America (and the world) is facing a crisis unlike any, that has impacted us on multiple levels. Over 95% of Americans were under lockdown, over 30 million have filed for unemployment, consumer confidence is down 29 pts since the beginning of the year and at least one in three Americans believe the virus will have a dramatic impact on their personal finances. Needless to say, this has and will have impacted brands and their businesses significantly as we get through this.

This document is about looking forward as America recovers. It provides a preview into what is to come based on an analysis of other markets further ahead of us in dealing with the virus progression, and an assessment of consumer behaviors and sentiments in our market.

The net takeaway:
America has always been a nation of paradoxes. This moment in time promises to be no different. Rather than a universal answer, we predict America will lean into its differences: America, we posit, will resolve through a series of paradoxical behaviors:

• Personal Paradox – a fear of going out vs. you only live once mindset
• Social Paradox – a rise in safe personal space vs. new ways to connect
• Economic paradox – conscious consumption vs. revenge spending
• Technology paradox – nostalgia vs. digital acceleration

Continue reading to examine the impact of COVID-19 and prepare for paradox in a post COVID-19 America.

Authored by:
Anush Prabhu | Chief Strategy Officer
Jox Petiza | Associate Strategy Director
Anna Rosenblatt | Strategy Director
Sonja Forgo | Associate Strategy Director
Kasey Carpenter | Associate Strategy Director
Jerry Forristal | Consumer Insights Director
Clark Fleury | Consumer Insights Manager