MARCO Research: 2022 Post-Pandemic Consumer Behavior Survey Report

When consumers were asked to rate various advertising channels on a 10-point scale on how likely they were to choose a product or brand over another, a whopping 33% of U.S. respondents rated television advertising a 7-10.

Meanwhile, another 37% of respondents gave TV ads a score of 4-6 in terms of influencing purchasing decisions; only 30% gave it a score of 0-3.

Following TV ads in terms of high viewership were influencers, with 29% of respondents rating them 7-10 in terms of influencing brand choice. Among Gen Z, influencer recommendations had the greatest impact on brand decisions. Overall, 45% of US respondents said they had purchased something based on an influencer’s recommendation. This ranked seventh out of the 14 countries surveyed, with respondents in Kenya (84%) being the most likely to do so and Italians (21%) being the least likely.

Meanwhile, public transit advertising was the lowest-rated type, with only 20% of US respondents rating it 7-10 in terms of influencing brand decisions; 52% rated it 0-3. While social media advertising scored higher (28%), 43% of respondents said social media had little to no influence on product or brand choice (0-3).

Other survey highlights:

Some 66% of U.S. respondents said they had started buying more online since the pandemic began, compared with 91% in Brazil and just 42% in Côte d’Ivoire.

Only 40% of US respondents buy travel products more online, ranking 12th among the 14 countries.

Likewise, only 44% of U.S. respondents said they shop for clothing and fashion more online than in stores, which ranks 13th out of the 14 countries.