New Report: Americans' Trust in Messengers Varies Widely by Age, Political Views, Geography
NEW YORK, Nov. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report released by the Ad Council Research Institute (ACRI) finds notable differences across generational, political and geographic lines in who Americans trust for information about important social issues and what motivates them to take action. The 2022 Trusted Messenger Survey, an ongoing, annual exploration that began in 2021, offers important insights for brands, causes and civic groups working to educate and inspire the American public at all levels on these and other topics.
- Younger Americans, particularly Gen Z, are much more likely than older generations to trust broader influencers (social media influencers, celebrities, podcast hosts, athletes, etc.)
- The 2022 study saw significant differences in the messengers Americans trust by political affiliation.
- In contrast, Republicans have significantly more trust in religious leaders (53%, compared to 37% of Democrats and 36% of the general public.)
- Other than spouses and other immediate family members, the only messengers with similar levels of trust between urban and rural Americans are pastors/religious leaders.