Back-to-Normal Wave 6: I'm Getting By, But Everything's a Mess

I’M GETTING BY, BUT EVERYTHING’S A MESS
Public opinion insights from the June 17, 2020 “Back-
to-Normal Barometer”
RON BONJEAN, PARTNER, ROKK SOLUTIONS
RICH THAU, PRESIDENT OF ENGAGIOUS
JON LAST, PRESIDENT OF SPORTS & LEISURE RESEARCH GROUP
GINA DERICKSON, RESEARCH DIRECTOR OF ENGAGIOUS

As we explore the insights from Wave 6, one thing is clear.
There is much more uncertainty ahead.

What we’ve observed so far…
• An initial shock to the system
• A back-to-normal trend
• Trend interruption from social unrest
• A second COVID-19 spike?
BACK-TO-NORMAL BAROMETER: WAVE 6

What we’ve observed so far…
• An initial shock to the system
• A back to normal trend
• Trend interruption from social unrest
• A second COVID-19 spike?
What has yet to be observed…
• More divisiveness
• More conflicting information
• An unprecedented election cycle
• One way or another, a new direction for the country

All of these will have reverberating effects in multiple areas:
• Consumer engagement
• Health concerns
• Economic stability
• Personal safety
• Returning to the workplace
• Changing the future of social interactions
• Public policy and the reactions of local, state, and federal officials
• The sectors we track including travel, leisure, medical, retail, media,
entertainment, and of course, sports

Key takeaways from the research on a global level:
1. In the short- to intermediate-term, there will be more developments that will have
massive impacts on your business
2. There will be companies that will change the competitive landscape of their
categories because of forward thinking team members who advise and guide
their organizations to be more proactive.

Key takeaways from the research on a global level:
1. In the short- to intermediate-term, there will be more developments that will have
massive effects on your business
2. There will be companies that will change the competitive landscape of their
categories because of forward thinking team members who advise and guide
their organizations to be more proactive.
THAT SHOULD BE YOU!
With that in mind, let’s dig into the data…

CONTEXT: RESPONDENTS ACTIVELY ENGAGE
n=565, Back to Normal Barometer, June 17, 2020

CONTEXT: SOME HAVE STARTED TO VENTURE OUT

38%
53%
Personal Finances
37%
55%
Potential to contract
COVID-19
The U.S. Economy
PERSONAL
SOCIETAL
MEDICAL $$$
-10 -10
-6
WHAT ARE CONSUMERS MOST CONCERNED ABOUT?
-5
Impact on leisure
activities
48%
Impact on
American society
UNREST
The overall public
health crisis
*Percentage who said they are extremely concerned
Wave 6: n=565 Back to Normal Barometer – June 17, 2020
Wave 5: n=613 Back to Normal Barometer – June 3, 2020
-9
-10
37%

CONCERNS ABOUT SOCIAL UNREST PERSISTING…

SOCIAL UNREST EXACERBATING HEALTH FEARS…

AND OTHERS NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES…

CONFIDENCE BAROMETER: BACK TO WHERE WE BEGAN
27%
24%
31%
-9
-5
Confidence
Barometer
Future Expectations
Current Conditions
-1

SOCIETAL FUTURE EXPECTATIONS HIT NEW LOW

PERSONAL FUTURE EXPECTATIONS HIT NEW LOW

SIZABLE SEGMENTS JUST NOT READY YET

FALLING % WOULD RETURN TOMORROW

What this means
for specific sectors

ENGAGEMENT: ATTEND A LIVE SPORTING EVENT
Which of the following conditions is closest to your current point of view… Attend a live sporting
event

ENGAGEMENT: VISIT A RETAIL STORE
Which of the following conditions is closest to your current point of view… Visit a retail store

ENGAGEMENT: ATTEND A CONFERENCE OR CONVENTION
Which of the following conditions is closest to your current point of view… Attend a conference
or convention

TWO CATEGORIES ASSESS THEMSELVES
Assurance Seekers – safety first
Cautious
Conscientious
Diligent
Preserving and honoring others (at higher risk)
Ready to Go – economy first
Practical
Free-spirited
Comfortable
Concerned about businesses

EACH CATEGORY ASSESSES THE OTHER
Assurance Seekers – safety first
Ready to Go – economy first
R2Gs say Assurance Seekers are: Paranoid
Afraid
Too careful
Fear what they don’t know
Assurance Seekers say R2Gs are: Restless
Ill-informed
Ruthless
Don’t see bigger picture

WITH ASSURANCES, 68% RETURN IN 3 MONTHS

% “READY TO GO” WHO ACTUALLY “WILL GO”

READY TO GO, BUT WON’T GO SOON—WHY NOT?

