Even as experts continue to debate their effectiveness, consumer boycotts are relatively common in our American culture that places a high value the expression of individual and community viewpoints. If nothing else, boycotts are often successful at grabbing headlines.

Some recent widely publicized boycotts—with mixed or even counterproductive results from the perspective of the organizers—include those of Ford Motor Company by Christian activists, Chick-fil-A by LGBT activists and their allies, and Whole Foods Market by pro-choice consumers. Here, the boycotts stemmed from consumer opposition to company practices or to political positions taken by the company itself or company leadership.

Representing 17% of the U.S. adult population—more than 41 million people—who spend $2 trillion annually, Faith Driven Consumers firmly hold to a biblical worldview and make their purchasing and entertainment decisions in accordance with their values. Faith Driven Consumers represent more buying power than niche markets typically targeted by brands, yet remain largely untapped by marketers.

At first glance, one might assume that Faith Driven Consumers are a powerful boycotting force—and they certainly would be, were their desires oriented in that direction. However, the surprising results from American Insights’ national survey conducted for Faith Driven Consumer show that Faith Driven Consumers prefer “buycotts” to boycotts—their preference is to positively engage with brands that they trust rather than pursue the path of boycotting companies that do not share their values.

The data show that 40% of Faith Driven Consumers prefer buycotts; only 26% prefer boycotts. Christians overall are more closely divided, preferring buycotts over boycotts by a narrow 25% to 22% margin.

What does this mean for brands? Simply that Faith Driven Consumers are more inclined to take positive rather than negative action. If a brand is compatible with their values and actively courts them, Faith Driven Consumers will eagerly choose to send their dollars in that direction.

In fact, other results from the American Insights research survey found that Faith Driven Consumers appreciate and actively seek out resources that will show them the faith-compatibility of a brand. Ninety-three percent of Faith Driven Consumers say they would find value in a faith-compatibility evaluation tool; 68% say it would be very (31%) or extremely (37%) valuable.

On the entertainment front, the survey found similar results. Ninety-seven percent of Faith Driven consumers see value in a resource that allows them to easily identify the faith-compatibility of entertainment options; 73% say it would be very (34%) or extremely (39%) helpful.

The post Faith Driven Consumers Prefer to Buycott over Boycott appeared first on American Insights.

One major niche market that brands have yet to substantially tap is the Faith Driven Consumer segment. This economically powerful and rapidly emerging subset of the Christian market represents 41 million U.S. adults with $2 trillion in annual buying power. In contrast to the broader Christian demographic, Faith Driven Consumers make purchasing decisions based on their deeply held Christian beliefs and are careful to avoid brands that are incompatible with these values.

A national survey by American Insights for Faith Driven Consumer reveals that Faith Driven Consumers see themselves as a niche market that brands are ignoring. This faith-driven cohort, which actively seeks to do business with companies that respect their Bible-based values, believes that other market segments are more strongly welcomed, embraced and celebrated by brands than they are.

Here’s a current snapshot of how Faith Driven Consumers see themselves compared to other target markets routinely pursued by brands:

• 63% of Faith Driven Consumers believe there is a strong effort among brands to attract the LGBT community; 36% believe there is a very strong effort.

• 71% of Faith Driven Consumers believe there is a strong effort to attract the Hispanic community; 41% believe there is a very strong effort.

• 73% of Faith Driven Consumers believe there is a strong effort to attract the African-American community; 39% believe there is a very strong effort.

In contrast, Faith Driven Consumers believe there is less of an effort on the part of brands to attract and welcome Christians. Only 58% believe there is a strong effort. Additionally, Faith Driven Consumers feel far less welcomed by brands than the LGBT community—47% feel less welcomed, while only 28% feel more welcomed.

Clearly, there is a level of discontent among Faith Driven Consumers toward how brands court them—or, more accurately, how they don’t.

The post Faith Driven Consumers Believe Other Market Niches More Readily Welcomed appeared first on American Insights.

Recently, we unveiled the latest round of research demonstrating that Faith Driven Consumers are more likely to engage with brands that respect their values. Here, we delve into several data points that show specific examples of how Faith Driven Consumers are eager to change their purchasing decisions based on a brand’s faith compatibility.

These findings are drawn from a comprehensive national survey conducted by American Insights for Faith Driven Consumer that quantifies and qualifies Faith Driven Consumers, a powerful and rapidly emerging subset of the Christian market that represents 41 million U.S. adults and $2 trillion in annual buying power. Faith Driven Consumers tend to make purchasing decisions based on a biblical worldview; this demographic represents a key opportunity for brands that are willing to attract them.

