-to-head by 10 points among only GOP voters.
- For the first time, the poll shows DeSantis defeating Biden in a 2024 matchup, by 4 points; Trump would also defeat Biden by 5 points.
VOTERS BELIEVE TWITTER ENGAGED IN POLITICAL CENSORSHIP AND ARE ROOTING FOR ELON MUSK
- Americans believe in the Twitter Files revelations: 64% think Twitter was secretly shadow banning users, and 64% also think Twitter engaged in political censorship during the 2020 election.
- Americans like Elon Musk: 61% think Musk is trying to clean up Twitter from abuses, and his personal favorability is 8 points above water.
- The Hunter Biden laptop story continues to generate controversy: 61% of voters think Twitter’s decision to ban tweets about the laptop was based on political bias; but 42%, including a majority of Democrats, believe the laptop is Russian disinformation.
- 70% of voters, including strong majorities across the political spectrum, support new national laws protecting internet users from corporate censorship.
AMERICANS THINK ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS A SERIOUS ISSUE BUT DON’T KNOW THE NUMBERS
- Voters are concerned about the effects of Biden’s immigration policies: 67% think they have encouraged illegal immigration, and 57% think they are increasing the flow of drugs and crime.
- Americans are unfamiliar with the extent of illegal immigration: 64% correctly said the number of illegal border crossings has increased under Biden, but the median voter underestimated that number by a factor of 10 (250-500 thousand vs. 2-3 million).
- Two-thirds of Americans want Biden to issue stricter policies to reduce the flow of illegal immigrants, when told the actual number of illegal crossings in the last year (over 2.75 million).
The December Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll survey was conducted online within the United States from December 14-15, 2022, among 1,851 registered voters by The Harris Poll and HarrisX. Follow the Harvard CAPS Harris Poll podcast at https://www.markpennpolls.com/ or on iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.
The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing.
About the Harvard Center for American Political Studies
The Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) is committed to and fosters the interdisciplinary study of U.S. politics. Governed by a group of political scientists, sociologists, historians, and economists within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, CAPS drives discussion, research, public outreach, and pedagogy about all aspects of U.S. politics. CAPS encourages cutting-edge research using a variety of methodologies, including historical analysis, social surveys, and formal mathematical modeling, and it often cooperates with other Harvard centers to support research training and encourage cross-national research about the United States in comparative and global contexts. More information at https://caps.gov.harvard.edu/.
Media contact
Brandon Dixon
pr@stagwellglobal.com
SOURCE Stagwell Inc.
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DEMOCRATS BEAT MIDTERM EXPECTATIONS DUE TO STRONG TURNOUT
CONFIDENCE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY REMAINS LOW AND BIDEN’S APPROVAL IS FLAT AT 43 PERCENT
DESANTIS’ 2024 PROSPECTS IMPROVE WITH 20 POINT SHIFT AWAY FROM TRUMP AMONG GOP VOTERS
NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass. , Nov. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) today released the results of the November Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll, a monthly collaboration between the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard (CAPS) and the Harris Poll and HarrisX. Download key results from the poll here.
The poll shows that Democrats outperformed expectations in the midterms as they closed the turnout gap by taking advantage of early voting and driving their core issues of protecting democracy and abortion to be most salient after the economy. On the Republican side, Florida governor Ron DeSantis emerged as a big winner – his support in a 2024 GOP primary increased by 11 points among GOP voters while Donald Trump’s fell 9 points. Nevertheless, Trump still leads the Republican primary choice with 46% support among GOP voters.
Looking ahead to the new government, a strong majority of voters want to curb Congressional spending, and support for Ukraine is fracturing as Republicans and Independents increasingly soften on the rising price tag of supporting the war.
