And just like that, our adventures in Ann Arbor are over.
As you’re reading this, we’re back in Michigan for Maddie’s graduation. Of all the phases of life and family that have flown past, this one seemed even faster. I swear it was five minutes ago I wrote to you all about her college auditions.
I was never a fan of big schools, hence my journey to Rollins with its 2,000-person enrollment. But now I get it. Michigan is a special place, with a sense of community, the endless variety of people and activities, the pride. Even the restaurants were better than I expected.
And, when your kid goes to her childhood dream school, and it overdelivers, you can’t help but love it. They even won a football and basketball championship while she was there – only the second school to ever do that in a four-year span.
To be clear, I’m forever a Penn State fan first. But I’ll root for Michigan against everyone else.
Now, we say farewell.
On Friday, Maddie is shipping off to New York for “Showcase,” where she’ll peddle her wares for potential talent agents. From there, she’s headed to Indiana to work at a summer stock theater for a couple of months. She’ll join us in Minnesota for vacation in July, then back to New York to find an apartment and start her career. Luckily, my work travels take me to New York often.
While the ultimate goal, of course, is to one day see her name on a Broadway marquee (or even a playbill), part of me hopes she scores a national tour first. Seeing the country from city to city seems like a hell of a fun way to spend a couple of years in your early 20s. Alas, beggars can’t be choosers. So long as she can make a living, doing what she loves, the thing she’s spent her entire life working and planning for – I’ll take it however it comes.
Making it all a little easier is that Noelle is coming home for the summer, making our nest a little less empty for a couple of months. But all I’ll have to do is blink, and you’ll be reading a Saturday morning email about her graduating in a few years.
It’s unbelievable how quickly it all goes.
Here’s what we’re seeing:
The Iran War is driving renewed recession concerns – and altered shopping behaviors – among U.S. consumers. Eighty-four percent of U.S. adults and, notably, 75% of Republicans are at least somewhat concerned about the prospects of a near-term recession in the U.S., aligning with economic experts who’ve pulled up their risk assessments lately as well. While rising gas prices are the most obvious bellwether for the average consumer, they can also feel the tightening job market as well (unless they work in healthcare). These concerns are starting to manifest in practical ways, for example, as consumers shift more of their spending online (the internet is a deflationary tool). Even well-being or self-care spending – the most resilient general category for the past 5 years – is beginning to show cracks.
Over one in four Americans are venturing out of their way to find cheaper gas – I hope they’re good at math. In our 3 Things to Know this week, we examined the tactics U.S. drivers are using to soften the blow of rising fuel costs. Twenty-six percent of U.S. adults regularly drive two or more miles out of the way to save a few bucks filling the tank. Hopefully, they’re not burning more gas to offset the savings. In related news, we examined how rising hotel costs are affecting Americans’ lodging plans when (or if) they travel. Lastly, and unrelated, we found that people have grown increasingly mindful of their dental health over the past few years, driving a big jump in the use of electric toothbrushes during that period.
On a more uplifting note, Americans are volunteering more. For the first time in the 14 years we’ve been tracking volunteer behaviors in the U.S., a full half of adults report giving at least some of their time (not including financial donations) to charitable endeavors. It’s one of the steadiest and most sustained trends we’ve seen over the past decade. The increase is being powered by our ever-idealistic and empathetic Gen Zs, 69% of whom actively volunteer. As an aside, I found it interesting how volunteer work decreases during major election years – I would have expected the opposite. I suppose people don’t feel as charitable when everyone is fighting each other.
HOKA keeps gaining on the big dogs in athletic shoes. While Nike and Adidas continue to rule the roost in overall popularity, the athletic shoe category has seen significant share shifts in recent years, thanks to new brands like On and HOKA, and also Skechers is upping its sports game. We took a closer look at HOKA’s rise this week, and it’s impressive. Over one in five U.S. adults and nearly one in three aged 18-44 are considering buying a pair of HOKA running shoes this year, representing the largest year-over-year increase in purchase intent among the running shoe brands we track. It crosses gender and income groups, a rare feat for any apparel brand. If you’re a marketer in that space, we provided a roadmap on where to find these consumers – start by looking at the World Cup this summer.
Younger moms are changing the game when it comes to Mother’s Day. After a two-year decline, spending expectations for Mother’s Day rebounded this year (good). While flowers remain the most popular gift (to buy), their lead has been shrinking steadily since 2023, as gift cards and electronics/media have been chipping away at it. What moms want, however, is a different story – flowers rank 4th on the list overall and 7th among moms under age 45. A meal out with family is the most desired gift across age groups, while younger moms are much more likely than older ones to want chocolate/sweets or clothing/accessories. Those younger moms are also twice as likely as those 45+ to purchase a Mother’s Day gift for themselves. Have a much-deserved, wonderful day, ladies.
More awesomeness from the InsightStore this week:
- We’ll be sharing our annual quick-turn analysis on the television Upfronts on May 14th, immediately after the announcements. We’ll look at the most anticipated new shows and who plans to watch them. If you spend a dime on TV advertising, you should join the webinar.
The most popular questions this week:
Do you think gender reveal parties have gone too far?
Would you be open to shopping at a store entirely run by AI?
Do you personally feel a strong sense of connection to your family’s history and heritage?
Do you have a fear of public speaking?
Answer Key: Any reason to party is fine as far as I’m concerned; It’s hard to see how it can get much worse; Sure, I’d try it; Very much; I have a fear of NOT public speaking.
Hoping you’re well.
JD
