WHAT THE DATA SAY: 65% would rather give up social media for a month than chocolate

AMERICANS SLIGHTLY MORE OPTIMISTIC

Americans are feeling a bit better about the country - yet not their personal financial situation, according to our most recent poll with the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University.

• 34% of Americans say the country is on the right track (up from 32% a month ago), and 34% say the economy is on the right track (the same as a month ago).
• 47% say their personal financial situation is becoming worse (compared with 45% a month ago). This view is highest among Republicans (65%) and Independents (49%) versus Democrats (28%).
• 36% say immigration is the most important issue facing the country, followed by inflation and price increases (33%).
• From a personal standpoint, inflation remains the top issue (38%, down 3 points from last month).
• When asked about a ban on TikTok, 64% believe the risks to Americans' personal and national security outweigh the benefits of using TikTok. This view is highest among those ages 65 and older (85%).
• 65% support the bill that would ban TikTok in the U.S. if ByteDance does not sell it to a U.S. government-approved buyer.

SNACKING, THE GREAT STRESS RELIEVER

The world loves to snack, and it's become the way consumers take their minds off the issues of the day, according to the fifth annual global State of Snacking report from The Harris Poll and Mondelēz.

• 88% of global consumers snack daily - and 60% enjoy snacks twice daily.
• The numbers are even higher among younger consumers: 94% of Gen Z and Millennials snack once or more a day; 68% snack at least two times a day; and 33% have three or more snacks a day.
• 6 in 10 consumers prefer snacks over traditional meals - favoring small, more frequent meals throughout the day.
• 67% are looking for snacks that are portion-controlled - 5 points higher than last year's study.
• 54% are eating more plant-based snacks - 4 points higher than last year.
• A global favorite: chocolate. 65% of consumers in North America would rather give up social media for a month than chocolate (57% globally).
• 84% of consumers in North America have been loyal to specific snacks or brands for a long time (compared with 76% globally).
• 68% seek out snacks that evoke memories of their childhood or past experiences.

1 IN 4 AVOID COLLEAGUES WHOSE NAME THEY CANNOT PRONOUNCE

Mispronouncing a work colleague's name - particularly a person of color - is a regular occurrence and a source of office stress, based on our Harris Poll research with Fast Company.

• 36% of people of color say their names are mispronounced most or all the time (compared with 18% of white counterparts).
• 33% of professionals of color report experiencing discrimination at work because of their name (versus 16% for white workers).
• 35% of Americans become anxious when they see a name they cannot pronounce, and 23% avoid someone whose name they cannot pronounce.
• Conforming rather than informing: 56% of people of color say they have changed their name at work in some way, and 13% have been told to change their name to make it easier to find a job.

SUMMER VACATION = MORE DRIVING

Spring has sprung, and America is thinking about summer vacations - with more planning to travel by car to save money, based on our Harris Poll survey with NerdWallet.

• 45% of Americans are planning a summer trip requiring airfare or a hotel stay.
• We will spend an average of $3,594 on vacations this year.
• 91% are taking action to save money on travel expenses - with 42% driving instead of flying to their destination (compared with 35% driving last year).
• 20% will go into debt for vacations this year.
• 22% will skip a vacation this summer because travel has become too expensive.
• 43% say recent air travel incidents have made them more wary to fly.

STREAM AND CANCEL

Consumers today are confused by all the streaming options, and they're ready to watch and cancel at a moment's notice, according to our Harris Poll survey with Ad Age.

• More than half of viewers subscribe to a streaming service for an individual show and then cancel after watching. The trend is higher among younger people: 63% of Gen Z and 62% of Millennials say they've streamed and canceled.
• Netflix continues to dominate the streaming market: 66% are interested in Netflix's original content among a list of competitors - jumping to 83% among Gen Z and 74% among Millennials.
• Prime Video ranks second with 55% interest overall.
• Gen Z's second preferred streamer for original content is Disney+ with 60% of respondents selecting it.
• Second among Millennials is Hulu at 59%.

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