Tagged 'anxietyindex'

Jiffy Lube tells car owners to ‘Leave worry behind’

Published by Alexandra Stieber - Atlanta on August 3, 2012 in North America. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

When people think about car care, they don’t often get the warm and fuzzies. Auto maintenance is often a stressful process, leaving drivers feeling like they’ve been up-sold or inconveniencing them to the point of deep frustration. While drivers understand the importance of routine maintenance—particularly as more of them try to hold on to their cars longer—many put it off for as long as possible, not eager to be stranded at the dealership for hours while wondering if that mechanic is trying to find something to fix.

Jiffy Lube recently launched a campaign via JWT Atlanta with the tagline “Leave worry behind,” centered on relieving anxiety around automotive maintenance. The message is that Jiffy Lube’s expert preventive maintenance services mean you don’t have to worry about being hoodwinked by those “other guys.” While the TV commercial focuses on differentiating Jiffy Lube from other maintenance providers, the service centers further support the mission of combating customer anxiety, with improved appearances, free coffee, additional transparency through windows overlooking the service bays and the use of a database loaded with manufacturer recommendations. In addition, the OCS program, introduced last year, enables customers to pick their own oil change intervals, giving them a sense of input and control in the process, whereas before they felt little to none.

Jiffy Lube is rethinking how we think about car care, taking steps to make the process more pleasant for drivers. How can other categories that also create anxiety similarly help to alleviate undue stress?

AnxietyIndex: August poll finds Pakistan among most anxious nations

Published by Noaman Asar - Karachi on October 14, 2011 in Middle East. 0 Comments Tags: , .

For JWT’s latest AnxietyIndex survey, we launched a baseline study in Pakistan, polling 590 adults aged 18-plus across socioeconomic classes. We found that Pakistan is among the most anxious countries we have studied, with 89 percent reporting that they are nervous or anxious, just a few points behind Japan, which ranks as the most anxious market. Anxiety is being driven primarily by economic concerns. On a micro level, this translates to anxiety around the basics of getting by: employment, and food and gasoline prices.

Given the level of anxiety, it’s not surprising that few Pakistanis are optimistic about the future. Approximately half of all respondents feel that factors that affect them every day—such as the cost of basic necessities—will deteriorate over the next six months. And when asked when the overall state of the economy might improve, few can foresee things improving soon, with 77 percent saying they have no idea when the economy will get better.

Over the past decade, Pakistan has faced severe issues related to law and order. The nation is perceived as a risky venture, so the flow of investment is low. Pakistan is also one of the few economies where the U.S. dollar has gained versus the local currency, so the cost of importing fuel has increased tremendously. This has directly impacted inflation, resulting in a higher cost of living generally and higher costs for health care.

Click here to download the full report.

AnxietyIndex: August poll finds young Britons hold harshest views on rioters

Published by Kimberly Douglas - London on August 31, 2011 in Europe. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Our latest AnxietyIndex study, conducted in the wake of the U.K. riots last month, added a focus on how British adults feel about the mayhem, its causes and possible solutions. Some Britons have become more fearful as a result of the riots, especially the younger generation: While 17 percent of people over 35 said they feel less safe on the streets where they live, 41 percent of 18-34-year-old respondents feel less safe. Many in this cohort are also less forgiving of the young rioters than older generations, with 43 percent saying the punishments of those convicted were not harsh enough vs. 34 percent overall. And just 28 percent said they worry for other young people, compared with more than half of the over-50s.

“Young people are fed up with the marginal few who participated in the riots undermining their voice in society,” says Tony Quinn, head of planning at JWT London. “Youth are usually the drivers of social change, but protests are now being overshadowed by violence.”

The survey, which polled 290 British adults, also pointed to an opportunity for brands to serve as part of the solution. More than two-thirds of young people say they feel more positively toward the brands that helped with the cleanup, and many also feel that brands could play a role by sponsoring youth initiatives, facilities and programs, providing training opportunities and facilitating the involvement of young people in their communities. For more on the findings, download the full report here.

In Mexico, Ciel water makes sculptures out of its bottles

Published by Sofia Ontiveros - Mexico City on May 11, 2011 in Latin America. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

JWT’s AnxietyIndex study in Mexico, conducted last year, found that Mexicans are more anxious about the impact of climate change than our global average (and also more anxious than our Latin American average). And since Mexicans consume a lot of bottled water, litter and waste generation are big issues. A recycling campaign from Coca-Cola’s Ciel, a bottled-water brand, gives people a positive way to “Turn it around” (“Dale la vuelta”) when it comes to waste. To demonstrate that the Eco-flex bottles can be easily collapsed, Ciel is inviting Mexicans to not just recycle the bottles but create something with them. To demonstrate, Ciel has installed in various public spots enormous sculptures made with Ciel bottles: dinosaurs, pyramids, elephants, even the Taj Mahal. The whimsical creations should help lessen concerns around use of plastic bottles and get people thinking about recycling.

