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 | Economics | Cultural (SPEC) Report, a weekly report available to clients covering the latest news and insights. Get in touch to learn more.
1. Nearly half of U.S. adults say they are paying attention to armed conflicts and wars other than the one in Ukraine.
Recent analysis found that some of the deadliest conflicts in the world don’t get the coverage and reporting that wars like the one in Ukraine receives. CivicScience data show nearly half (48%) of U.S. adults are paying attention to news of wars and conflicts other than the Russian invasion of Ukraine. An additional near third say they’re not following other conflicts but are aware of them.
Those who are ‘very concerned’ about inflation in the U.S. right now are more likely to be following conflicts elsewhere. Understandably, given the global impacts wars like the one in Ukraine can have whether reported on or not.
2. Roughly 1 in 3 consumers own an air purifier as wildfire smoke emerges as an air quality threat.
An especially active Canadian wildfire season has led to periods of thick smoke covering U.S. states from Maine to Alabama, prompting Americans to take precautions. Despite some temporary relief, another round shifted through this past weekend. The periods of heavy smoke have led to extremely poor air quality and helped push demand for air purifiers. CivicScience data show 32% of U.S. adults report they currently own an air purifier, while another 15% are planning on buying one in the future.
Gen Z adults are the most likely to say they’ve ‘never heard of’ air purifiers but are also the most likely age group to be interested in purchasing one. Millennials are the most likely to own one, followed by Gen X.
3. More than 1 in 5 Americans say it’s at least ‘somewhat noisy’ where they live amid the potentially harmful effects of noise pollution.
While air pollutants tend to dominate discussions on pollution, the often-neglected issue of noise pollution has emerged as a health hazard. Growing research has found that chronic background noise is potentially extremely dangerous. Loud and frequent background noises — such as those common in neighborhoods near airports or train stations — have been shown to increase stress levels and are linked to a heightened risk of hypertension, strokes, and heart attacks. While the majority of Americans consider their neighborhoods to be mostly quiet, 21% report some level of noise pollution in their surroundings.
Unsurprisingly, city dwellers are the most at risk. They report the highest level of noise with 36% saying their neighborhood is at least ‘somewhat noisy.’ They’re also three times more likely than suburban and rural residents to report their surroundings are ‘extremely noisy.’
Interested in an in-depth look at the data featured on these topics, along with additional consumer insights from this report? Get in touch to see how you can gain access to the full SPEC Report every week.
