The modern marketer’s trusted source for consumer insights
Understanding consumer behavior is more important than ever yet has never been more difficult. Dentsu Navigator is making it easier for marketers to understand their consumers and navigate in a world of change. Each month, our strategists survey US consumers about the cultural trends, social issues, and emerging industry innovations of our day.
From gaming, sports and retail to health, politics and sustainability, we uncover actionable insights on a range of topics and industries that help marketers make smarter business decisions, stay competitive, and connect more authentically with consumers.
Present Tense – Holiday 2025 is More Complicated Than Ever
Holiday sentiment has split into two camps—excitement versus apathy and exhaustion—with Millennials showing the highest excitement levels while Gen Z and Boomers are more stressed. Discover how consumers are navigating this cultural moment, where the holiday season feels just as overwhelming as it does magical.
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Almost Famous: Influencers’ Growing Impact on U.S. Consum...
Most followers engage influencers across multiple platforms. Denoting how our media consumption is now driven by the personalities we engage with as opposed to the platforms we already use.
Back-To-School Shopping 2025
The back-to-school shopping season stands as retail’s second largest sales period, with families expected to spend $41 billion this year. Learn where consumers stand this season amongst shifting ec...
How Can Brands Play In Modern Third Spaces?
While the term “third space” may be unfamiliar to most consumers, awareness is notably higher among urban dwellers, Millennial audiences, and parents with children at home—hinting at key demographi...
How U.S. Travel Is Transforming In 2025
Analysts expect that tariffs and decreasing consumer confidence will impact travel.
What's In the Future For Gen Z?
Recent social, cultural and economic developments in the US seemed to indicate an unexpected mindset shift in young adults, forcing brands to question: how well do we understand this generation?
GLP-1s: Impact on Consumer Categories
GLP-1 drugs, originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, have undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, emerging as popular weight loss solutions. This shift has sparked a cultural ...
Retail & Shopping 2025
Our latest report looks at key trends in retail and shopping: consumers' desire for greater personalization of ads and shopping experiences, the rapid rise of 'fast commerce' platforms, and the sta...
Personal Finances: Charitable Giving, Open Banking & Data...
Our data reveals a generation rewriting the rules of engagement - in financial relationships and charitable giving. Consumers are no longer passive participants, but active architects of their pers...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Entertainment: Gaming, Sports ...
Across gaming, sports, and anime, a clear cultural thread emerges— fandoms are no longer siloed but are increasingly fluid, overlapping, and engaged in ways that reshape how we understand entertain...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Hispanic People & Media
Dentsu recognizes the urgent need to better understand the evolving landscape of Hispanic representation in media and advertising, especially given the rapidly growing influence and buying power of...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Holiday Shopping 2024
The 2024 holiday season is set to be particularly challenging for retailers and consumers alike, due to a few unique factors. This year, there will be only 27 days between Thanksgiving and Christma...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: The Wellbeing Economy 2024
The Wellbeing Economy is a public policy framework aimed at shifting our focus. It advocates for prioritizing social, health, cultural, equity, and environmental outcomes, moving beyond GDP as the ...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Back-To-School Shopping 2024
Explore the mindset of parents as they prepare for the upcoming school season, from when they plan to start shopping to the influence of school supplied shopping lists and their most essential items.
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Digital Ownership
Recent buzz around generative AI is creating a halo for other emerging technologies. As people experience what generative AI can do first-hand, they're starting to wonder about what other technolog...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Summer Travel Look Ahead 2024
While it appears summer travel has fully rebounded from the pandemic slump, consumers are shifting their behaviors in response to inflation. For some consumers, who struggle to afford monthly expen...