Our latest findings show:

• 82% of Faith Driven Consumers are much more likely to shop with companies that promote Christian-compatible values, compared to 51% of Christians overall. 47% of Faith Driven Consumers are very much more likely, compared to 19% of Christians overall.
• 78% of Faith Driven Consumers would be likely to shift purchasing behavior based on a different brands’ compatibility with their Christian worldview, and 56% of Christians overall would be likely to do the same.
• 77% of Faith Driven Consumers would switch their shopping from a company not compatible with their Christian worldview to a company that is—if all other factors were equal. 51% of Christians overall would do the same.
• 75% of Faith Driven Consumers are likely to choose a brand based on its compatibility with a Christian worldview. 43% of Christians overall are.
• 70% of Faith Driven Consumers actively seek brands and businesses that acknowledge, welcome, and provide for them as Christians, compared to 38% of Christians overall. 36% of Faith Driven Consumers very actively seek such brands, compared to 13% of Christians overall.
• 67% of Faith Driven Consumers encourage their friends to shop at stores with strong Christian values compared to 33% of Christians overall.
• 65% of Faith Driven Consumers seek to find out if brands are compatible with their Christian worldview, and 72% say they usually have a good sense of whether or not brands are compatible. By comparison, 34% of Christians overall look for compatible brands, and 44% believe they have a good sense of whether or not brands are compatible.
• 59% of Faith Driven Consumers avoid companies that are not compatible with their Christian worldview. 32% of Christians overall behave the same way.

Clearly, Faith Driven Consumers overwhelmingly seek brands that are compatible with their values. A significant percentage also are eager to encourage their friends to purchase faith-compatible brands and, importantly, are willing to take their business elsewhere if a brand or company doesn’t respect their values.

The post Faith Driven Consumers Willing to Change Buying Habits Based on a Brand’s Values appeared first on American Insights.

Consumers expect more from brands than ever before—and a key element of these expectations is that brands will reflect and respect their values. This round of data from our national survey of Faith Driven Consumers shows what this market segment seeks—and expects—from brands. This faith-driven cohort, representing 41 million U.S. adults who spend $2 trillion annually, is a lucrative but largely untapped demographic, one far more likely to make spending decisions according to a biblical worldview. Our survey data shows that Faith Driven Consumers care about the values that brands exhibit. They actively seek brands that will welcome their Christian values—or at least respect them—and they are willing to ally with those that do.

Some key findings include:

• 84% of Faith Driven Consumers are more likely—50% much more likely—to do business with a company that is more faith-compatible than its competitors, compared to 59% of Christians overall.
• 87% of Faith Driven Consumers are more likely—56 percent much more likely—to do business with a brand that actively promotes their Christian values, compared to 58% of Christians overall.
• 86% of Faith Driven Consumers are more likely—54% much more likely—to do business with a brand that welcomes their Christian values more than its competitors, compared to 58% of Christians overall.
• 86% of Faith Driven Consumers are more likely—53% much more likely—to do business with a brand that welcomes them and acknowledges their values equally to other groups and their values, compared to 63% of Christians overall.
• 84% of Faith Driven Consumers are more likely—45% much more likely—to do business with a company that is recommended by a Christian organization. 54% of Christians overall are more likely.
• 79% of Faith Driven Consumers are more likely—45% much more likely—to do business with a brand that advertises directly to them. 50% of Christians overall are more likely.
• 73% of Faith Driven Consumers are more likely—45% much more likely—to support a brand being persecuted for its Christian values. 46% of Christians overall are.
• 72% of Faith Driven Consumers are more likely—39% much more likely—to do business with a brand that stops opposing their Christian values, compared to 49% of Christians overall.

These findings are consistent with a recent consumer study by the public relations firm Edelman which identified six dimensions of sharing that people expect from brands—with “shared values” ranking as the highest unmet demand among people. In addition, more than 90% of respondents reported desiring to do business with brands that share their beliefs.

The post What Faith Driven Consumers Seek From Brands appeared first on American Insights.

A key goal for any brand is analyzing customer behavior—what motivates consumers in their purchasing decisions. Equally important, what steers them away from a purchase. American Insights offers a rich well of survey data to draw insights from regarding Faith Driven Consumers, a growing but largely untapped niche market that represents 17% of the U.S. adult population—more than 41 million people—who spend $2 trillion annually. Our in-depth national survey gives brands a valuable snapshot of those who identify as “faith driven” in their purchasing decisions.

