NEW YORK, July 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hundreds of brands and businesses have joined the #STOPHATEFORPROFIT, the campaign that calls for advertisers to pause ads on Facebook and Instagram. Horizon Media, a leader in delivering data-driven business outcomes for some of the most innovative and ambitious brands, has tracked awareness of the campaign as well as support, opposition or neutrality toward the campaign’s goals and whether people would actively support or boycott participating brands.
In late June, Horizon began with a baseline wave of over 1100 adults 18+, just before the campaign took effect. The agency has now completed the fourth wave, tracking and reflecting people’s awareness and sentiment during the initial launch period of July 2 through July 20.
At this stage of the campaign, just over half of U.S. adults (52%) are aware that there’s a campaign about Facebook: 27% know there is a campaign, but little else; 15% are aware of the specific goals of the campaign; and 10% are also aware of the brands that are participating.
As part of the study, Horizon exposed those 48% of people that were not aware of the campaign to the basics of the campaign, its goals, and a few examples of participating brands. Once informed, Americans were significantly more likely (70%) to express support for the campaign than to oppose it (12%). Importantly, more than one-third (35%) claim they will actively support brands that are participating in the campaign and two in ten (20%) say they would feel more positively about brands that participate.
On the flip side, only 9% said they oppose the campaign and would either feel negatively towards (4%) or actively boycott (5%) participating brands. “What is clear from the data is that the biggest shift occurred after week one, when many people moved from a neutral or undecided position to a positive support position for the campaign and for brands pausing their ads on the platforms. That support pattern has held throughout July. This suggests the upside potential of participating could be significant. There is a spirit of goodwill and purpose attached to brands pulling out and speaking up. People are relating to the brands and the cause, which could pay future dividends in the form of brand goodwill and loyalty,” said Kirk Olson, SVP of Horizon’s WHY Group.
This surge in strong support for the campaign is seen across all age groups, in particular those age 18 to 54, as well as across party lines. Compared to the initial wave, strong support for the campaign and the brands participating is up 74% among 18 to 34s and has more than doubled among 35 to 54s. While there has also been positive movement among those 55+, this is the group that tended toward more moderate support or neutrality.
Importantly, the campaign also benefits from bipartisan support, with 70% of Democrats responding that they feel positively towards brands that participate and 49% of Republicans expressing the same sentiment. “Regardless of political affiliation, we saw the same overall pattern of moving from neutrality to positive support, giving further credence to the potential low risk-high reward equation,’ said Olson.
“Even if consumer goodwill does not accrue to business results down the line, the campaign could represent an opportunity for brands to take a public stance on a social and cultural issue with wide support—if the brand is comfortable doing so and it fits with their mission and values,” said Olson. “This is an especially important consideration for socially progressive brands, brands with younger skewing audiences, or brands that expect to be called upon to make public statements regarding the issues behind the campaign.”
Horizon will continue to monitor and report awareness and support for one more week in July.
About Horizon Media
Horizon Media, Inc. is a leader in delivering data-driven business outcomes for some of the most innovative and ambitious brands. The company was founded in 1989, is headquartered in New York, and has offices in Los Angeles and Toronto. With estimated billings of approximately $9 billion and over 2,400 employees, Horizon is the second largest U.S. media agency according to the AdAge Datacenter.
Recognized as one of the world’s ten most innovative marketing and advertising companies by Fast Company, Horizon Media has been named Media Agency of the Year by MediaPost, Adweek and AdAge and is known for its highly personal approach to client service. Renowned for its culture, Horizon is also consistently named to all the prestigious annual Best Places to Work lists published by AdAge, Crain’s New York Business and Los Angeles Business Journal, and was named by Fortune as a best place to work for Diversity, Women and Millennials.
Bill Koenigsberg, President, CEO and Founder of Horizon Media, has earned a host of industry accolades and, in 2019, garnered the industry’s highest honor when he was inducted into the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Hall of Fame.
For further information please contact
Horizon Media
Stephen Hall
shall@horizonmedia.com