AnxietyIndex: In wake of disaster, Japanese re-evaluate who to trust

Published by Ann Mack, Jordan Price and Mark Truss on May 9, 2011 in Asia Pacific and Japan. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

As part of our ongoing AnxietyIndex surveys, JWT fielded a study on the levels and drivers of consumer anxiety in Japan in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. As one might expect, nearly all respondents (91 percent) reported feeling anxious—the disaster only intensified already pervasive anxiety in Japan (in March 2009, 89 percent reported feeling anxious).

In response, people are re-evaluating who to trust, with high levels of approval for corporate responses to the disaster and traditional media. But only a third of respondents said they trust what the government is saying about radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant, while 40 percent trust what the government is saying about the disaster generally. Not surprisingly, then, only a third are confident in the government’s ability to successfully steer Japan through the crisis.

Corporations seem to be filling the trust void, with eight in 10 Japanese saying they trust what big corporations have been doing to help during the disaster, and two-thirds saying the same of local businesses in their town. Brands can help fill the leadership vacuum with innovative, decisive actions that make a real difference. For brands that step up to this challenge, the rewards to equity can be significant, given the nation’s sentiments.

When asked what would help signal a return to normalcy, seven in 10 Japanese say it will be when TV channels start to show regular ads again. And almost six in 10 agree that “Right now, ads make me feel like everything will be OK.”

The survey polled 502 adults aged 18-plus. This report is the first in a series on Japan that seeks to analyze post-disaster shifts in perception, values and behavior in order to formulate insights relevant to brands in these uncertain times. For more on the findings, download the full report here.

震災後の日本人、指導者に不安

アン・マック、ジョーダン・プライス、マーク・トラス

3月11日に日本を襲った震災後の消費者の不安レベルとその原因を探るため、ＪＷＴは日本を含む世界80カ国以上で8年間継続的に実施している「消費者不安指数調査」の日本震災特別版を開始した。予想にたがわず、消費者のほぼ全員（調査対象となった人々の91％）が不安を感じている。日本にすでに蔓延していた不安がさらに高まった（2009年3月の調査では89％が「不安を感じている」と回答）。

福島原子力発電所の放射能漏れに関する政府の説明を信頼していると答えたのは回答者の3分の1に過ぎず、また災害全般について政府の言うことが信頼できるとの回答は4割程度だった。当然ながら政府の手腕で国全体が今回の危機をうまく切り抜けることができると確信していると答えた人は3分の1のみ。

こうした「信頼の空白」を企業が埋めている様子だ。日本人回答者の10人中8人が、災害の余波のなか大企業が実施してきた活動を信頼すると答え、3分の2が自分の町にある地元企業について同様の回答をしている。従来のメディアに対する評価も比較的高い。日本人は誰を信頼すべきか再考を迫られているようであり、そのような状況の中、ブランドは実質的な違いを生みだす革新的かつ決然とした行動をとることで、リーダーシップ不在の穴埋めに貢献することができる。国民感情を考えれば、この難題に進んで取り組むブランドにとって、エクイティが受ける恩恵は非常に重要。

また、世の中が平常に戻りつつある目安となるものは何かという質問に対し、日本人の10人中7人が通常のテレビ広告の放送が始まることと回答。10人中6人が「目下のところ、広告を見ると『万事安泰』という気持ちになる」と答えた。

本レポートは震災後の日本に関するシリーズの第一弾であり、18歳以上の男女502人を対象に、意識・価値観・行動の変化を分析し、この不確かな時世の中、ブランドにとって適切なインサイトを系統立てて示すことを目的としている。

フルレポートはこちらよりダウンロード可能。

New reports available on AnxietyIndex

Published by The Editors of AnxietyIndex.com on April 28, 2011 in North America. 0 Comments Tags: , .

In our latest wave of AnxietyIndex studies, we sought to discover the levels, intensity and drivers of consumer anxiety across six markets. Using SONAR, JWT’s proprietary online research tool, we surveyed citizens from across the Middle East as well as the U.S., U.K. and Canada in late 2010.

To read the reports, please visit the Trends and Research section of our site.

AnxietyIndex: November poll finds high anxiety among Egyptians and little hope for the future

Published by Ann Mack, Mark Truss and Jessica Vaughn - New York on February 4, 2011 in North America. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

anxietyindex-egyptAs part of our ongoing AnxietyIndex surveys, JWT fielded a study on the levels and drivers of consumer anxiety in Egypt last November. And while it seems like the current events in Egypt erupted from out of nowhere, our data reveals there were signs. We found that Egypt was the third most anxious of the 13 countries we’ve surveyed over the past two years, one signal that seeds of discontent were bubbling up less than three months before the popular uprising.

