America This Week: Millennials Hang On to NFTs, Gen Z's Favorite Brands, Why Your Recruiter is on TikTok, and Mental Health at Work

The latest trends in society and culture from The Harris Poll.

Good morning from New York.

In The Harris Poll Tracker (Week 115 since the advent of the pandemic) fielded from May 6th to 8th, 2022 among 2,006 U.S. adults, we examine why Millennials are so passionate about cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Then, turning to a new poll with AdAge, we identify which brands are gaining Gen Z consumer love. And speaking of these young Americans we also explore how they are taking hold of their own mental health from our CVS Health-Harris Poll National Health Project.

Time to clean up your TikTok? Social media has become an ever-more widely used job screener in a new Harris survey with Express Employment Professionals. And nearly one-quarter of American workers say employers are offering new mental health benefits in a Fortune-Harris Poll survey.

Please tune in for our?America This Week: From The Harris Poll audio event, this Friday at 10 am EST on LinkedIn where I'm joined as always with our CSO Libby Rodney to talk through these stories and more of the latest weekly data. You can register above.

Have a great rest of the week!

-?John Gerzema? [email protected]

1. Millennials Love NFTs Despite Their Swoon

The?Wall Street Journal reported?that the NFT market is collapsing as the sale of non-fungible tokens saw a 92% decline from September 2021 to last week. However, NFTs may still have a future with Millennials, according to our latest poll:

• Who’s investing??While only (28%) of the public say they invest in cryptocurrencies, (39%) of Gen Z and (51%) of Millennials do (vs 26% of Gen X and 6% of Boomers), along with (39%) of Hispanic and (37%) of Black Americans (vs. White: 26%).
• And close to a fifth of Millennials (18% vs. 8% of the general public) regularly purchase NFTs and a similar number (20% vs. 11%) have purchased a few already.
• Millennials are also interested in?purchasing NFTs to gain membership access (24% vs. 12% of the general public), to get special access to an event (24% vs. 12%), to use as a social media picture (24% vs 11%), and to have as virtual memorabilia (23% vs. 11%).

Takeaway:?While Millennials are the most likely generation to believe that NFTs are an item with lasting value, the majority (54%) still believe that they are just a temporary consumer phase - which (70%) of the general public agrees with. As such, Millennials are either the lifeline to an NFT resurgence or the generation about to be left holding the bag.

2. Twenty Brands Gaining Gen Z Love in Early 2022: Ad Age-Harris Poll

Ad Age released the second quarterly?Ad Age-Harris Poll Gen Z Tracker. Using data from?Harris Brand Platform, the tracker ranked the top 20 brands by brand equity growth in Q1 2022 among Gen Z consumers, ages 18-24.

• Square saw the?highest brand equity growth (+12.2)?in Q1, reaching young entrepreneurs through a YouTube series that provided business tips.
• Several brands, including Whirlpool (+11.1), Neutrogena (+9.6), and Marriott Bonvoy (+9.5), achieved growth from engaging?TikTok content?and?influencer partnerships.
• Lululemon (+10.4) and Hertz (+8.5) benefited from?leaning into sustainability. Lululemon launched a clothing resale program, and Hertz purchased a fleet of EVs.
• Calm (+8.7) and Old Spice (+10.5), gained traction by?engaging with pop culture?beloved by Gen Z, including Netflix series (Bridgerton, The Witcher) and singers (Harry Styles).

Takeaway:?According to my partner and co-CEO Will Johnson, “Pop culture references are revered and rewarded by Gen Z” and are a key way to develop positive long-term relationships". I'd add the power of partnerships to revive iconic brands like Whirlpool and Neutrogena are effective tools for brand leverage.

3. Mental Health: CVS Health-Harris Poll “National Health Project”

The latest CVS Health-Harris Poll National Health Project survey, as covered by regional outlet?CBS Hartford, found that younger Americans are the most likely to be dealing with anxiety and depression. However, our data reveal that they are also leading positive trends in mental health:

• Younger Americans are the most likely to be?utilizing professional help?from a therapist, counselor, or psychiatrist (Gen Z/Younger Millennial: 32%, Older Millennial: 38% vs. General Public: 22%).
• They are also optimistic that they will be able?to get back to their pre-pandemic mental health state?after COVID-19’s toll (Gen Z/Younger Millennial: 71% vs. General Public: 68%).
• The optimism may be in part to their?coping skills?such as getting outdoors (Gen Z/Younger Mill: 71%), at-home workouts (57%), meditation and relaxation apps (38%), and using CBD/cannabis products (42%) (vs. General Public: 67%, 50%, 27%, 27%, respectively).

Takeaway:?“They’re willing to talk about it, normalize it, destigmatize it and just say ‘Hey, I’m just not okay and I want to do something about it,’” Cara McNulty, President of Behavioral Health and Mental Wellbeing CVS Health, said. "And so, there’s a lot we can do as communities, but we also need to let people understand that it’s okay not to be okay and to seek help."

4. Social Media Is Effective for Screening Job Applicants: Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll

While networking remains one of the best ways to land a new job, social media may be its new competitor according to our latest survey in partnership with Express Employment Professionals and?featured in Forbes. Here’s what we found:

• Seven in 10 (71%) U.S. hiring decision-makers agree that looking at candidates’ social media profiles is an effective way to screen applicants and (67%) say they use social networking sites to research potential job candidates.
• Of those using social networking to research candidates, more than half (55%) have found content that caused them not to hire the applicant.
• Don’t delete your profiles: 1 in 5 (21%) hiring decision-makers even said they would not be likely to consider a candidate who doesn’t have an online presence.

Takeaway:?“Social media can be a great tool for connecting with others, but it’s important to remember that potential employers are looking at your accounts, too,” Express CEO Bill Stoller said. “Take the time now to clean up your online presence to avoid the heartache later of losing out on the job.”

5. Nearly One-Quarter of Workers Say Employers Are Offering New Mental Health Benefits: Fortune-Harris Poll

Although most Americans are covered by health insurance, a?U.S. Government Accountability Office report?found that coverage doesn't guarantee access to mental health treatment. However, according to our survey in partnership with Fortune, many employers are trying to fill the gaps.

• Context: (27%) of Americans reported symptoms of anxiety or depression within the last two weeks, according to the National Center for Health Statistics of a recent estimate?from the Household Pulse Survey.?
• While over a third (36%) of employees say their companies have always offered some kind of mental health support, nearly (23%) of workers say their employer?has introduced new mental health services?during the pandemic.?
• The mental health services are appreciated: About two-thirds (67%) of workers say mental health services offered by employers are beneficial, with Millennials, parents with children under 18, and remote workers most likely to say such services are beneficial.
• Among employers, popular mental health supports being offered are employee assistance programs (EAPS) (28%), reading material and educational resources (21%), time off for a mental health day (19%), and tela-doc mental health services (19%).

Takeaway:?Despite the great strides corporate America has made in the mental health space, (41%) of workers still say their company doesn’t offer any mental health services, which could be negatively impacting operations as depression?is estimated to account for $44 billion in losses?to workplace productivity.

As a public service, our team has curated key insights to help leaders navigate COVID-19. Full survey results, tables, and weekly summaries can be accessed for free at?The Harris Poll COVID-19 Portal.?We will continue to actively field on a regular cadence to track the shifts in sentiment and behaviors as the news and guidelines evolve.