Dentsu Topical Navigator: Luxury Fashion 2024
With an embarrassment of riches when it comes to keeping up with luxury fashion trends and looking for deals across both mainstream and niche channels, how are Americans’ views of the luxury fashio...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Generative AI 2024
One year after the viral launch of Open AI’s ChatGPT, generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is as top-of-mind as ever – and increasingly top of the list on marketers’ agendas. Our survey takes th...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Work & Side Gigs 2024
Amid the Great Resignation and "quiet quitting" it's apparent that American views on work are at an inflection point. The pandemic caused us to deeply evaluate how we spend our time, challenging ou...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Retail & Shopping 2024
Today, it can feel like consumer shopping habits are constantly changing. The bar is set and raised by new technological advancements, conscious consumerism, and evolving lifestyles. Take stock of ...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Auto & Mobility 2024
As we approach CES 2024, we expect to see auto manufacturers showcasing their latest innovations, addressing emerging use-cases and showing us their vision for what cars may become in a not-so-dist...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: 2024 Look Ahead
As 2024 approaches, a prevailing sense of pessimism has settled in among many Americans, casting a shadow on their outlook for the future. Economic uncertainties, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and...
LGBTQ Representation in Ads & Entertainment
How do American consumers feel about LGBTQ representation in ads and entertainment in 2023? Our latest survey explores public sentiment on the LGBTQ community in the United States in the wake of pi...
Black People & Media – Part III
In the ever-evolving landscape of representation and racial equity, a vital call for change resonates. With a growing sense of frustration among Black individuals, the need for authentic representa...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Entertainment 2023
In a world increasingly crowded by an ever-growing number of screens and speakers, entertainment represents a major vehicle for brands looking to find relevance by connecting with culture. In this ...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Sustainability 2023 Part 2: US...
A follow up from our previous Navigator on sustainability, our latest survey took a deep dive into the commonalities, differences and attitudes of U.S. vs. Canadian consumers sustainable practices....
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Financial Services & Insurance...
In an uncertain economic environment, how confident do consumers feel in their own understanding of financial matters? Where do they turn to when they seek financial information? And how much do th...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Holiday Shopping 2023
As an uncertain economic environment started to emerge this time last year, a significant number of consumers had indicated they would postpone their holiday shopping compared to 2021. As uncertain...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Sustainability 2023
Our latest report gauges and compares American consumers’ sustainable practices from 2022 and 2023. We found that consumers understand the complexity and systemic nature of sustainability, and they...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Back-to-School Shopping 2023
The current school year has yet to wrap, but many parents are already thinking about back-to-school shopping. From the timeframe they plan to start shopping to the essential items that dominate the...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Healthcare 2023
In an uncertain economic environment, consumers are sometimes forced to make tough decision when it comes to taking care of their health. This influences how they look at the healthcare system, in ...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Summer Travel Look Ahead
Ahead of summer (from June through September) our survey asks consumers what their travel plans look like, including the number of trips they plan to take, the lengths of those trips, the types of ...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Generative AI 2023
Tech companies are racing to develop and deploy their own suite of generative AI-powered tools. But as tech fawns over the applications of generative AI, how are consumers responding? Our latest su...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Retail & eCommerce 2023
Shopping habits are changing thanks to the rise of digital technology, an economic crisis, and shifting attitudes around COVID-19. We surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers on their current in-store and onl...
Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Digital Ownership & the Metave...
With industry conversations around Web3 technologies gaining momentum, dentsu took a deep dive into consumer consideration and adoption of these technologies. The takeaway? It’s still early days fo...
Diversity in Advertising
While increasing diversity and inclusion in communications has been a priority for marketers for some time now, we sought to identify whether consumers have noticed a difference, and across what sp...
The State of Data Privacy 2022
Data privacy has been at the forefront of discussions within the marketing industry. But consumers are becoming increasingly more wary of sharing their information with certain corporate entities o...
The State of Travel 2022
Inflation is crushing almost all aspects of American’s budgets this summer. And travel is no exception. With higher prices for airlines, hotels, cruises and even ride-hailing services, every piece ...
Navigating Politically Polarizing Issues
With midterm elections near, consumers prepare for another period of economic uncertainty. Our latest Dentsu Navigator surveyed 1,000 American consumers whether they think the country is headed in ...
Holiday Shopping 2022
Inflation is expected to impact U.S. consumers’ holiday shopping budgets. Most expect to concentrate their spending for the holiday season in October and November and to prioritize gift-giving and ...
