CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Aug. 4 NC-Yankelovich-worry
CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Aug. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Economic anxiety is not just
rising, it is sprinting its way to new heights, with 61 percent of consumers
saying they feel high or severe levels of anxiety, according to the most
recent Yankelovich study fielded in June 2008.
The latest Yankelovich tracking of economic worries finds that 37 percent
of consumers feel severe economic anxiety, a number that has nearly tripled in
only six months. In the first wave of tracking in January 2008, only 14
percent of consumers felt severe economic anxiety, while 19 percent felt high
anxiety and 32 percent felt moderate anxiety.
"As the price of gas and other necessities rise, consumer anxiety is
following suit," said J. Walker Smith, president of Yankelovich MONITOR. "This
has huge implications for marketers, because people will continue to make
significant cutbacks." According to Smith, the often ambiguous and sometimes
conflicting economic indicators don't show the reality of the current economy.
"What matters is what people feel. And what people feel right now is
verging on panic," said Smith. "What the economy needs most right now is firm,
confident leadership -- a strong voice to steady the nerves and boost the
resolve of consumers."
The big question is who will step up to calm consumer anxiety. "Political
leaders aren't doing it, so business leaders must," Smith said. "Our data show
a clear need for something in addition to a fiscal stimulus; there is a huge
need for leadership. Economic anxiety is too high to be solely a function of
pocketbooks alone. People want to budget, economize and save money, but they
want a reason to believe in their economic futures again, too."
Anxiety Scale
Tracking Wave Wave 1Wave 2 Wave 3 Wave 4
Dollars & When
Consumer Advertising Going Green
Study Sense Works MONITOR II
Data Collection
Dates:01/08/08- 04/23/08- 03/29/08- 06/13/08-
01/20/08 05/05/0806/25/08 06/23/08
Total Respondents: n=1002 n=1512 n=3794n=2500
No Anxiety 10% 3% 4% 6%
Low Anxiety25% 12% 13% 12%
Moderate Anxiety 32% 31% 28% 21%
High Anxiety 19% 24% 25% 24%
Severe Anxiety 14% 30% 29% 37%
Note: All results are among a representative sample of consumers 18+ years
of age
About Yankelovich, Inc.
Yankelovich is a leading consumer market research and analytics company
that has helped marketers understand consumer values and behavior since 1958.
The company has studied consumer attitudes, values and lifestyles for 50
years, creating cutting-edge expertise and the largest database of U.S.
consumer attitudes and trends. The Yankelovich brand name is widely recognized
by Fortune 1000 marketers as a leading source of consumer insights,
particularly consumer trend data in the United States. Yankelovich consumer
segmentation research and consulting services provide deep consumer behavioral
expertise to marketers as well as actionable data to employ in targeted
marketing strategies. Yankelovich merged with Henley Centre HeadlightVision in
January 2008 and is now part of Kantar and the WPP Group. More information is
available at www.yankelovich.com .
About Henley Centre HeadlightVision
Henley Centre HeadlightVision is Europe's leading consumer trends
business. We provide intelligence, research and consultancy solutions to blue
chip clients around the world. Our mission is to help our clients create
better futures. All of our work is informed by our proprietary global
knowledge base of consumer trends and futures insights. We have a global
footprint with offices in London, New York, Mumbai and Delhi and an
intelligence network that spans over 28 countries. More information is
available at: www.hchlv.com .
About Kantar
Kantar is one of the world's largest research, insight and consultancy
networks and part of the WPP Group. We help clients make better business
decisions through a deeper understanding of their markets, their brands and
their customers. Kantar brings together a diverse group of outstanding
marketing insight and consulting companies -- each an expert in their field
who can work together seamlessly to help clients address business issues in an
holistic and strategic way. Companies include Added Value Group, AMRB, BMRB,
BPRI, Cannondale Associates, Center Partners, Glendinning Management
Consultants, Henley Centre Headlight Vision, IMRB, Kantar Operations, KMR
Group, Lightspeed Research, MVI, Mattson Jack Group, Millward Brown, Research
International, RMS and Ziment Group. The Group has 22 companies operating in
70 countries worldwide. For further information, please visit us at:
www.kantargroup.com .
About WPP
WPP (Nasdaq: WPPGY) is one of the world's leading communications services
groups, providing national, multinational and global clients with advertising;
media investment management; information, insight & consultancy; public
relations & public affairs; and branding & identity, healthcare and specialist
communications. WPP's worldwide companies include JWT, Ogilvy & Mather
Worldwide, Y&R, Grey Worldwide, The Voluntarily United Group of Creative
Agencies, MindShare, Mediaedge:ia, MediaCom, Millward Brown, Research
International, KMR Group, OgilvyOne Worldwide, Wunderman, 141 Worldwide, Grey
Direct, Hill & Knowlton, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Burson-Marsteller,
Cohn & Wolfe, GCI, CommonHealth, Sudler & Hennessey, Ogilvy Heathworld, Grey
Healthcare Group, The Brand Union, Landor, G2 Worldwide and Fitch, among
others. Collectively, WPP employs 100,000 people in over 2,000 offices in 106
countries. For further information please visit us at: www.wpp.com
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J. Walker Smith
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SOURCE Yankelovich