“The midterms didn’t change much, but Democrats did better than many expected because they had the better turnout operation, especially in early voting, and because they successfully put Trump on the ballot – everywhere except for Florida,” said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard-CAPS Harris Poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. “The biggest lesson of the midterms is that swing voters do count – the parties have exhausted their bases, and looking ahead to 2024, the country needs someone who, like Ron DeSantis did in Florida, can achieve unity.”
MIDTERM RESULTS
DEMOCRATS MADE UP THE TURNOUT DEFICIT
- Democrats closed the gap from the pre-election poll which had Likely Voters +3 for the GOP and Registered Voters tied 50-50
- Democrats took advantage of the early and absentee vote: 52% of Democrats voted before Election Day, compared to 45% of Republicans.
- One third of Independents which lean Republican in their choices sat out the election.
- Democrats successfully highlighted their core issues: the economy was the most important issue across the board (42%), but protecting democracy (18%) and abortion (16%) were next.
DESANTIS EMERGES AS WINNER WHILE TRUMP TAKES A HIT
-
- Among GOP voters, Trump’s support in a 2024 primary fell 9 points to 46%, while DeSantis rose 11 points to 28%.
- Voters said the biggest winners of the midterm were the Democratic Party (32%) and DeSantis (15%).
- In a hypothetical 2024 presidential race, DeSantis runs even with Biden and beats Harris by 3 points.
UNHAPPINESS WITH THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY REMAINS IN PLACE
-
- President Biden’s approval is flat at 43 percent.
- A majority of American voters continue to say their financial situation is becoming worse.
- 4 in 10 voters believe the country is in a recession, and another 4 in 10 think it will be in a recession next year.
AMERICAN PRIORITIES FOR NEXT CONGRESS
VOTERS WANT MODERATE SENSIBLE POLICIES
- Roughly 80% of voters agree on each of the following: they want to reduce misinformation on the Internet, they want to curb Congressional spending, and they voted out of concern for issues like the economy, crime, and immigration.
- Voters want the parties to moderate themselves: 62% think the Democrats have moved too far to the left, and 56% think the Republicans have moved too far to the right.
VOTERS EXPECT A SLATE OF INVESTIGATIONS FROM THE NEW HOUSE
- Voters want more clarity on possible political bias: Strong majorities think the House should investigate the Hunter Biden laptop (65%), whether technology companies have been censoring political speech (74%), and whether politics have been affecting the FBI’s actions (77%).
- The January 6 committee continues to be unpopular: 62% of voters want the House to end it.
UKRAINE SUPPORT IS SOFTENING
- Support for costly aid packages is decreasing among Republicans and Independents: 61% of Republicans and 59% of Independents oppose providing another $27 billion in aid to Ukraine.
The November Harvard-CAPS Harris Poll survey was conducted online within the United States from November 16-17, 2022, among 2,212 registered voters by The Harris Poll and HarrisX. Follow the Harvard CAPS Harris Poll podcast at https://www.markpennpolls.com/ or on iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms and sign up to receive the poll monthly at www.harvardharrispoll.com.
About The Harris Poll & HarrisX
The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing.
HarrisX is a technology-driven market research and data analytics company that conducts multi-method research in over 40 countries around the world on behalf of Fortune 100 companies, public policy institutions, global leaders, NGOs and philanthropic organizations. HarrisX was the most accurate pollster of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
About the Harvard Center for American Political Studies
The Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) is committed to and fosters the interdisciplinary study of U.S. politics. Governed by a group of political scientists, sociologists, historians, and economists within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, CAPS drives discussion, research, public outreach, and pedagogy about all aspects of U.S. politics. CAPS encourages cutting-edge research using a variety of methodologies, including historical analysis, social surveys, and formal mathematical modeling, and it often cooperates with other Harvard centers to support research training and encourage cross-national research about the United States in comparative and global contexts. More information at https://caps.gov.harvard.edu/.
Media Contact:
Sarah Arvizo
pr@stagwellglobal.com
SOURCE Stagwell Inc.
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By: Ray Day
CONTACT:
We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from The Harris Poll, a Stagwell agency.
