In The Harris Poll Tracker (Week 74) fielded July 23rd to 25th, 2021 among 2,011 U.S. adults, we look at if COVID testing will make a comeback, the NBA and the future of sports branding, a possible post-pandemic worker exodus, the role of sustainability in shopping, and how Gen Xers doubt they’ll ever get rich.
As a public service, our team has curated key insights to help leaders navigate COVID-19. Full survey results, tables, and weekly summaries can be accessed for free at The Harris Poll COVID-19 Portal. We will continue to actively field on a regular cadence to track the shifts in sentiment and behaviors as the news and guidelines evolve.
Not too long ago, it felt like America was finally turning the corner in the COVID pandemic - but then the Delta variant arrived. In consultation with the CDC, we checked in to see if testing will make a comeback. Here’s what we found:
At the beginning of July, (70%) of Americans agreed that the worst is behind us when thinking about the pandemic - now, just a few weeks later, only (56%) say the same with signs pointing to the Delta variant for the drop in confidence.
When it comes to testing, half (52%) of Americans aware of the Delta variant (59% vaccinated; 40% unvaccinated) say they would be more likely to consider getting tested for COVID if they were showing symptoms now that cases are on the rise.
Only half (50%) of vaccinated Americans say they would get tested if they found out they were exposed to someone with COVID compared to just three in 10 (31%) of those not yet vaccinated.
Among those who will continue to get tested for any reason, six in ten (61%) say they think it’s important to know if they have COVID so they can stop the spread.
And as for those who won’t get tested at all or unless required, (35%) cited already being vaccinated for their choice while nearly a quarter (23%) say they don’t trust the government or medical system with testing.
Takeaway: The longer too many Americans remain unvaccinated, the more likely COVID variants are to emerge that could evade current vaccines, signaling more restrictions on the way.
2. NBA: The Future of Sports Branding: Ad Age-Harris Poll
With the Milwaukee Bucks now NBA Champions, we take an in-depth analysis of the NBA's powerful brand ecosystem. We partnered with Ad Age for an exclusive report to provide a deep dive into the NBA and the future of sports branding. The full report can be found here and Ad Age shares more insights:
The NFL remains the most dominant pro sport in the U.S. - but the NBA is beating it when it comes to younger generations. Half (53%) of Gen Zers and (68%) of Millennials are NBA fans, compared to just (40%) of Boomers.
LeBron Effect: Three quarters (75%) think the NBA has too many superstar players concentrated on the most well-known teams.
The NBA has long been considered the most progressive pro sport, but here is one area where the NBA might be falling short - its logo. Over half (56%) of fans say the league should update its logo to feature a silhouette of a Black player.
For their 75th season, the NBA has decided to stick with the Jerry West look for a special logo and 6 in ten (59%) fans approve of it.
Fans voiced their opinion on changing the logo to Kobe Bryant after his tragic death in early 2020 - but NBA commissioner Adam Silver made it clear that there were no plans to change it at that time.
Takeaway: Harris Poll CEO Will Johnson says: “NBA fans have a strong affinity for the brand and they’re invested in its future. While fans reported they wanted to see a logo change, it isn’t necessarily an indictment of the league. Rather, it underscores the currency of the NBA and demonstrates the passion its young and racially diverse fan base has for the sport, the NBA brand, and the players.”
3. More Than a Third of Americans Are Considering Quitting Their Jobs: Yahoo Finance-Harris Poll
The rate at which Americans quit their jobs hit a historic high this spring, and workers may not be done job-hopping this year. Here’s what we found in our latest survey in partnership with Yahoo Finance:
More than a third (37%) of workers are thinking of quitting their current jobs or are already preparing to and the top reasons why are better opportunities (46%), higher salary (42%), and better work-life balance (34%).
Is this the back-to-the-office effect? Perhaps, as (83%) of those potential switchers say they wish to leave in the next six months, while the same number say they’ve been considering the move for the past year.
Younger workers are more likely to be job switching than older ones: (46%) of Millennials and (36%) of Gen Z vs. (31%) of Gen X and (21%) of Boomers.
Money may smooth over the office work gripe as a 10% increase in salary would convince more than a third (37%) of workers to stay with their current employer.
Takeaway: ZipRecruiter Economist Julia Pollak tells Yahoo Money, “People are leaving for more attractive jobs because there are lots of attractive jobs on offer. The share of signing bonuses has very radically exploded, the share of jobs offering a four-day workweek has also about doubled.”
4. Half of Americans Favor Faster Shipping Over Shopping Sustainably: Morning Brew-Harris Poll
Americans are split - who’s surprised? - on whether it’s crucial for retailers to be sustainable according to our exclusive study in partnership with Morning Brew.
More than half (54%) of Americans said that it’s important for retailers to be sustainable including two-thirds (64%) of Millennials, but only (42%) of Boomers.
Buying green means spending green: Almost half (46%) said higher prices are the main reason why they’re opting out. Plus, only (30%) of shoppers make the effort to seek out sustainable goods.
Word games: Seven in 10 (69%) of those surveyed said they’re more likely to buy a product if it’s marketed as sustainable, with “all natural” (46%) and “eco-friendly” (45%) holding the most sway.
Takeaway: Although sustainable shopping is making headway, consumers won’t let anything get in the way of fast shipping with more than half (56%) of respondents saying faster delivery supersedes shopping sustainably.
5. Generation X Is the Least Likely to Believe They’ll Get Rich One Day: Fast Company-Harris Poll
When will your ship come in? According to our new survey in conjunction with Fast Company, Americans aged 45-54 are the least likely to see wealth as attainable.
Less than half (47%) of Gen Xers agree that it’s possible to become wealthy or a part of the elite class compared to (60%) of 18-34-year-olds and (56%) of 35-44-year-olds.
Overall, younger people in the survey—and younger men, in particular—were far more likely to see wealth as achievable, with (69%) of men under 35 and (51%) of women under 35 believing so.
At the same time, more than half of respondents (54%) also said members of their generation would be worse off than their parents. In that regard, it was older millennials who showed the most pessimism, with (65%) agreeing.
Takeaway: Even though Gen Xers brought down the average, it’s worth noting that Americans are still generally optimistic about the possibility of getting rich, with (55%) seeing it as an achievable goal.
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