 |
COVID-19 will remain top of mind for consumers in 2021, according to a survey that is part of the USC Center for Public Relations’ newly published 2021 Relevance Report.
Close to half (44.3 percent) of respondents listed a potential COVID-19 vaccine as a subject in which they are highly interested. Perhaps in response to quarantine living, food and recipes were the second-most-popular topics, cited by 21.8 percent of the respondents. Conducted in partnership with the Institute for Public Relations and Golin, the survey asked 1,087 Americans about the topics, products, brands and people that will be most relevant to them next year.
When it comes to where survey respondents go to express their opinions on social issues, Facebook beats all comers, with 46.1 percent naming it as the platform they go to most often. Instagram came in second at 17 percent, and Twitter was favored by 10.9 percent.
With an eye towards life getting back to normal next year, 20.8 percent of respondents said they were looking forward to eating inside restaurants. Other activities, such as attending live concerts (11.9 percent), going to movie theaters (10.8 percent), going to the beach (9 percent) and traveling by air (8.2 percent) were somewhat less popular.
Trust was a major issue for survey respondents as well. Doctors were chosen as the most accurate, credible source of information by 18 percent, followed by journalists (10.5 percent) and educators (7.7 percent). Only 2.4 percent said that public relations professionals were the most trusted source.
Amazon, Chick-fil-A and Apple ranked as the brands whose overall social engagement would make consumers most likely to support them in 2021. Amazon was the top retail brand (named by 28.9 of respondents), Chick-fil-A topped the quick-service restaurant category with 23.7 percent and Apple (18.9 percent) was the top retail brand.
“In a normal year, many different topics are relevant to Americans,” said Fred Cook, director of the USC Center for PR. “But in 2021, they will be paying closest attention to COVID-19, and it will continue to impact their lives. Information on the virus is what they will listen to, share with others and act upon.”
In addition to the survey results, the 2021 Relevance Report also includes a collection of short essays from public relations industry leaders, USC academics and students that predict trends that will affect the communications profession. The report is available for download at annenberg.usc.edu/relevance.
While predictions of economic improvement in the coming year from corporate and financial decision makers are down slightly from last year’s numbers, the overall outlook is still strongly positive, according to a new survey from Teneo.
A strong overall digital presence has become a must-have for CEOs—not just a strategy for dealing with a crisis or market announcement, according to a new study from H/Advisors Abernathy. However, making that presence an effective one is not as simple as it might seem.
Most B2B marketing execs expect to have more money to work with in 2026, according to a new report from 10Fold.
Seventy percent of decision makers at US life sciences companies are bullish about what 2026 holds for their businesses, but challenges in the capital markets, shifts in political and policy issues, and the persistence of cybersecurity threats are tempering that optimism, a new report from FTI Consulting finds.
Work-life balance is the job perk that matters most to employees at independent agencies, pushing compensation to second place, according to a new study from IPREX.