Consumer Sentiment on SCOTUS Decision
On Friday June 24th, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) issued its opinion in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case stating that the Constitution does not confer ...
Back-to-school Shopping 2022
This year the back-to-school shopping season comes around at a time when the news is ripe with the glooming threat of a recession. As seen in our recent monthly trackers, consumers are progressivel...
Black People & Media Pt. II
In advance of Juneteenth 2021, we undertook a research project to see more clearly into the lives of Black people and better understand their relationship with media. This report will revisit some ...
Shopping Habits Through Exclusivity & Convenience
There’s no one-size-fits all. Most consumers shop through a variety of channels. 76% consumers prefer a mix of online and in-store shopping. Big-box stores, small or local stores and online marketp...
Health and the Renaissance of Human Care: Consumer Senti...
There is a gap between Americans’ confidence in the future of health, and their current experience with healthcare in the U.S.
Americans are optimistic for the future of healthcare: 67% believe the...
Digital Ownership & The Metaverse: Consumer Sentiment Study
What do U.S. consumers think of crypto, NFTs and the Metaverse? We asked 1,000 consumers about their views on Web 3.0 technologies and here’s what they told us...
Around half or more of consumers s...
The Rise of Gaming: Consumer Sentiment Study
Gaming’s growth has been exponential and it is expected to continue. 60% of US consumers are interested in ‘play-to-earn games.' Two-thirds tuned in to watch others play in 2021 and more than a thi...
Tracking American Sentiment
Since March 2020, dentsu has fielded a monthly US consumer survey to better understand what consumers continue to value and de-prioritize as the coronavirus crisis evolves. Heading into the third year of the pandemic, it’s clear our lives haven’t changed – they are changing, and will continue to do so.
As of January 2024, financial concerns and inflation are driving many consumers to be more budget conscious than normal and cuts to essential and discretionary spend are expected.
August 2025: American Mindset
Nearly three-quarters continue planning spending changes due to tariff concerns, signaling persistent uncertainty about trade policy impacts.
July 2025: American Mindset
Economic anxiety begins to cool. But Americans remain split between those finding financial relief and those facing intensifying pressure.
June 2025: American Mindset
Consumers are taking a ‘wait and see’ approach as economic views grow more polarized. 55% of consumers now believe we’re in som e stage of recession, about the same share as May.
May 2025: American Sentiment
Consumers pessimism continues to increase when it comes to the current state of the economy and looking to the future.
April 2025: American Mindset
Bracing for Impact
March 2025: American Sentiment
Increasing Economic Pessimism Amid Uncertainty.
February 2025: American Mindset
Deepening Divide in Economic Experience
January 2025: American Sentiment
Pessimism towards the present and future.
November 2024: American Sentiment
Confidence in the Future, While Currently Feeling Bad
October 2024: American Sentiment
Consumer perspective is divided on the current 'shape' of the US economy.
September 2024: American Sentiment
Some feel better about the current 'shape' of the economy and the future.
American Sentiment: August 2024
Consumers have been on a streak, reducing spend across goods for months.
July 2024: American Sentiment
Many Americans today are experiencing financial distress, despite overall economic indicators on the up. Marketers should listen to their customers and lead with empathy. Investments in empathy-led...
June 2024: American Sentiment
Half of Americans continue to think the US is in a recession, despite strong numbers.
May 2024: American Sentiment
Positive "vibes" about the US economy hold steady this month.
April 2024: American Sentiment
Consumers feel better about personal finances and start to increase spending.
March 2024: American Sentiment
Consumers continue to feel pressure on their personal finances and are avoiding election-related content.
February 2024: American Sentiment
A Tale of Two Cities: even American views on the economy are polarized.
January 2024: American Sentiment
Most Americans feel concerned about the economy, despite strong job market and growth.
November 2023: Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Pandemic & Econ...
While pessimism towards the direction of the pandemic has slightly decreased after the uptick in cases recorded last month (which is informing consumers’ conservative travel plans for next year), t...
October 2023: Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Pandemic & Econo...
