As a follow-up to its well-known and well-respected Mendelsohn Affluent Survey (currently being fielded for its 33rd consecutive year), Ipsos Mendelsohn recently conducted its quarterly online Barometer survey among affluent adults during April 2009. In it, some 1000 people in households with household incomes of $100,000 or more were asked to candidly assess and share their current concerns and opinions about the changing world around them.

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More Americans would choose to share a vacation rental home with talk show host Kelly Ripa (26%) than would with the Obamas (19%), the Jolie-Pitt family (16%), Oprah Winfrey (16%), Jon Stewart (13%) or Stephen Colbert (10%), according to a new survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Home Away.

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Over Half Already Feel that Their Funding Is Insufficient, and Roughly a Quarter of Departments Say They Are Lacking Adequate Equipment and Training

New York, NY – Fire departments across the country face a variety of challenges – from budget cuts to staffing issues – and the current economic crisis in only exacerbating these problems, according to a new study conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company. The study, “Supporting Safer Communities: A National Firefighter Survey,” found that a majority of departments (56%) fear that if the economic crisis continues into next year, that it will negatively impact their ability to serve their community. Fortunately, though, only 17% of departments feel that the quality of service that they provide has declined due to the economy.

One Half Of Those wishing for More Would Consider Changing Jobs or Moving to a Community That Had More to Offer

New York, New York – A new poll conducted on behalf of Snagajob.com has revealed that living or working in the suburbs might not be all that it’s cracked up to be. Of the one in three (32%) Americans who reportedly live in a suburban environment, a majority (51%) wishes their community had more of a wide variety of offerings.

Items that the majority of suburbanites are looking for more of include: access to convenient public transportation (23%), a broad array of housing options (22%), a walkable environment (22%), arts, sporting events and other entertainment options (21%), cultural diversity (19%), and closer proximity to a regional or local job core that provides close jobs to where they live (17%). In fact, 52% of these individuals say that they would move to a community that offered more of these things, while 44% of those looking for more still wouldn’t move to a different community.

Focusing on the workplace, nearly three in ten (28%) working Americans say that they work in a suburban setting, suggesting that many are still enduring a commute into the urban core where four in ten (40%) report working. Among those who do work in the suburbs, nearly one half (47%) wish that that environment offered more.

Among those who yearn for an improved working environment in the suburbs, one quarter are looking for good use of green space (23%), while others want more of a broad array of employers and work environments (20%), access to convenient to public transit for easier commuting (17%), cultural diversity (16%), a walkable environment (14%), and closer proximity to housing options (12%). Among those who are looking for more in their suburban working environment, nearly one half (47%) would change jobs or employers to be in a location that offered more of these things. However, a majority (52%) would not.

Three Quarters Feel that Expanding US Travel to Cuba Would Positively Impact the Lives of the Cuban People

New York, NY – More than two thirds of adult Americans (67%) say that they would support a policy that would allow all Americans to travel to Cuba, according to a new study conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of Orbitz. In fact, nearly a third (32%) would strongly support such a policy, while 35% would somewhat support it. Just two in ten (23%) say that they would oppose lifting these travel restrictions (10% somewhat oppose, 13% strongly oppose).

Majorities believe that such a policy would benefit the Cuban people, as nearly three quarters (72%) agree that expanding travel and tourism from the U.S. to Cuba would have a positive impact on the day-to-day lives of the Cuban people. Just 20% feel that allowing Americans to travel to Cuba would not positively impact Cubans in this way.

Booking Travel to Cuba…

Two thirds of Americans (67%) would support a policy that would allow travel agents to book vacation travel to Cuba, mirroring the level of support for lifting the travel ban. Less than a quarter (23%) would oppose allowing travel agents to do so.

Similarly, more than six in ten (63%) Americans agree that it should be legal for online travel sites, such as Orbitz.com, to book travel to Cuba.

Most Feel Orbitz.com Should Encourage the Government to Lift the Travel Ban

Nearly two thirds of Americans (64%) say that Orbitz.com should play an active role to persuade elected officials to give all Americans the freedom to travel to Cuba. Less than three in ten (28%) disagree, preferring that Orbitz.com not encourage the government to lift the travel restrictions.

One Half (50%) of Boomers Have Not Changed Their View Of Retirement, Despite Current Economic Turmoil

Toronto, ON – According to an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of RBC, six in ten (62%) Canadian boomers between the ages of 50 and 69 say that ‘regular payments to reduce or eliminate debt’ is a top (ranked 1-3 out of 10 items) priority. Further, a similar (61%) proportion of boomers say that ‘retirement savings’ is a top priority, placing it well ahead of other possible priorities including ‘saving for a rainy day’ (48%), ‘keeping their head above water’ (35%), and ‘home renovations’ (29%).

