In 2000, the United States declared that measles had been officially eliminated as a contagious disease, as there had been no person-to-person transmissions in the previous twelve months. That feat was achieved due to the effectiveness of the MMR vaccine and high vaccination rates. However, as of May 16, 2025, there were over 718 reported cases of measles, including two deaths in West Texas and another 50 cases in New Mexico. Most measles cases in this recent outbreak are occurring in unvaccinated children between the ages of 5 and 17. This troubling trend prompted ThinkNow to conduct a nationally representative quantitative survey of 1,500 U.S. adults on attitudes and behaviors surrounding vaccination, and the results are concerning.
Download the report here.
Herd immunity against infectious diseases requires a 95% vaccination rate. Back in 2000, the vaccination rate was 90.5%, demonstrating that disease elimination is possible with slightly lower coverage. Our recent study, conducted in March and April of this year, found that 86% of parents have vaccinated or plan to vaccinate their children against illnesses like measles, polio, and chicken pox. That percentage may increase as more children enroll in school. Still, the widening gap between current levels and the herd-immunity threshold contributes to the size and scope of today’s outbreak.
Further complicating prevention efforts is the variability in vaccination rates, from 79.6% to 98.3%, across states and within communities. Gaines County, the epicenter of the current Texas outbreak, has an 82% vaccination rate, largely attributed to many Mennonite families in the area who opt out of childhood vaccinations. At a national level, our study found that aside from religious exemptions, parental age and race significantly influence vaccination decisions. While 12% of parents overall say they don’t plan to vaccinate their children, that number rises to 29% among African American parents and 17% among Gen Z parents.
The most cited reason for vaccine hesitancy is the belief that immunization is unnecessary. This perception is especially prevalent among Gen Z parents who opt out of vaccinations. Concerns about adverse reactions and misinformation about vaccine ingredients also play a significant role.
Key findings from vaccine-hesitant parents include:
These attitudes point to a clear need for better education and communication, particularly among younger parents and communities of color, about the role vaccines play in preventing serious illness.
While 61% of parents overall report confidence in the safety of childhood vaccines, only 39% of Gen Z parents say the same. Nearly one-third of Gen Z respondents say they’re neutral on the issue. In contrast, confidence among older generations is much higher, 70% among Gen X and 72% among Baby Boomers. These generational differences suggest a broader erosion of trust in public institutions and medical guidance among younger adults, an emerging challenge for public health leaders.
Physicians remain the most trusted source of information about vaccines, cited by 76% of respondents. However, social media and online influencers are increasingly shaping the views of younger and minority parents. Among African Americans who support vaccination, 30% say online sources have influenced them. Among Gen Z, while most still cite doctors as a top source, many also report being swayed by peers, influencers, and online content.
To improve vaccine uptake, public awareness campaigns must reach younger parents where they are—on social platforms—and reinforce science-based messages through trusted, culturally relevant voices.
One-third of parents who oppose childhood vaccination say nothing could change their minds. But not all are immovable:
These findings point to the potential power of community storytelling and consistent, transparent communication in shifting attitudes.
Seventy-one percent of parents believe vaccines should be required for public school attendance, regardless of exemptions. However, among Gen Z parents, support for mandates drops. Fifty-two percent believe vaccination should be entirely optional, compared to just 15% of Boomers. Still, many parents acknowledge the broader social benefit of vaccines. The idea that immunization protects not just one child but the entire community continues to resonate, even among those with reservations.
Our recent findings reveal a shifting landscape. While most U.S. parents continue to support childhood vaccinations, confidence is slipping, particularly among Gen Z and African American parents. Addressing this decline in trust will require more than data points. Listening, cultural understanding, and amplifying trusted voices within communities will be necessary to shift the conversation.
As we confront the re-emergence of preventable diseases, rebuilding vaccine confidence must be a top priority. Because when trust breaks down, the consequences ripple far beyond the individual and put us all at risk.
Download the report here.
Agencies like the CDC and USDA rely on government insights solutions. Discover what ThinkNow Government offers the public sector.
Latin music is no longer a niche. It’s a global phenomenon reshaping how brands navigate an increasingly digital and culturally diverse landscape. Streaming platforms are breaking down barriers to discovery, giving artists instant access to global audiences and perpetuating cultural diffusion across borders. But with that access comes disruption and a need to rethink how value is created and shared. For marketers, this means looking beyond conventional metrics and focusing on where and how people engage with content.
Technology also accelerates creativity, but with it comes new challenges. While artificial intelligence now makes it possible to generate music with a prompt, it also raises serious ethical questions around authorship, ownership, and compensation. As AI becomes more embedded into creative workflows, the industry is grappling with how to protect the integrity and livelihoods of human creators.
The ethical use of AI is also closely tied to cultural resonance, especially with Gen Z, an audience that values authenticity and resists being confined to traditional genre boxes. Their listening habits are shaped more by mood, context, and cultural nuance than by conventional categories, challenging marketers to meet them with content that feels personal and real.
