CivicScience continually tracks current and anticipated consumer trends. Here are three key insights marketers should know this week. All insights are derived from the CivicScience Social | Political | Economic | Cultural (SPEC) Report, a weekly report available to clients covering the latest news and insights. Get in touch to learn more.
1. Two in five Americans plan on getting another booster dose amid summer surge of COVID-19.
COVID-19 cases are on the rise once again, and many Americans are planning to get another COVID booster – an updated version of which is expected soon. Forty percent of U.S. adults say they are at least somewhat likely to get a COVID-19 booster in the next month, and this increases to more than 50% among adults 55 and older.
Frequent social media users may not be surprised that some Americans are highly skeptical of the vaccine’s efficacy and safety due to the prevalence of misinformation found on social media platforms. A new study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that some physicians on social media have contributed significantly to the spread of misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. The latest CivicScience data show that 30% of U.S. adults believe the vaccine is responsible for more health issues today than the actual COVID-19 virus. This rises to 50% of respondents who identify as Republicans.
2. Former President Trump’s interview with Tucker Carlson diverted some American attention from GOP debate, led by young adults.
While awaiting his imminent surrender in Georgia the following day, the frontrunner in the Republican presidential primary race, former President Donald Trump, was notably missing from Wednesday’s GOP debate — an event highly anticipated by Americans from both parties. Instead, a pre-recorded interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson aired at the same time as the debate.
CivicScience data show 16% of Americans — and nearly 30% of Republicans — say they watched or listened to Trump’s interview with Tucker Carlson. This compares to the 35% of U.S. adults who watched at least part of the debate, with the latest polling data showing Republicans 12 percentage points more likely than Democrats to have tuned in. Interestingly, the former president’s interview was more popular with younger adults – Gen Z adults were four times as likely as Baby Boomers to have watched or listened to the interview.
3. More than 80% of U.S. adults say that society has become more accepting of tattoos over the last 20 years.
Tattoos were once considered a social taboo. That no longer appears to be the case today, as the tattoo industry is expected to nearly double in size by the end of the decade. According to recent CivicScience data, a little over 30% of U.S. adults now bear at least one tattoo. Another 13% express a keen interest in getting inked for the first time, a number that climbs to 36% of Gen Z adults, suggesting the popularity of tattoos is unlikely to dwindle with significant interest among the youngest adults. And as tattoos become more commonplace, the social stigma attached to them is also rapidly fading. An overwhelming 85% of U.S. adults believe that society’s acceptance of tattoos has grown in the last two decades.
Interested in an in-depth look at the data featured on these topics, along with additional consumer insights from this report? Schedule a meeting to see how you can gain access to the full SPEC Report sent to clients every week.
