STUDY BY REVEAL MARKETING RESEARCH: Urban and rural areas, equal score regarding Romanians’ self-evaluation of their emotions – mostly negative (AUGUST-NOVEMBER ANALYSIS)

Urban area: In November, the territory of Fury and Fear increases slightly, from 59% in October to 62%. The percentages are equal to those in rural areas, which shows a stabilizing use of emotions. Romanians’ emotions today are rather negative than positive, both in urban and rural areas, with the territory of fury and fear (62%) in the first place, followed by fatigue and disappointment (24% in urban and 27% in rural).

Rural area: Anger and panic have decreased steadily since August until now (from 73% to 62%), being replaced by Fatigue and disappointment, a natural process that shows a decrease in people’s energy. Fear and anger are negative energetic and emotional facets, and fatigue / disappointment are typical emotions of people without energy.

In rural areas, the most felt emotion is still worry, but it is experienced especially by single adults (25%). In October, this emotion was rather felt by modern rural families (26%).

Segments: The angriest segments in rural areas: Millennials and single adults (75%), in urban areas: modern and traditional families, with an equal percentage (65%).

GOOD TO KNOW

Romanians’ emotions in relation to satisfaction with different aspects of life

Negative emotions increase and satisfaction with the basic aspects of life decreases.

After a substantial increase in income and career satisfaction between August and October, we notice a decrease in November. Moreover, negative emotions increase slightly – anger and panic increase in urban areas, and in rural areas, fatigue / disappointment are constant, but slightly higher than in urban areas. This means that people in urban areas still have enough energy to be angry, unlike those in rural areas. Moreover, modern and traditional families, the angriest segments of the urban areas, need to channel their energy, be it even negative energy; they need opportunities to try and make a change in their environment.

GOOD TO KNOW

Romanians’ emotions in relation to satisfaction with different aspects of life

Negative emotions increase and satisfaction with the basic aspects of life decreases.

After a substantial increase in income and career satisfaction between August and October, we notice a decrease in November. Moreover, negative emotions increase slightly – anger and panic increase in urban areas, and in rural areas, fatigue / disappointment are constant, but slightly higher than in urban areas. This means that people in urban areas still have enough energy to be angry, unlike those in rural areas. Moreover, modern and traditional families, the angriest segments of the urban areas, need to channel their energy, be it even negative energy; they need opportunities to try and make a change in their environment.

April-November analysis: Sudden change in priorities! The orientation towards change decreases and the one towards stability and tradition increases (in urban areas. In rural areas, the trend is the opposite.

Urban areas: The urban areas become similar with the rural areas in terms of priorities, with an increased importance given to stability (from 26% to 32%) and a decrease of the orientation towards change (from 34% to 27%), the opposite territory.

The rural areas are rather constant in their orientation towards stability and care compared to October (38%), with a slight decrease in the territory of overcoming obstacles, from 26% to 21%.

Segments: In October, Millennials scored the highest percentage (45%) for the orientation towards change, with a decrease of 4% compared to October, in the urban areas. Millennials in rural areas were opposed to those in urban areas. in October (58% choose stability), which shows that in terms of priorities, they are dependent of their living environment, more than the other segments. In November, their focus on stability drops to 32%.

GOOD TO KNOW

The urban areas seem to be changing faster. Thus, there is a steeper decrease in the orientation towards change and a significant increase in the orientation towards stability, responsibility and faith, the largest in urban areas so far (from 26% to 32%). The rural areas follow the trend of those in the urban areas, but with a delay, so here the orientation towards stability is rather constant (38%).

This change takes place in the context of the slight increase of fear / panic. The orientation towards stability also takes place in the context of the decrease of the satisfaction with the basic aspects, such as their income and job. During all these months, we observed a correlation between the decrease in satisfaction and the orientation towards stability. Romanians want stability when it is threatened – low income, uncertainty – and this correlates with the increase of negative emotions, especially in the territory of anger and panic.

April-November analysis: All categories of expenses decrease, before Black Friday

All categories of expenses decreased, from Romanians’ perspective. They estimate that they spent less to meet the needs at the base of the pyramid, such as safety and survival (down from 58% to 51%), and those of personal development and self-esteem (from 12 in October at 8% in November).

Occasionally, we see decreases exclusively in product categories that were increasing in October, such as – household appliances (from 20% to 14% in urban areas), books – from 19% to 12%. This can happen because those who were usually spenders refrained from shopping in the last month before Black Friday. However, this was not considered a saving, because Romanians claim they put less money aside in November (decrease from 17% to 13%).

Who saves the most? In urban areas, the most economical are single adults, with 22% who claim to have saved money in the last month. Young professionals are on the second place are, with 18%. In rural areas, the most economical are retired seniors – 28% saved in November, followed by traditional families (15%).

In urban areas, the most economical are single adults – 22% put money aside. Last month, they were the segment that admitted spending the least on food – only 76% of them on what was strictly necessary. They are, however, the most satisfied with the job – 70%. In rural areas, young professionals spent more than the average on household appliances (20%), even more than the same segment in urban areas (18%).

GOOD TO KNOW

In October, the orientation towards social relations no longer correlates with the increase in expenses outside the home, yet it is expressed through home supply. House cleaning and investments in appliances, furniture and decorations can be explained as attempts of Romanians to adapt to the new restrictions, but also to the arrival of the cold season.

Brands can use images in which the social dimension is highlighted, however portrayed in rather domestic settings: family and close friends gatherings.

The study was conducted on a nationally representative sample – rural and urban. The collection method was CAWI – a self-applied online questionnaire, completed by 1015 respondents (in November). Sampling error: +/- 3%.