The Story Wave 36

1: Boeing’s Safety Problems Are Impacting Flying Habits – Fast Company-Harris Poll

Are you feeling anxious about air travel? If so, you’re in good company. After several high-profile air-travel safety incidents (see chart below), many Americans are feeling more jittery about air travel. According to recent data from The Harris Poll on behalf of Fast Company:

• Feeling nervous: Four in 10 Americans (43%) who are aware of recent airplane safety incidents said that these stories have made them less comfortable flying.
• New booking considerations: US adults said these incidents have made them more likely to consider the model of the airplane they’re flying on (40%) and the airline they are flying with (36%).
• Changing in-flight behavior: US adults who are traveling in the next year said these recent incidents have made them more likely to pay attention to safety materials (48%), to wear a seatbelt in-flight when not required (47%), and to select a seat in a specific zone of the plane (30%).

The good news? The vast majority (86%) of US adults agree that they trust flight teams to keep them safe during flights. Despite the recent incidents, 73% agree that they trust passenger planes to be thoroughly inspected before flying.

2: 20 Brands Catching Baby Boomers’ Attention – AdAge-Harris Poll

Our inaugural Ad Age-Harris Poll Boomer brand tracker uses QuestBrand data to rank the top 20 brands by quarter-over-quarter brand equity growth among Baby Boomers. The top 10 growth brands from Q3 to Q4 2023 are listed below. 

“Top-performing brands smartly navigate our evolving media ecosystem and what is hot in the culture—and in the case of Hard Mountain Dew surging among Boomers, they effectively reinvent and repackage established brands for new audiences.” – Harris Poll co-CEO Will Johnson

Click here to check out all top 20 brands in our quarterly Baby Boomer brand tracker.

3: Mirroring A-list celebrities, Gen Zers don Polo Ralph Lauren – Brand Story

At the end of 2023, we saw a surge in Gen Z interest in Polo Ralph Lauren as numerous A-list celebrities – including Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lawrence, Kendall Jenner – were photographed wearing the same Polo Ralph Lauren chino cap. Priced around $50, this attainable accessory allowed young adults to emulate the casual-chic looks of their favorite stars.

• According to data from QuestBrand by The Harris Poll, Polo Ralph Lauren experienced a +6.5 boost in brand equity among Gen Z adults from Q3 to Q4 2023.
• The popularity of Polo Ralph Lauren’s baseball caps also impacted the attributes that Gen Z ascribes to the brand. The percentage of Gen Z adults who describe Polo Ralph Lauren as a “good value” (+11.0) and “fun” (+9.9) shot up from Q3 to Q4 2023.

What else has this classic American brand done to attract Gen Z consumers? Read the full brand story to learn more.