Consumer Sentiment

This year was chock-full of defining moments. From ongoing trade disputes with China and political unrest, to legalized marijuana and online privacy concerns. In our final report of the year, 2019 Defining Moments: Insights Into Culture and Authenticity™, we highlight trends in consumer sentiment, purchase behavior, and digital media use, and explore the impact culture has on these trends. We’ve combined these insights into a brief narrative of Total Market consumer behavior over the last twelve months and marketing predictions for 2020.

Despite losing subscribers for the first time in the past eight years, Netflix is still the preferred method used for watching TV programs among U.S. consumers, followed closely by YouTube. Preferred by 61% of consumers for the past two years, the streaming giant’s dominance hasn’t been marked so much by growth as it has been by the drastic decline of Live TV across 2017, 2018, and 2019. In a matter of 3 years, linear television went from 68% in viewership down to 36%.

Last month, Illinois became the 11th state to allow the adult use of recreational marijuana. Its state legislature is the first to legalize selling the drug. Marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, for now. But that hasn’t stopped blue chip companies from exploring cannabis-based products as many believe that federal legalization in the U.S. is only a few votes away.