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OMG Research: General Consensus on the New Normal Is a Mix of ‘Meh’ and Cynicism

This article was originally published by Adweek.

Shortly after the pandemic hit the U.S., many people made concessions and realized that what we were dealing with would have long-lasting effects. Now, as vaccines are more readily available and infection rates have drastically dropped, the majority of Americans are still feeling concerned about Covid-19 and cautious about the future.

According to recent data from Omnicom Media Group Primary Research conducted in early May, 79% of people remain highly concerned about Covid-19, compared to 88% in March 2020. Of those polled, three-quarters said they felt their stress levels and mental health have been negatively affected by the pandemic, with 32% saying they felt burned out and 25% feeling overwhelmed. And, unfortunately, 38% felt particularly pessimistic because they didn’t see their mental or emotional well-being improving.

“Reentry is occurring in stages, with consumers showing distinct differences in readiness and attitudes across activities, purchases, demographics and mindsets,” said Pamela Marsh, managing director of primary research at Omnicom Media Group North America. “For marketers, that means taking a far more targeted and customized approach to messaging and investment.”

For many, a return to normal means getting away from “virtual” life: Three-quarters of respondents plan to return to stores and restaurants, and more than half said they missed traveling the most (56%) and missed seeing their friends (54%). However, people don’t want to cut down on their media consumption—89% plan to continue streaming videos, music or podcasts; using social media; consuming the news; or just browsing online.

View the infographic here.

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