While pessimism towards the direction of the pandemic has slightly decreased after the uptick in cases recorded last month (which is informing consumers’ conservative travel plans for next year), t...
September 2023: Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Pandemic & Eco...
This month, there is rising pessimism across pandemic and financial fronts. Amid a fall uptick in COVID-19 cases, one third of consumers feels the pandemic is headed in the wrong direction. Consume...
August 2023: Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Pandemic & Econom...
Consumers are increasingly wary of the economic environment. While fewer feel definitively that the US is in a recession, they express a growing pessimism about the future of the economy and contin...
July 2023: Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Pandemic & Economic...
There is a slight decrease in optimism towards the direction of the pandemic. However, this is not stopping consumers from slightly relaxing their cost-cutting measures for categories like travel a...
June 2023: Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Pandemic & Economic...
Optimism toward the pandemic continues to increase. However, the optimism toward the direction of the economy that was reported last month has stalled. At the same time, the number of consumers bel...
May 2023: Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Pandemic & Economic ...
Optimism toward the pandemic continues to increase and at the same time this month we record a substantial increase in optimism toward the direction of the economy and consumers’ personal finances ...
April 2023: Dentsu Consumer Navigator: Pandemic & Economi...
Consumer concern about the pandemic and participating in public activities has faded decisively to the background. However, continued concern about the US economy and a recession is causing consum...
March 2023: dentsu Consumer Navigator: Pandemic & Economi...
Not only do 6 in 10 consumers believe that the U.S. economy is already in a recession; as many also think that the status of the economy will either remain the same or get even worse in the next 6 ...
February 2023: dentsu Pandemic & Economic Sentiment
While fewer consumers believe the U.S. economy is in a recession this month, people’s personal financial situation is not improving. Therefore, it’s not surprising that most plan to scale back purc...
January 2023: dentsu Pandemic & Economic Sentiment
While most consumers feel optimistic about the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic and comfortable carrying out activities in public, sentiment towards the economy is largely negative, with almost ...
November 2022 Edition: dentsu COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
For most consumers, COVID-19 has faded to the background. Something to be thought of when they are exposed, but not a considerable factor to keep them from resuming daily and special activities. In...
October 2022 Edition: dentsu COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
While the pandemic is not over, as the virus becomes less threatening to people than it once was, consumer sentiment appears to have leveled off across a number of factors. Concern over health risk...
September 2022 Edition: Covid-19 Recovery Navigator
While the pandemic is not over, as the virus becomes less threatening to people than it once was, consumer sentiment appears to have leveled off across a number of factors. For months now, consumer...
August 2022 Edition: Covid-19 Recovery Navigator
While the pandemic is not over, as the virus becomes less threatening to people than it once was, consumer sentiment appears to have leveled off across a number of factors. For months now, consumer...
July 2022 Edition: Dentsu Navigator: COVID-19 Recovery
As COVID cases climb in the U.S., some consumers remain wary, but many others express growing indifference. While our survey finds people once again feel the pandemic is headed in the wrong directi...
June 2022 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
Recent concerns over the impact of the pandemic on the U.S. economy, combined with other factors, have grown substantially, with 7 out of 10 Americans saying they are very or extremely concerned fo...
May 2022 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
Consumer optimism is holding steady. What may prove a bigger damper on consumer spirits and activity than COVID is increasing financial stress due to inflation.
April 2022 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
Consumers continue to express optimism heading into summer – they feel the pandemic is getting better or under control and increasingly comfortable with public activities. However, cases in the US ...
Dentsu Navigator: Brand Response Guide to the Russian/Uk...
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24th prompted a sharp response from leaders and nations across the globe. It also resulted in many brands taking action, in support of Ukraine and/or to pen...
March 2022 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
This month’s survey reveals growing optimism, but also wariness. There was a big jump in consumers’ optimism about the trajectory of the pandemic and activities that were avoided during the height ...
February 2022 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
As we creep into the third year of the pandemic, certain consumer trends are proving to be seasonal. Consumer comfort levels in public appear tied to the seasons – namely people are more comfortabl...