Among the highlights of wave 140 (fielded Oct. 28-Oct. 30) in our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:
ECONOMY, INFLATION WORRIES MODERATE; JOB WORRIES JUMP:
Today, 86% of Americans are concerned about the economy, inflation and jobs – down 3 points from last week. At the same time, worries about losing a job jumped significantly.
-
- 83% worry about a potential U.S. recession (down 2 points)
- 82% about U.S. crime rates (no change)
- 74% about political divisiveness (down 1 point)
- 72% about the War on Ukraine (down 2 points)
- 72% about affording their living expenses (no change)
- 62% about a new COVID-19 variant (up 1 point)
- 54% about losing their jobs (up 7 points)
- 48% about the Monkeypox outbreak (up 4 points)
INFLATION AT THE NORTH POLE:
Eight in 10 (84%) Americans plan to buy gifts for others this holiday season, and they have set their 2022 gift-giving budget at $823, according to our survey with NerdWallet.
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- Close to a third (31%) of last year’s holiday shoppers are still in debt after using a credit card to pay for gifts they still haven’t paid off.
- 72% of this year’s holiday shoppers will use credit cards, charging $663 on average.
- Inflation is affecting how some shoppers approach gift-giving this year: 83% plan to adjust as a result of inflation, including giving different types of gifts compared to years past (36%) and spending less per person compared to years past (35%).
- 43% say they feel pressure to spend more money on holiday gifts than they’re comfortable spending.
- 68% plan to shop Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales this year.
- 50% say they’ll spend the most on gifts while shopping these sales.
- Still, 30% plan to use Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales to buy necessities for their home or family.
- 67% say they will do their holiday shopping online instead of in-store this year.
OPEN ENROLLMENT BELT-TIGHTENING:
It’s healthcare open-enrollment season, and many workers are considering downgrading their health insurance because of high inflation, according to our survey with the Nationwide Retirement Institute.
-
- 17% of respondents in the last 12 months adjusted their family’s budget to pay for health care expenses.
- 12% canceled or changed health insurance.
- 10% withdrew funds from their retirement account to pay for health care expenses.
- 8% downgraded their health insurance plan.
- 14% of Americans say they are considering downgrading their health insurance plan during this year’s open enrollment – rising to 23% for Gen Z and 20% for Millennials.
- Americans also are experiencing high levels of stress around retirement and retirement planning because of inflation: 47% report their top stressor is inflation, 30% worry about Social Security running out of funds, and 29% are concerned about an unexpected decline in their health.
EMPLOYEES’ ADVICE TO HR: LESS IS MORE:
When it comes to HR tech platforms to improve the work experience, less is more, according to our survey with HR Brew.
-
- On average, employees report using 3.4 HR platforms and 8.1 total HR and productivity tools in general.
- 69% of employees with one HR platform said they felt confident they could find the information they need.
- Confidence plummeted to 49% among those whose company has more than one HR platform.
- In today’s economic climate, employees have an appetite for financial planning solutions (80% favorability among Millennials and 72% among Gen X) and the lowest need for new social networking tools.
INTEREST IN WOMEN’S SPORTS CLIMBING:
The popularity of women’s sports has grown by leaps and bounds – and consumers want to see the trend continue, according to Stagwell’s National Research Group’s new report, Leveling the Playing Field.
-
- In the U.S., 3 in 10 sports fans say they’re watching more women’s sports now than they were five years ago.
- The broadcast market for women’s sports grew significantly worldwide this year, thanks in part to successful events like the UEFA European Women’s Championship and ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.
- Even in the U.S., which didn’t compete in those tournaments, the market grew by 29% compared with 2021.
- 85% of fans – including 79% of men – think that it’s important for women’s sports to continue to grow in popularity.
- The Olympics proved there’s growing demand for women’s sports. During the Tokyo Games, in half of the 10 most widely viewed sports, viewership for women’s events was higher than men’s.
