Ipsos Update - June 2017

We start with the Millennials, that famous cohort of people born during a c15 year period from 1980-1995. Our new report takes a look at some of the claims made about them: lazy when it comes to work, shunning Facebook, more socially liberal, obsessed with their health… All of these, our analysis finds, more myth than reality. Take the quiz and explore how in touch you are with millennials’ attitudes and behaviour.

Following on from last year’s African Youth study, our latest report on Sub-Saharan Africa explores the role of African Women. They are at the heart of what’s happening when it comes to wealth creation, family life and education. Our new survey explores the emerging trends across seven countries. As Florence de Bigault points out, “the road to equality and female empowerment in Africa is long, but this is one of the major transformations taking place on the continent.”

We feature a new piece by Arnaud Debia, who has been looking at what needs to be in place if your communications are to cut through in today’s cluttered media environment. His conclusion: be bold, and make your brand rock.

Meanwhile, our reputation researchers have been exploring what needs to happen to build trust in your organisation over the long-term. Their new Point of View unpicks the characteristics of the world’s most trusted companies. Being able to combine strong business performance with a social conscience is a key component of companies in the “top tier” when it comes to trust. Trent Ross points out that we also need to be alive to differences by country: respondents in western Europe and Australia tend to be more sceptical of companies, whereas people in emerging markets, as well as the United Sates, are generally more trusting.

In the not-too-distant future the advent of new innovations like self-driving cars are poised to transform how we get around. At the moment, Europeans are spending around 2 hours a day on the move, irrespective of mode of travel. Our new mobility report finds 66% saying they would use their car less if “necessary improvements” are made. But for the moment, many are unconvinced: 61% say that public investment in transport is “insufficient”.

Ipsos’ Economic Pulse of the World survey provides some positive headlines this month, driven by a seven-point rise in the percentage of people in Latin America saying their country’s economy is in “good” shape. The regional figure now stands at 35%, with huge variations by country – ranging from the 77% recorded in Peru to Brazil’s 10%.  Around the world, we see four countries which record a favourable rating of more than 80%: Saudi Arabia, India, China and Germany.

France, with just 17% positive, has in recent years been one countries where pessimism about the economy (and on where the country is heading) is most widespread. We feature the final results of last month’s election campaign, which saw Ipsos and partners announcing their very accurate estimations live on TV as the polls closed. Our dedicated site (in French) includes detailed analysis of the campaign, including breakdowns of the results by social group and the reasons given by electors for their vote choice.

With the holiday season now starting in many parts of the world, the new Ipsos/Europ Assistance Holiday Barometer takes a look at the landscape. People are taking shorter holidays, but they are going away more often. Online reviews are now firmly on the map when it comes to making the final choice about where to stay. And, for Europeans at least, one city is head and shoulders above the rest as the city they would want to visit at least once in their lives: New York.