January 2022 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
Consumers feel that Omicron has submerged them once again into the thick of the pandemic. Financial concerns and inflation are driving many consumers to be more budget conscious than normal and cut...
November 2021 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
Caring about climate change is not a generational issue. In fact, Boomers and Gen X are just as likely as Millennials and more likely than Gen Z to say they regularly act with the climate in mind. ...
October 2021 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
Consumers need flexibility and reassurance as they return to pre-pandemic activities. Consumers are returning to the activities they define as “normal" - adopting safety measures like wearing masks...
September 2021 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
When it comes to brand values, there are many different values that modern brands can adopt to drive affinity. When it comes to influencing purchase, trust is most important (doing right by custome...
August 2021 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
Renewed concern over the pandemic continues to climb for the second month after a period of increased comfort. Most consumers plan to return to cautionary behaviors like wearing masks, social dista...
July 2021 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
While consumers continue to reconnect with much-missed activities and people, the rapidly spreading Delta variant is renewing both health and economic concerns. As many companies begin to go back a...
June 2021 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
Consumers continue to steadily shift into the later stages of our recovery framework. Their sense of progress is reflected in other findings, such as lessening health concerns, greater comfort out-...
May 2021 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
While consumers’ outlook on the trajectory of the pandemic has changed dramatically in past months, health concerns have lessened at a slower rate.
April 2021 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
Consumers are eager to reconnect to everyday moments like dining out yet less excited to take bigger leaps like attending a live event. It’s clear that recovery may not mean returning to the way th...
March 2021 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
Following Google’s third-party cookie announcement, we dive into consumer attitudes towards privacy. Consumers finally feel that the pandemic is decisively headed in the right direction. While ther...
February 2021 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
This past June, as hundreds of thousands of protesters marched globally in response to the systemic racism at play in the death of George Floyd and many others in the Black community. Eight months ...
January 2021 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
COVID-19 continues to impact America – from both a health and economic angle. Our latest report explores consumer sentiment towards the outbreak and economic reopening.
November 2020 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
As we near the end of the year, we ask consumers to reflect on their outlook compared to the beginning of the pandemic, as well as speculate how their behaviors may change in the future. All signs ...
October 2020 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
While macro concerns about the pandemic remain, on a personal level consumers feel things are stabilizing – they express a slightly more optimistic outlook and have started to resume more activitie...
September 2020 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
Heading into the fall, many consumers feel the COVID-19 health crisis is stabilizing and are feeling more grounded in their personal lives are as well. This is translating into greater concern for ...
August 2020 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
Now into mid-August, consumers are feeling crisis-fatigue while also aware that the pandemic is far from over. Concern over the virus outbreak remains at elevated levels and consumers are also feel...
July 2020 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
This week we see a renewed sense of crisis. Amid rising case counts, US consumers are keenly aware of how dire the situation is: Concern over the virus has returned to a peak, outlook for the futur...
June 2020 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
As COVID-19 cases surge across 20+ US states, consumers’ sense of progress stalls and their caution grows. Still, it is clear that consumers are conflicted over their desire to “reopen” and claim s...
June 2020 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
The eighth iteration of the Dentsu Recovery Navigator takes into account the cultural moment we’re in, dedicating a bulk of the report to consumer sentiment towards ongoing racial injustice faced b...
May 2020 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
For the fourth straight week there is little movement within Dentsu’s Crisis Response Framework. Throughout this crisis its clear brands have an opportunity to step up. Our research suggests that m...
April 2020 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
This third iteration highlights shifts in consumer behavior and sentiment and expectations of brands, interpreting what those signals mean for marketers.
April 2020 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
This second iteration highlights shifts in consumer behavior and sentiment, interpreting what those signals mean for marketers.
April 2020 Edition: COVID-19 Recovery Navigator
Consumers find themselves torn as they weigh their physical health against the promise of “reopening.” Division carries over into their view on advertising – half want brands to continue acknowledg...
Meet Our Editorial Team
Dirk Herbert
Global Head of Thought Leadership
Whitney Fishman
EVP, Futures & Insights, Americas
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