Canada’s Top 50, Signals Biz Needs To Know, Student Learning Gaps, & Debt Drives Career Decisions

The latest trends in society and culture from The Harris Poll

Good afternoon from the Windy City. Yesterday, timed with the official opening of the Stagwell Canada office, our Harris Poll Canadian office released its inaugural Corporate Reputation Quotient study, the Canadian Business-Harris Poll 50. Today, we are in Chicago to talk politics with Stagwell CEO and Harris Poll Chairman Mark Penn and my co-CEO, Will Johnson, in partnership with the Economic Club of Chicago. More details to come next week.   

This week, we have four new stories:

• First, the PWHL skated to the top of our inaugural Canadian reputation study. 
• Next, we detail the signals you need to know from the Forbes CMO Summit.
• Then, we found the gaps holding students back with Discovery Education. 
• Lastly, are you stuck in a job you hate because of debt? You wouldn’t be alone. 

1. Corporate Reputation, Canadian Edition: The Canadian Business-Harris Poll 50

Yesterday, we launched The Harris Poll Canada 50 in partnership with Canadian Business. Based on over 5,500 interviews, the research ranks how the public perceives Canada's "most visible" companies over trust, ethics, vision, and product metrics. The study is an extension of our annual The Axios-Harris Poll 100 in the U.S.

• Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) dominates: In its opening season, the PWHL clinched the top reputation spot, superseding the traditional powerhouse NHL (#35). Toyota, Samsung, Costco, and Canadian Tire rounded out the top five. 

• Inflation hurts corporate reputation: Canadians, weary of the rising cost of living, have increasingly turned their frustration toward businesses, seeing reputations suffer for grocery stores (Loblaws), airlines (WestJet), and telecoms (Bell). 
• Canadian companies excel on character but struggle with growth: While local companies outperform on "Character" attributes, iconic Canadian brands like WestJet (38th), Bell (41st), and Air Canada (44th) failed to impress on Trajectory dimensions.

Takeaway: "The Harris Poll and RQ study's expansion into Canada is a game-changer for businesses that want to truly grasp what drives consumers on both sides of the border," said Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell. "With the U.S. and Canadian economies so interwoven, digging into how the same brands are perceived in each country can expose the contrasts and overlaps in what really motivates consumers. These insights aren't just valuable – they're essential for any business serious about cutting through the noise, adapting to market nuances, and capitalizing on shared values for real impact."

2. From Signals To Scenarios: Forbes CMO Summit-Harris Poll

For a third year, my CSO Libby Rodney and I were on stage at the 20th annual Forbes CMO Summit last week, providing insights to CMOs standing at the crossroads of today's turbulence and tomorrow's promise. 

• Younger Americans are looking for hands-on happiness: (79%) of Gen Z say it’s a goal to be able to interact with people more in the real world, while (75%) of Millennial moms say their mothers “Didn’t have the freedom to live life the way I am choosing to live it now.” 
• Vibes hold impact: (86%) of Gen Z agree that a strong vibe makes them pay attention to brands, with younger consumers saying that creating a vibe is what marketers should do more of. 
• The 70s are your next TAM: (92%) of Boomers are determined to have a high-quality life in their 60s to 80s, with majorities looking to break away from societal expectations of their age (66%) over the next decade. 

Takeaway: What does this mean for brands? It means aligning your brand to serve consumers’ self-potential while resetting brand-consumer relationships from transaction to relational. To dive deep into the findings and what it may mean for your business, connect with our CSO, Libby Rodney (lrodney@harrispoll.com). 

3. The Gaps Holding Students Back: Discovery Education-Harris Poll 

Our latest thought leadership work with Discovery Education illuminates the state of education today and, most importantly, reveals critical gaps that may be holding students back. 

• Skills gap: (66%) of teachers feel that students exhibit a wider range in knowledge and skills today, reflecting persistent learning loss among many students.
• Curiosity gap: While around 9 in 10 students, teachers, and parents we surveyed agree that curiosity is central to student learning, less than half (49%) of high schoolers say they are curious at school.
• Future preparedness gap: (67%) of students feel that their education is not evolving to meet workplace needs. 
• Dive into the full results here. 

Takeaway: “While The Education Insights Report by Discovery Education found that students, parents, teachers, and superintendents have a generally positive outlook about the current state of education, it also found there are hurdles to overcome,” said Brian Shaw, Discovery Education’s Chief Executive Officer. “Educators have concerns about keeping students engaged, and students feel uncertain about their preparedness for the future.”

4. The Debt Downside In Careers: American Staffing Association-Harris Poll 

Even as the job market remains strong, some workers are still reeling from the impact of ongoing layoffs across the corporate world, as evidenced by our latest research with the American Staffing Association, featured in Fast Company. 

• Q4 layoffs?: Over a quarter (28%) of Americans are worried about losing their job before the end of the year, especially younger workers (Gen Z: 37%, Millennials: 35%). 
• Debt influences career choices: Two in five (40%) say their debt has shaped their career decisions, whether by staying in a job they dislike or delaying retirement. 
• Growing financial pressure: (56%) said they would likely find a second job within the next year to help supplement their income. 

Takeaway: Last year, household debt ballooned to a record high of $17.3 trillion, then jumped to $17.8 billion by Q2 2024 – an increase of $733 billion year over year. Much of that increase can be attributed to credit card debt and home equity or mortgage debt. Under those circumstances, it’s little surprise that debt drives many workers to reevaluate their career moves.