Ipsos Update - May 2020

We start with a short summary of our coronavirus polling to date with the latest in public opinion showing how people are responding to the evolving pandemic, social media research and our recent papers on customer rituals, brand growth, innovation and customer experience. Find the latest research as it is released on Ipsos.com and read more about them in Signals, our regular coronavirus-focused publication.

Coronavirus dominates our global What Worries the World survey as the “new entrant” COVID-19 records the highest level of concern seen for any category since the series began. Globally, 61% globally say that coronavirus is among the most important issues facing their country today, and it is the top concern in 24 of the 28 countries surveyed. Meanwhile, we see also an uptick in concern about Unemployment and Healthcare.

Looking ahead to life and the economy beyond the pandemic, our research for Earth Day 2020 finds that two-thirds of people across 14 countries (65%) support a “green recovery” and seven in ten consider climate change to be as serious an issue as COVID-19 in the long-term. Our report shows which actions people are most likely to do to tackle climate change, and which environmental issues are most pressing in different countries.

Issues such as climate change, sustainability and social cohesion are already at the top of the corporate agenda for many companies. Our annual report on corporate reputation presents the latest thinking from international experts to help companies meet the increasing demand for meaningful action in a world of constant disruption.

Turning to research methods, we present a mobile first approach to survey design which recognises that, with 3.5 billion smartphone users and growing, mobile is our present and future. Redesigning surveys for optimal mobile use enhances accessibility and usability for respondents on their device of choice. Our paper guides you through the process.

We also take a look at how integrating healthcare data from multiple sources will change business insights for pharmaceutical companies, allowing them to better understand stakeholders as well as becoming more customer and patient-centric. Our paper argues that the unconventional combination of data science and qualitative research will be key in the future.

Finally, the first weeks of lockdown show how the COVID-19 pandemic is changing how and why we watch TV. Not only are people filling a time gap with more viewing hours, but they are seeking out different types of content to fulfil different roles, such as ‘entertainer’, ‘informer’, ‘commercial break’, and ‘babysitter’. Choices are more orientated towards the whole household and there is an increase in nostalgic ‘feel-good’ programming. We provide a picture of how TV viewing is evolving in the UK, US and MENA region.