ICYMI:
In case you missed it, check out some of the thought-leadership and happenings around Stagwell making news:
As always, if helpful, we would be happy to provide more info on any of these data or insights. Please do not hesitate to reach out.
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By: Ray Day
CONTACT:
We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from The Harris Poll, a Stagwell agency.
Among the highlights of wave 139 (fielded Oct. 21-Oct. 23) in our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:
ECONOMY, INFLATION WORRIES REMAIN STEADY:
Today, 89% of Americans are concerned about the economy, inflation and jobs – the same high level as last week.
-
- 85% worry about a potential U.S. recession (no change)
- 82% about U.S. crime rates (down 1 point)
- 75% about political divisiveness (up 1 point)
- 74% about the War on Ukraine (no change)
- 72% about affording their living expenses (down 1 point)
- 61% about a new COVID-19 variant (up 1 point)
- 47% about losing their jobs (no change)
- 44% about the Monkeypox outbreak (down 4 points)
INFLATION IS AMERICA’S #1 STRESSOR:
How stressed are Americans, and what’s causing it? The answers are clear in the 2022 Stress in America survey we conducted with the American Psychological Association.
-
- 27% of Americans report being so stressed that they cannot function most days.
- Inflation is the #1 stressor for 83% of adults. That is followed by violence and crime (75%), the current political climate (66%) and the racial climate (62%).
- 76% say the future of the nation is a significant source of stress in their lives.
- 68% say this is the lowest point in our nation’s history that they can remember.
- 57% who indicated money was a worry said that having enough money to pay for things like food or rent/mortgage is their main source of stress.
- 43% reported feeling that saving enough money for things in the future is their main source of stress.
- 56% agreed that they and/or their family have had to make different choices due to lack of money in the past month, with Latino/a (66%) and Black Americans (59%) reporting this at a higher level than White (52%) and Asian (45%) American adults.
EMPLOYEES WARMING UP TO BACK-TO-OFFICE:
As we continue tracking return-to-office requirements, a majority of employees still say they will jump jobs if forced back to the office full-time. Yet the numbers of workers resisting return-to-office are much lower than three months ago, based on our survey with USA Today.
-
- 57% of employed Americans say companies will lose employees if they require workers to be in-person (down 9 points from June).
- 73% of remote and hybrid workers say they would find another remote or hybrid job if their company forced them to work from the office full-time (down 5 points from June).
- In an earlier study with Bloomberg, 57% of workers said they believe that employers now have more power in the job market (a 5-point increase in favor of employers from January).
INFLUENCERS MATTER:
Nearly half of U.S. consumers consider input from influencers when purchasing a product or service – especially younger people, according to our survey with AdAge.
-
- 80% of Gen Z consult user reviews before purchasing, and 75% say that recommendations from influencers affect their decision – nearly double the general population at 43%.
- 40% of Gen Z members have made purchases directly through an influencer’s storefront on sites like Amazon and LTK.
- 73% also report looking to TikTok creators for product input, with Instagram and YouTube influences being similarly popular choices.
BRANDS GETTING GEN Z RIGHT:
Beats by Dre, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Planned Parenthood, Lenovo and New Balance are doing the right things to capture the attention of Gen Z, according to the latest Ad Age-Harris Poll Gen Z brand tracker, a ranking of brands gaining the most attention from Gen Z members ages 18-24 in the third quarter.
-
- Also doing better with Gen Z are Kickstarter, Impossible Foods, Coach, Flex Seal, Foot Locker, Pillsbury, Haagen-Dazs, Bose, Nature Valley, North Face, Crocs, NHL, Paramount, Fiji and State Farm.
- See full details here.
ICYMI:
In case you missed it, check out some of the thought-leadership and happenings around Stagwell making news:
As always, if helpful, we would be happy to provide more info on any of these data or insights. Please do not hesitate to reach out.
Thank you.
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