NO CLEAR DIRECTIONS = GUESS & MAKE YOUR OWN
• Fears of a second wave of COVID-19
 “Our neighboring states have an increase in numbers daily…so I try to ignore it as best as I
can so that I don’t freak myself out.”
 “[Opening the economy] is happening way too fast. I think we're going to regret a lot of these
decisions in a couple of months.”
• Even shopping requires thought
 “There is a lot of general anxiety and tension… [Nobody] really fully knows what to do.”
 “I tried on a few pairs of shoes, and just put the shoes back in the box again. I don't know if
that was a right thing to do or not, but that's what I did.”
 “I just had to assume when I walked in the carts by the entrance had been cleaned…but there
was no sign.”
• Unaware of the right boundaries, people create their own
 Outdoor dining, local places to “escape” to, mask-wearing as door-opener

TESTING – THE KEY TO RETURNING?
• More testing is good, but continued concerns about reliability
and questionable benefits
 Who should have a test? When?
 Can you catch COVID-19 again?
 “Given the newness of everything, it probably provides a false sense of security
sometimes when somebody either tests negative or tests positive for the
antibodies…like a ‘get out of jail free’ card.”
• Necessary for vaccine development, but not sure how

RECENTLY-ACTIVE FRIENDS REMAIN UNCONVINCING

Impact of safety measures on
decisions to re-engage

VARIOUS SAFETY MEASURES INSPIRE CONFIDENCE

BUT ONE-THIRD WOULD SUE IF THEY GOT SICK

THERE ARE MANY REASONS THEY’D SUE VENDORS

PAID FAMILY LEAVE INSIGHTS
• Businesses should offer paid family leave…
IF they can afford it
• Prefer leave through employer vs. pandemic
unemployment
 No employment gap
 Commitment from employer
 No claim to file
 Not taking a government benefit from someone else in
need
Video Reel – In their own words:
What is your reaction to a company that
provides paid family leave for employees who
have children or adults in their families to
care for as a result of the pandemic?

CONCERNS’ IMPACT ON SPORTS ATTENDANCE
Future intent: live sporting events
55%
18%
27%
Ready to go
Assurance seekers
Breakthrough
44%
19%
37% Ready to go
Assurance seekers
Breakthrough
Wave 5 Wave 6
The most recent wave saw a marked decline in those ready to
attend sporting events right now.

Future intent: live
sporting events
44%
19%
37% Ready to go
Assurance seekers
Breakthrough

35%
52%
15%
22%
50%
26%
Future intent: live
sporting events
Not concerned
(1-7)
Concerned
(8-10)
COVID-19 on personal health
44%
19%
37% Ready to go
Assurance seekers
Breakthrough
Some concerns depress future intentions...

35%
52%
15%
22%
50%
26%
Future intent: live
sporting events
Not concerned
(1-7)
Concerned
(8-10)
38%
52%
30%
17%
42%
31%
Social unrest on society
Not concerned
(1-7)
Concerned
(8-10)
44%
19%
37% Ready to go
Assurance seekers
Breakthrough
Some concerns depress future intentions...
COVID-19 on personal health

Future intent: live
sporting events
50%
41%
16%
21%
34%
38%
COVID-19 on personal finances
Not concerned
(1-7)
Concerned
(8-10)
44%
19%
37% Ready to go
Assurance seekers
Breakthrough
…while other concerns are associated with stronger intentions.

ASSURANCE SEEKERS READY-TO-GO
What is your key message?
"We've taken the RIGHT
precautions”
"We've missed you and can't wait
to welcome you back”
What tone do you speak with? "Empathy and concern" "Excitement and anticipation"
How do you reassure them?
"With detailed protocols to assure
your safety”
"With a more generic 'We've got
you covered' and a setting of
expectations”
What is your offering?
“A safe and carefully-
considered environment that
works, while acknowledging the
circumstances”
“Appreciation for their support and
a return to what they've missed”
What is their ideal experience?
“A safe and conscientious
approach that meets your needs”
“A return to normalcy, while we've
got your back”
SOME GUIDELINES FOR MESSAGING

DECLINE IN PENT UP DEMAND FOR SOME SPORTS
Deprivation
25
31
40 42
34
31
Wave 1 Wave 2 Wave 3 Wave 4 Wave 5 Wave 6
Both deprivation and anticipation have fallen since the beginning of
the unrest and protests…in lockstep with return to action plans
Anticipation
35
39
50
59
42
38

GOLF HAS OFFERED POSITIVE EXPERIENCES DURING
THIS CHALLENGING TIME
Over the past two weeks, there is plenty of content
for me to follow this sport
25
35
25
42
48
50
34%
35%
39%
40%
43%
45%
47%
55%
59%
61%
65%
65%
I am concerned that we will not see fans
in attendance at this sport in 2020
Golf

MORE WAVE SIX GOLF INSIGHTS
Avid Players Continue to Drive Revenue
• 76% of avids have played in past two weeks— BUT less than half of cores and casuals
• Only 28% of golfers strongly believe that there are more new golfers playing the game now
than there were at this time last year
Are Casual Golfers Hesitant to Return?
• The majority of avids and cores strongly agree that their courses have done an excellent
job of following safety protocols— BUT only 40% of casual players

QUESTIONS?
• What questions do you have about the findings?
• What should we ask in wave 7?

Ron Bonjean, ron@rokksolutions.com
Rich Thau, rich@engagious.com
Jon Last, jlast@sportsandleisureresearch.com
Gina Derickson, gina.derickson@engagious.com

Back-to-Normal Wave 6: I'm Getting By, But Everything's a Mess

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Back-to-Normal Wave 6: I'm Getting By, But Everything's a Mess

Similar to Back-to-Normal Wave 6: I'm Getting By, But Everything's a Mess (20)

More from Engagious

More from Engagious (10)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Back-to-Normal Wave 6: I'm Getting By, But Everything's a Mess