Ipsos Update - April 2020

COVID-19 has caused our lives to operate in unfamiliar contexts and unpredictable patterns. As many brands find themselves unsure how to act, we offer some early thoughts on understanding and adapting to consumer behaviour change, delivering messages that people will engage with and continuing to innovate in challenging times via our three new papers.

For all the latest research and analysis on coronavirus as it is released, please see the COVID-19 home page on the Ipsos website.

Our latest Digital Doctor study in 21 countries presents the latest on digital and connected health. In a webinar, we discuss how aspects such as telehealth, home-testing, chatbots and data on global population health relate to today’s coronavirus epidemic. From a patient perspective, we find that 42% would feel comfortable undergoing minor surgery performed by a robot.

Turning to digital solutions for market research, our new white paper A New World shows how the decision to move offline research online is not a question of “if”, but when. Switching surveys to an online mode will certainly bring differences in data, but these can be managed. We look at different factors to consider for a smooth transition online.

Another paper addresses the challenges of our ‘Too Much Information Age’, in which researchers need to think better rather than bigger, and remember that more is not always more useful. We offer three ‘smart moves’ for approaching digital data, from discovery to prioritisation and triangulation, to build a fuller picture.

For International Women’s Day on 8th March 2020, our study across 27 countries found that half of men now think there is gender equality in the workplace, while only three in ten women agree. There are discrepancies in the views of men and women when it comes to appropriate behaviour and career progression – as well as variations between countries.

Meanwhile, we look at race representation in our new Pillars of Popular Culture piece, asking how content creators can deliver broad appeal, present diversity, and navigate cultural sensitivity at the same time. Using the new screen adaptation of teen fiction book Noughts and Crosses as an example, we present some ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’.

Looking ahead to Earth Day on 22 April, our team in Singapore presents the problem of excessive plastic packaging and waste in the country – where nearly 950,000 tonnes of plastic waste was generated in 2018, but only 4% was recycled. While four in five local consumers agree this is an issue, only half would be willing to pay more. We look at what brands can do.

We also take a look at sustainable fashion, with our research suggesting that the fashion world has reached an ethical turning-point. We find more people around the world purchasing second-hand items, including in the luxury sector, and look at what this means for brands.