Our survey of 580 adults also found Egyptians to be much more anxious than other consumers polled in the region: 77 percent reported feeling very or somewhat nervous or anxious, compared with 57 percent in the UAE and 51 percent in Saudi Arabia.

Much of that anxiety stemmed from concern about the state of Egypt’s economy and the cost of living. More than eight in 10 Egyptians agreed it was getting harder to maintain their standard of living; only 55 percent expressed satisfaction with their current living standard and current job. Eight in 10 also felt the economic situation was getting worse, resulting in higher levels of violence and crime. And when asked about sources of anxiety specific to Egypt, respondents cited political instability/the government among their key concerns, along with the quality of education and health care.

The findings suggest a general sense of hopelessness among Egyptians. Asked when they thought the economy would start to improve, nearly half the respondents said they had no idea. Eight in 10 surveyed agreed somewhat or strongly that “Life is becoming less enjoyable,” and close to two-thirds said they had become “more pessimistic about the future of Egypt.”

For more on the findings, download the full report here.

LG displays five stories of good news in Times Square

Published by Marian Berelowitz - New York on December 27, 2010 in North America. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

LG Electronics Unveils Good News BillboardWhile our latest AnxietyIndex research shows that Americans’ overall anxiety has dropped to levels not seen since late 2007, that still leaves 7 in 10 reporting feelings of anxiety or nervousness. After all, the economy is still sluggish and there’s plenty more to be anxious about from the headlines.

Now LG Electronics is translating its “Life’s Good” marketing theme into a Times Square billboard featuring only good news. The company says that 83 percent of respondents to a survey it conducted agreed that the U.S. has a good news deficit and that nearly half can’t remember the last piece of good news they heard. The five-story-high LED screen features an animated “Good News Ambassador” character who invites folks below to share good news by sending text messages or tweets. Other good news on the screen comes from RSS feeds and LG’s social media responses.

LG’s theme has played out in various ways this year, from a “Life’s Good Moments” online gallery where people could upload photos to be displayed on a screen in London’s Piccadilly Circus to the “Good Things Happen” project in Portugal, a series of three short films that LG commissioned. In advance of the new year’s festivities in Times Square, this latest campaign rings out 2010 on an upbeat note.


Photo and Video Credit: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/lg/47339/

AnxietyIndex: Republicans more anxious than Democrats over economy, leadership

Published by Mark Truss and Ann Mack - New York on October 31, 2010 in North America. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

ai_103110Republicans are more anxious than Democrats when it comes to the U.S. economy and political leadership, according to our latest AnxietyIndex study.

However, Americans’ overall anxiety has dropped to levels not seen since late 2007: 70 percent report feeling nervous or anxious, down from 76 percent last May and 82 percent in November 2008—the all-time high since we launched the AnxietyIndex in the run-up to the war in Iraq.

The online survey, fielded Oct. 18-25, polled 519 Americans aged 18-plus on their attitudes and behaviors in the run-up to the midterm elections, looking for variations by political affiliation.

The findings are significant for marketers, who have been waiting for the American consumer psyche to shift into closer alignment with GDP figures and are hoping for an upward swing following the midterm elections.

It seems that the sense of urgency to change leadership that the Democrats felt during the presidential election two years ago has been seized upon by the Republicans. Republicans are far more worried about Democrats maintaining control of Congress than Democrats are worried about Republicans taking the majority, and believe various factors will get worse with Democrats in control. For instance, 82 percent of Republicans said their tax burden would get worse if the Democrats maintain control, while 49 percent of Democrats said the same of Republicans assuming the majority.

To download the full study, click here.

Kia Canada seeks to inspire with ‘Drive Change’

Published by Marian Berelowitz - New York on August 4, 2010 in North America. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

In our Recession Handbook, we advised marketers to “Inspire rather than empathize with consumers” in tough times, fueling hope and optimism rather than resentment. Kia Canada’s new “Drive Change” campaign provides a nice example. An initial spot told viewers that “drive” is “the urge to push on, a force that makes us think big no matter how small we start. It’s our inner fight to do what’s right, and it’s in us all.”

Then Kia put its words—“A vehicle can be a vehicle of change too”—into action with two minute-long spots that show a Kia team making over rundown spaces in just a day. In “Change Court” (below), a parking lot at a youth shelter is turned into a basketball court complete with mural, and “Change Garden” shows a junkyard at a community housing development morphing into a sustainable garden. Kia vehicles are parked in and around the spaces being renovated, integrated somewhat organically into the settings.

The ads do a nice job of showcasing the product and the CSR initiative concurrently. And they cleverly tap into the satisfaction we get from Extreme Makeover-type shows—watching a scene of disrepair being turned into one of renewal, we feel that with some basic skills and determination, we too can make this happen.