A key motivating force in the lives of Faith Driven Consumers is the idea of whole-life stewardship. As Christians, they believe that God is not only entitled to 10 percent of their income—the biblical one-tenth, or tithe—but that God also cares about how well they steward the other 90 percent. This includes discretionary spending on consumer brands. In a nutshell: every choice matters.

Consider these relevant findings from the survey:

• Personal faith and purchasing decisions: An astounding 94% of Faith Driven Consumers say their faith has a major influence (8-10 on a 10-point scale) on their day-to-day consumer choices, such as where they shop and what they buy. That’s compared to 40% of Christians overall. Nearly half of Faith Driven Consumers—49 percent—rate their faith’s influence on buying decisions as a 10-out-of-10, compared to 13% of Christians overall.

• Faithful life: 79% of Faith Driven Consumers believe their buying decisions are an important way of living out their faith in daily life, compared to 41% of Christians overall.

• Position in the marketplace: 73% of Faith Driven Consumers report that they have different consumer needs than the market at large. Only 47% of Christians overall feel the same. 21% of Faith Driven Consumers feel their needs are “totally different” than the overall market, compared to just 7% of Christians.

• Not welcome: 89% of Faith Driven Consumers would like to see the consumer marketplace do more to acknowledge, welcome and provide for them as Christians. 59% would like to see the marketplace do a lot more. 57% of Faith Driven Consumers feel that the current consumer marketplace doesn’t adequately acknowledge, welcome and provide for them as Christians.

Other research has corroborated these conclusions. A Barna Group survey of U.S. adults from 2011 found that 43% of consumers would be more likely to buy a particular brand if the company was managed by Christian principles. 97% would be either more likely or indifferent. Only 3% indicated that they would be less likely to purchase the brand because of its friendliness to the Christian worldview.

The post Faith Driven Consumers Represent a Unique Marketplace Perspective appeared first on American Insights.

Faith Driven Consumers have emerged as a purchasing powerhouse in recent years. Now, we have new data that shows exactly who makes up this “faith-driven” cohort of consumers and what they want from brands.

Conducted by American Insights for Faith Driven Consumer, this comprehensive national survey qualifies and quantifies Faith Driven Consumers, a rapidly emerging and economically potent subset of the Christian community. These consumers represent 17% of the U.S. adult population—more than 41 million people—who spend $2 trillion each year.

This research gives brands even more reason to acknowledge the significant buying power that Faith Driven Consumers represent in the marketplace. These are consumers marked by a strong faith in Christ and a biblical worldview who prefer brands that are compatible with—rather than hostile to—their values.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be releasing extensive insights from this survey. We’ll explore what Faith Driven Consumers seek from brands, whether they prefer “buycotts” or “boycotts” as a means of making their voices heard, and how their faith influences their purchasing decisions.

First, here is a quick snapshot of what Faith Driven Consumers look like as a population cohort:

• Religious affiliation: Protestant (66%), Catholic (32%), and Mormon (3%)
• Gender: Female (53%) and Male (47%)
• Age: 18-34 (25%), 35-49 (25%), 50-64 (30%), and 65 or older (19%)
• Race: White (62%), Black (18%), Hispanic (13%), and Asian (4%)
• Marital status: Married (60%), single (21%), separated or divorced (9%), widowed (5%), and single living with a partner (4%)
• Household composition: No children (53%), one child (20%), two children (15%), three children (8%), and four or more (5%)
• Annual household income: $0-$25K (18%), $26K-$50K (29%), $51K-$75K (22%), $76K-$100K (14%), $101K-$150K (9%), and $150K or more (3%)
• Party affiliation: Republican (37%), Democrat (32%), and Independent (21%)
• Political ideology: Conservative (53%), Moderate (28%), and Liberal (14%)

We found that Faith Driven Consumers are remarkably diverse by race, gender, age, political preference, household type, and income level.

The post Who are Faith Driven Consumers? appeared first on American Insights.

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“With survey response rates in the single digits and 41 percent of Americans now cellphone only, gaining a representative sample and accurate data on a population is an increasingly steep challenge for pollsters in all industries,” he said in an email.

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• About two-thirds of undecided voters broke for Tillis at the last minute.
• Tillis won native North Carolinians 53 percent to 41 percent. Hagan won the vote of those who moved here, 51 percent to 46 percent. A little more than half of those surveyed were natives.

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