Many U.S. consumers began expressing an eagerness to start spending again late last year, and now it seems as though brands and advertisers are starting to catch up. The good news for those brands is that a growing number of consumers believe 2021 will be the year that they will be able to resume their normal activities, and the vast majority of those activities involve spending money.
这对品牌来说是一个公开的邀请，根据广告支出的趋势，许多品牌已经从 2019 年年中开始扭转颓势，而这一年的广告支出大部分都是在年中下降的。到 2020 年第四季度，广告支出仅比上年同期下降了 5%，而前两个季度的同比降幅要大得多。
Importantly, the increase in ad spend complements rising consumer confidence in the U.S., which increased 16 index points in fourth-quarter 2020 according to the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index. So as consumers increasingly think about life and their activities away from home, brands and marketers need to focus on how individual consumers and consumer groups are prioritizing their re-emergence.
In terms of timing, a recent Nielsen survey found that 55% of Americans 18 and older believe they could get back to their normal routines this year. Men, however, are notably more optimistic than women, as 63% believe this year is the year to return to normal activities, compared with 49% of women.
Financial wellbeing is a critical consideration when it comes to consumer spending habits, and U.S. economic conditions continue to improve from an employment perspective. While the unemployment rate remains above its pre-pandemic level, it has come down dramatically since peaking at 14.7% in April of last year. And what’s more, when it reported a rate of 6.2% in February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics noted that many of the recent gains have taken place in the leisure and hospitality industries.
这一数据与消费者对旅游的兴趣相吻合，在我们调查的美国人中，73% 的人表示他们非常或有点渴望计划或预订一次度假。唯一排名靠前的活动是亲自参加宗教仪式（75%）和去发廊或理发店（74%）。乘坐飞机旅行的兴趣也在上升，67% 的受访者表示他们准备在未来三个月内乘坐飞机旅行。
除了就业条件的改善，许多在职消费者还表示，由于 COVID 相关限制，他们在过去一年中减少了支出。事实上，40%-45% 的 18-49 岁就业者表示，由于去年无法正常消费，他们能够将更多的收入储蓄起来。
鉴于许多消费者去年搁置了某些大额消费，我们预计，随着大额消费模式的转变，大额消费将重新兴起。例如，近一半的 35-49 岁成年人和 45% 的 18-34 岁成年人去年购买了 500 美元或以上的物品，但这些物品主要集中在科技、家用设备、家居装修和服装方面。随着 COVID 限制的放宽，40% 的 18 岁及以上成年人表示他们未来会购买一辆新车或二手车，20% 的人表示他们打算在未来 12 个月内购买一套新房。
所有消费者都需要一段时间才能感到出门在外的舒适，但潮流已经开始转向。乐观情绪、情感和购买意向的改善是营销人员评估其营销活动是否反映消费者心态的明确指标。
For additional insights, download the latest 尼尔森观众总数报告.