Other possible priorities that few ranked among their top focus include ‘building an investment portfolio’ (19%), ‘saving for a large self-rewarding purchase’ (18%), ‘home ownership’ (16%), ‘saving for children or grandchildren’s education’ (6%), and ‘supporting aging parents’ (6%).

Thinking about the current economy and their own future, one half (50%) of boomers say their view of retirement has not changed as a result. But others are reflecting on new realities: one quarter (26%) thinks they may have to work longer than they expected, while one in five (20%) suggests they may not be able to live the lifestyle they thought they would. Others think they need to do more planning (14%), and 6% say they haven’t really thought about their retirement. Fewer than one in ten (8%) says retirement isn’t an option.

Many boomers are turning to a wide variety of sources for information, chief among them being professional financial advisors (50%), followed by newspapers, magazines or televisions (39%). Other sources include newsletters from financial institutions (23%), or newsletters from advisors (18%), family and friends (19%), a spouse or partner (17%), websites or blogs (15%), or information ‘anywhere from anyone’ (23%).

More Americans Would Rather Reduce Their Risk of Identity Theft by 20% Than Reduce Their Waistlines by 20 Pounds

New York, NY – When asked which of three personal items they would be most concerned about being stolen if someone were to break into their home, three in five (58%) select their Social Security number over their wallet or purse (24%) or their laptop (9%), according to a recent poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of ID Analytics. In fact, Americans across demographic groups are more likely to say that they would be more concerned about their Social Security number being stolen over their wallet or purse or laptop. This importance placed on protecting one’s Social Security number reflects Americans’ concern about identity theft.

• Women are even more likely than men to be most concerned about their Social Security number being stolen (63% vs. 54%).
• Those with a high school education or less also express greater levels of concern about their Social Security number being stolen than do more educated adults (64% vs. 53%).
• Those with a household income of less than $25,000 are also more likely than more affluent adults to select their Social Security number over their wallet or laptop (65% vs. 53%).

Similarly, nearly six in ten Americans (58%) say that they would rather reduce their risk of identity theft by 20% than lose 20 pounds, illustrating that they understand the real risks of identity theft today.

• Across demographic groups, Americans are more likely to chose reducing their risk of identify theft over losing 20 pounds. The only exception is retirees, who are equally likely to select losing 20 pounds as they are to select reducing their risk of identity theft by 20%.
• Younger adults are more likely to prefer to decrease their risk of identify theft than their waistline: 66% of adults under 35 and 60% of adults ages 35 to 54 would rather reduce their risk of having their identity stolen whereas just 48% of adults 55+ say the same.
• Westerners (64%) are also more likely than those in other regions to choose decreasing their risk of identity theft over shedding 20 pounds.
• Parents (67%) and Hispanics (72%) are also among those who are most likely to prefer to reduce their risk of identity theft than their weight.

Yet Shelters are in Need of People to Adopt, as Spring Tends to Bring the Most New Arrivals

Toronto, ON – There seems to be a fair level of apprehension around adopting pets from shelters, as eight in ten pet shelter employees (81%) hear people saying that shelter pets tend to have behavioural problems. Nearly one in three respondents (28%) reports that they frequently hear that ‘shelter pets are animals that have behavioural problems,’ and an additional 52% say that they sometime hear this.

Many also say that they frequently (26%) or sometimes (41%) hear that ‘you cannot find a pure-bred animal at a shelter.’ Given this, it’s not surprising that many believe that ‘you never know what kind of animal you will get when you adopt from a shelter.’ Seven in ten respondents say that they hear this statement at least sometimes (18% frequently/52% sometimes).

Similarly, it also seems to be commonly believed that ‘you never know an animal’s full medical or health history when you adopt from a shelter,’ as 29% hear this frequently and 42% sometimes hear this. However, the perception that ‘all shelter animals are old and have health issues’ is less prevalent as just 9% of pet shelter respondents say they frequently hear this, though 29% say that they sometimes do.

Some Canadians believe that they may not find their perfect match at a shelter, as 16% frequently and 34% sometimes hear that people ‘won’t be able to find the animal they want at a shelter.’

Majorities of shelter employees say that the top reason animals are brought to their shelter is because they are stray or abandoned (50%). Nearly one in five says that animals are given away to shelters because owners are moving and cannot bring their pet with them. Other reasons that animals end up at shelters include owners not being able to afford to care for their pet (7%), behavioural problems (5%), the animal becoming too much work for the owner (4%), the pet not suiting the owner’s lifestyle (3%), the animal was rescued from a puppy mill or abusive home (3%), the owner going through a major life change such as a divorce or death (2%) and the birth of a new baby (1%). Seven percent cited some other reason.

