Marketers are ready to move on from the pandemic—the latest MCI findings show cautious optimism for the near future
Over the past five years, the AMA and Kantar have measured marketers’ confidence in the strength of the U.S. economy and their organizations’ spending efforts. Unsurprisingly, in mid-2020 the Marketers’ Confidence Index reached its lowest point yet: 82. Since then, however, the outlook of the economy and marketers’ perceptions have improved drastically, resulting in an index of 111 measured early this year. This is a significant rise from last year and indicates marketers are cautiously optimistic, with media, innovation and creative expected to reap most of the benefits.
Things appear to be looking up, but how does this break down into the different areas that make up the Marketers’ Confidence Index? The survey was constructed of questions on:
- Perceptions of past and future six-month consumer spending
- Perceptions of the current investment climate
- Past and expected six-month changes in marketing budgets
Consumer Spending
Although perceptions of the past six months are understandably quite negative, the high-level outlook for the next six months is back to pre-pandemic levels.
Joris Zwegers is partner, global research at the Consulting Division of Kantar.