Ultimately, music rooted in cultural truth, even when fused with other sounds, has the power to bring people together regardless of background or geography. The consumer shapes what’s popular, and technology amplifies that influence, making it easier for audiences to discover, share, and champion the music that speaks to them.
In this episode of The New Mainstream podcast, Jose Abreu, Vice President of Digital Marketing & Streaming, Latin Iberia Region, at Sony Music Entertainment, explores how technology, culture, and consumer behavior are reshaping the future of music and what brands can learn from it.
Despite America’s growing diversity, multicultural marketing continues to face persistent underinvestment and inconsistency. While Black and Latino consumers make up approximately 30% of the U.S. population, early multicultural campaigns received less than 5% of national advertising budgets, a gap that has improved slightly but remains a major challenge today. Even now, multicultural efforts are often the first budgets cut when financial pressures arise, undermining brand loyalty and growth opportunities.
There has been a shift from language-driven strategies to culture-driven ones. In the past, Spanish-language media buys were often seen as enough. Today, success demands deeper cultural insight, recognizing that diverse consumers live multigenerational, multiracial, and bilingual realities. Authentic connection, not just language, is now the key to meaningful engagement.
Brands like Honda offer a blueprint through initiatives like Honda Stage, which uses music as a universal passion point to unite diverse audiences organically without forcing segmentation. Meanwhile, missteps like Target’s recent DEI pullback show how quickly consumer trust can erode when companies abandon their multicultural commitments.
Another critical takeaway is the growing importance of first-party data and minority-owned media partnerships. As privacy regulations limit traditional targeting methods, collaborating with platforms that genuinely understand their audiences becomes even more valuable.
Ultimately, brands must shift away from chasing fleeting viral moments and instead focus on building real, lasting community relationships.
In this episode of The New Mainstream podcast, Randy Gudiel, SVP, Media Director at Orci, shares valuable insights on why consistency, cultural authenticity, and sustained investment are now essential for brands that want to thrive in an increasingly diverse marketplace.
Meet Our Guest:
Randy Gudiel is a media strategist with over 15 years of experience in media planning, buying, and integrated marketing. He began his career in General Market advertising, supporting automotive and hospitality brands. Early in his career, he transitioned into multicultural marketing—where he led media strategy for clients in financial services, tech, government, CPG, and gaming, helping them better connect with Hispanic, Asian, and African American audiences.
Today, as SVP, Media Director at Orci, Randy leads cross-channel, performance-focused media strategies rooted in cultural relevance, consumer insight, and a Hispanic-first perspective. His work reflects the understanding that effective multicultural marketing starts with intention, not adaptation. His current portfolio spans categories including entertainment, automotive, and grocery, with a focus on building media plans that center Hispanic audiences while thoughtfully engaging the broader multicultural landscape.
Over the course of his career, Randy has also supported clients in healthcare, nonprofit, QSR, and entertainment—bringing a thoughtful, data-informed approach to every challenge.
A first-generation Guatemalan-American, Randy brings a valuable blend of lived experience and strategic expertise to the work, ensuring that every plan is inclusive, intentional, and built for impact.
As we navigate a year of economic uncertainty and shifting consumer shopping preferences, ThinkNow’s latest Clicks vs. Carts: 2025 Shoppers Report reveals a nuanced picture of how Americans are shopping in 2025, and what that means for retailers, marketers, and brands looking to stay competitive. The quantitative research report is based on a nationally representative sample of 1,500 consumers from ThinkNow’s market research panels and breaks out the findings by age and ethnicity. Some highlights include:
While two out of five Americans believe their finances will improve this year, the country remains split on the broader economic outlook. Inflation remains the top concern across all demographics, especially among older consumers. Millennials and Gen Z are more hopeful about their personal financial future, which is an encouraging sign for brands targeting younger buyers.
In 2025, consumers are prioritizing practical purchases such as smartphones, travel, electronics, and home upgrades. Big-ticket items like homes and luxury goods are on the back burner. More than ever, brands must now focus their messaging on value, durability, and emotional connection.
Online shopping continues to grow, with nearly half of Americans making online purchases at least once a week. Gen Z and Millennials lead the charge here, with Gen Z showing the highest daily online shopping rates. Still, in-store shopping remains vital—especially for groceries, alcohol, and home goods—proving that omnichannel strategies are essential.
Clothing and fashion purchases increasingly straddle online and in-store channels, as consumers seek convenience and tactile experience. Millennials are expanding their online habits into groceries and appliances, while Gen Z is driving new growth in beauty and electronics online.
Across categories, price and quality are the two biggest decision drivers. Brand reputation, customer reviews, and the ability to touch or try products also play a role, especially for big purchases. Speed of delivery and easier returns are crucial levers for increasing online conversion.
Amazon is the top online retailer, but Walmart and Target are strong contenders, especially among African American and Hispanic consumers. Younger shoppers are also exploring platforms like Shein, Nike, and Instacart, reflecting a broadening of the digital marketplace.