Officials at All Levels Get Two Thumbs Up in Confidence from Public

Toronto, ON – As countries across the world take precautions to stop the spread of what was coined as swine flu at the outset but is now officially known as H1N1 (as individuals cannot contract the flu from eating swine or hog products), a new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of Canwest News Service and Global National has revealed that just one in seven (15%) are ‘very concerned’ with catching the flu – notable considering the alleged pandemic hype. In total, fewer than one half (47%) of Canadians are ‘concerned’ (15% very much/33% somewhat) that ‘they or someone else in their family might contract this flu over the next number of weeks or months’.

Only in Atlantic Canada is a majority (55%) ‘concerned’ that they or someone in their family might contract this new strain of flu, while those in Quebec (48%), Ontario (47%), Alberta (46%), British Columbia (45%), and Saskatchewan/Manitoba (43%) are less likely to be concerned.

While the H1N1 flu has spread from its origins in Mexico to a number of countries across the world, including various provinces across Canada, most Canadians have given their thumbs up in confidence in response to the steps taken by Canadian health organizations at all levels to deal with the situation:

* Most (84%) are ‘confident’ (35% very/49%) somewhat) in the steps taken by local medical and health authorities, while just 14% are ‘not confident’ (5% not at all/9% not really).

* Similarly, most (82%) are ‘confident’ (38% very/44% somewhat) in the steps taken by their local hospital and health facilities, and just 17% are ‘not confident’ (7% not at all/10% not really).

* Eight in ten (81%) are ‘confident’ (28% very/53% somewhat) in the steps taken by the Federal Minister of Health, while only 16% are ‘not confident’ (7% not at all/10% not really) in this regard.

* Similar (77%) levels of confidence (27% very/51% somewhat) have been expressed towards the actions taken by their respective Provincial Ministers of Health, with the highest levels of confidence being reported in Atlantic Canada (87%), followed by Ontario (81%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (79%), Alberta (74%), Quebec (72%) and British Columbia (72%). Two in ten (19%) are ‘not confident’ (6% not at all/13% not really) in this manner.

* Three quarters (72%) are ‘confident’ (28% strongly/44% somewhat) in the steps taken by their local schools, while two in ten (20%) are ‘not confident’ (7% not at all/13% not really).

* Two in three (68%) are ‘confident’ (22% very/46% somewhat) in the measures taken by border agencies at airports and other entry points. Conversely, three in ten (29%) are ‘not confident’ (10% not at all/19% not really) in the actions taken by these organizations.

Recession Challenges Consumers to Change Spending Habits, Marketers to Get Creative

New York, NY – Consumers around the world are more wary of trying new consumer goods products when they sense the economy is slowing down. This is the finding of a recent Ipsos Marketing, Consumer Goods study on global consumer attitudes and behavior that covered 18 countries around the world. In fact, more than half of global consumers shy away from new grocery, personal and household products during an economic downturn.

Not surprisingly, new beauty products are especially vulnerable during an economic downturn, with 70% of global consumers saying they are not likely to try a new beauty product. Not only are new products at risk of low trial, but established brands are in danger of low repeat. The study showed 80% of global consumers say they are very or somewhat likely to switch from their usual brands to lower-priced brands or brands that are on sale during an economic downturn. Moreover, 72% of consumers say they would switch to store or generic brands.

“It is discouraging to think that new product introductions and carefully planned brand strategies might suffer from bad timing,” says Sunando Das, Vice President with Ipsos Marketing’s Global Consumer Goods business. “But Marketers must remember that innovation and brand management are continuous internal processes that cannot be disrupted by external events, even recessions. That is not to say that these processes should not be flexible and adaptive. During economic downturns, Marketers must uncover new consumer needs and seek out opportunities to fulfill these needs.”

One area on which Marketers can (and must) focus is value. Value is typically a higher priority for consumers during an economic downturn. While pricing does not necessarily need to change, consumer perceptions about expensiveness versus benefits should be explored to make sure consumers think there is a fair trade-off. Consumer behavior resulting from an economic downturn should also be investigated to uncover new product and positioning opportunities.

“Consumers may dine out less often, visit beauty salons less often, and forego outside entertainment such as movie going,” Das adds. “But these possible changes present Marketers with opportunities to offer consumers products that will enable them to replicate these experiences at home for less money. Savvy Marketers will always find a way to fulfill consumers’ changing needs.”

For example, Marketers could offer gourmet-style food that can be prepared in the kitchen, spa products that can give a luxury experience at home, and snack products that can be used to re-create the movie theater experience.