More than half of Hispanic consumers say they sometimes or always look for Spanish-language shopping options. Millennials and Gen X Hispanics also place greater importance on culturally relevant marketing, from language to holiday promotions. For brands, marketing to the nation’s growing Hispanic population isn't a trend—it's a necessity.
Consumers see faster delivery, mobile-first shopping, and sustainable options as key trends shaping the future. Gen Z and Millennials are driving interest in social media shopping, while Gen X shows the greatest enthusiasm for immersive retail experiences like AR and VR.
To boost online sales, consumers are calling for better discounts, faster shipping, and simpler return processes. This points to a continued expectation for convenience, transparency, and value delivered with cultural fluency and digital agility.
As consumer shopping expectations evolve, brands must adapt strategies that blend price sensitivity, omnichannel experiences, and cultural resonance. Whether online, in-store, or in-between, the shopping journey of 2025 is dynamic and deeply human.
Download the report here.
The transition from working in large companies to owning a startup is a journey of both challenge and opportunity. For many entrepreneurs, it's a chance to reconnect with their passions, streamline their offerings, and create deeper emotional connections with clients. However, all companies, regardless of size, must navigate the complexities of maintaining a strong brand identity and making decisions that align with their core values.
In today’s competitive marketplace, companies are not only navigating fluctuations in market demand but also facing intense scrutiny in the court of public opinion. Take Target, for example. Once celebrated for its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and its thoughtful multicultural marketing campaigns, the retailer now faces boycotts from consumers and the loss of popular brands that once graced its shelves.
As many brands discovered in 2020, companies that stay true to their mission, vision, and values resonate more deeply with consumers. People invest in brands that align with their values, and when companies genuinely uphold their principles, their community will support them.
In this episode of The New Mainstream Podcast, Maribel Lara, Founder of Beget Love Consulting, shares insights on her journey into entrepreneurship and how authenticity can help brands thrive, even when faced with challenges.
The United States is experiencing a significant demographic shift, with multicultural communities driving the nation's growth. This highlights the importance of data accurately representing this multicultural reality.
In artificial intelligence and machine learning, the quality and representativeness of data are paramount. Synthetic data – artificially generated information that maintains the statistical properties of real-world data – has emerged as a powerful tool for training AI models. However, the effectiveness of these models hinges on the diversity embedded within the synthetic data.
Without adequate representation of various cultural and ethnic groups, AI systems risk perpetuating existing biases which can lead to skewed outcomes and can reinforce systemic inequalities.
Companies investing in synthetic data are particularly interested in capturing the nuances of diverse consumer behaviors. As multicultural communities drive population growth and influence market trends, understanding their unique preferences and needs becomes essential for businesses aiming to remain competitive. Synthetic data that accurately represents these groups offers a cost-effective way to gain insights compared to traditional data collection methods.
Representation is a significant issue facing AI today. But, by starting with the hardest-to-reach groups, such as multicultural communities, synthetic data creators can address the most complex challenges first. Addressing these challenges results in a more inclusive dataset and leads to higher-quality AI systems overall. Models that can effectively handle the nuances of diverse populations tend to perform better across all demographics, creating more robust and versatile solutions.
Multicultural communities not only represent the fastest-growing demographic groups in the U.S., but they are also leading drivers of economic expansion. For instance, in 2023, the employment rate among Black and Hispanic Americans aged 25-54 reached a record high. These groups also experienced faster wage growth, contributing to higher income levels. Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs, while Hispanics represent one of the fastest-growing populations in the U.S.
Businesses that fail to recognize these shifts risk missing out on opportunities to engage with a significant portion of the market. However, these communities are not monoliths. Due to the complexity of these thriving markets, tapping into them from a research perspective, can be daunting.
Generating synthetic data allows market researchers, marketers and strategists to address this growth opportunity in a scalable way. Instead of being hampered by incomplete or biased real-world datasets, they can rely on synthetic data that mirrors the full spectrum of human diversity.
By understanding the value of underrepresented groups, companies can create more relevant marketing strategies that deliver greater value to their audiences.
The future of synthetic data is inherently multicultural. As the U.S. becomes more diverse, it is important to create AI and data solutions that reflect this reality. Training AI with multicultural insights helps create reliable synthetic data, leading to more inclusive applications and ultimately, better outcomes for businesses, consumers and society.
This blog post was originally published on Quirk's Media.
Imagine market research as navigating a vast ocean. For years, we've used simple maps – surveys and panels – to guide us. But the ocean is changing, new currents are emerging, and those old maps just aren't enough anymore. That's where the new online sampling comes in – it's like having a smart compass that shows you exactly where to go and enabling researchers to collect data from diverse, geographically dispersed audiences quickly and efficiently. Removing barriers like travel constraints and logistical delays offers a more accessible and cost-effective way to reach the right respondents. Think of it as a “smart compass” getting you precisely where you want to go.
Think of it this way:
This new approach to online sampling can help businesses:
The future of online sampling is all about being smarter, faster, and more personal. It's about having a smart compass that helps businesses navigate the ever-changing market and reach their destination successfully. It's not just about collecting data; it's about using that data to make better decisions and build a stronger business.