Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Target audience overview
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- Figure 1: Religious presence and dedication, July 2020
- Impact of COVID-19 on religion and spirituality
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- Figure 2: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on religion in America, October 2020
- Challenges
- Religion is prevalent and polarizing
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- Figure 3: Role of religion in identity, by religious identity, July 2020
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- Figure 4: Religion and values, by religious presence and dedication, by religious identity, July 2020
- The steady decline in religion is perceived as hurting America
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- Figure 5: Decline in American religion, by religious presence and dedication, and religious identity, July 2020
- Religious discrimination and lack of inclusivity remains an issue
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- Figure 6: Personal discrimination, by religious identity, July 2020
- Opportunities
- Concentrating on brand values and ideals
- Normalizing religious inclusivity
- Providing secular consumers with pseudo-religious connection
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- Figure 7: Secular communities, by religious dedication, by religious affiliation, by select demos, July 2020
Target Audience – Key Takeaways
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- The majority of Americans are still religious
- Religious dedication varies by age, race and region
- Christianity remains the most widespread religion, for now
- Religion provides support, comfort, and community, which even secular consumers need
Target Audience: Religiously Dedicated Americans
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- The majority of Americans have some religious belief
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- Figure 8: Religious presence and dedication, July 2020
- For the religiously dedicated, faith is a defining part of personal identity
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- Figure 9: Role of religion in identity, by religious identity, July 2020
- Age, race, region and religion
- Gen Z adults are least likely to be religious dedicated
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- Figure 10: Religious dedication – by generation, July 2020
- Black and Hispanic Americans have stronger religious dedication
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- Figure 11: Religious presence and dedication – by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
- The Bible Belt remains more religiously dedicated than the rest of the country
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- Figure 12: Religious presence and dedication, by region, July 2020
Forms of Religious Identity
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- American religious denominations
- Three fourths of religiously dedicated Americans are Christian, but Christianity is declining overall
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- Figure 13: Religious identification, July 2020
- Religiously dedicated Gen Z adults are less likely to be Christian compared to other generations
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- Figure 14: Religious identification, by generation, July 2020
- Christianity is more pronounced among White and Hispanic Americans, compared to Black and Multicultural Americans
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- Figure 15: Religious identification, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
- Religious beliefs coincide with political beliefs
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- Figure 16: Religious identity and dedication, by political affiliation, July 2020
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- Figure 17: Religious identification, by political affiliation, July 2020
- Religion in Consumers’ Own Words
- Religious beliefs provide guidance and stability, as well as support and hope
- Religious Americans associate “religion” with routines and rules, while “spirituality” is more personal
- For non-believers, organized religion is seen as cult-like or capitalistic
- Non-religious Americans look to secular communities for support and guidance
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- Figure 18: Secular communities, by religious dedication, by religious affiliation, by select demos, July 2020
- Brand Spotlight: Peloton
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- Figure 19: The gospel of Peloton
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- Americans show concern over decline in religion, but want politics to stay secular
- Growing up with salient religious beliefs and practices is not common
- Religious discrimination remains a pressing issue impacting Gen-Z and non-Christian Americans
- Religious routines include private prayer and non-religious practices
Religion in America
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- The majority of adults agree that Americans overall are becoming less religious
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- Figure 20: Religion in American, by religious presence and dedication, and religious identity, July 2020
- Over half of Americans see this decline in religion as hurting the country overall
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- Figure 21: Decline in American religion, by religious presence and dedication, and religious identity, July 2020
- Gen Z adults are less likely to see religious decline as harmful
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- Figure 22: Decline in American religion, by generation, July 2020
- Nearly half of Americans feel politics should be separate from religion
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- Figure 23: Politicians and religion – by religious presence and dedication, and religious identity, July 2020
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- Figure 24: Religion and political stances – by religious presence and dedication, and religious identity, July 2020
Americans’ Religious Journey
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- Religion is not significant throughout most Americans’ childhood
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- Figure 25: Religion in childhood, by religious presence and dedication, by religious identity, July 2020
- Prominence of religion in childhood appears to decrease with younger generations
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- Figure 26: Religion in childhood, by generation, July 2020
- The role and importance of religion increases with age
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- Figure 27: Religious journey, by age group, July 2020
- Figure 28: Life choices, by age group, July 2020
- Black Americans emphasize their religious growth and the role religion has in their life choices
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- Figure 29: Religious journey, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
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- Figure 30: Life choices – by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
Perceptions of Religious Beliefs and Practices
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- Religious people believe religion is vital to good values
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- Figure 31: Religion and Values, by religious presence and dedication, by religious identity, July 2020
- The majority of consumers believe spirituality is possible without structured religion
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- Figure 32: Spiritual but not religious, by religious dedication and identity, July 2020
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- Figure 33: Religious leaders, by religious dedication and identity, July 2020
- Religiously dedicated non-Christians educate themselves on other religions and beliefs
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- Figure 34: Learning about other religions, by religious presence and dedication, by religious identity, July 2020
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- Figure 35: Learning about other religions, by age, July 2020
- Many Americans agree that religion can be an excuse for discrimination
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- Figure 36: Religious discrimination – by religious dedication and identity, July 2020
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- Figure 37: Personal discrimination, by religious identity, July 2020
- Millennials are also more likely to experience personal religious discrimination
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- Figure 38: Personal discrimination, by generation, July 2020
- Brand Spotlight: Nike
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- Figure 39: Nike telling the stories of athletes of minority religious beliefs
Religious Routines & Rituals
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- Americans pray regularly, but may not attend service
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- Figure 40: Personal worship and houses of worship, by religious identity, July 2020
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- Figure 41: Service attendance, by religious identity, July 2020
- Brand Spotlight: Headspace
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- Figure 42: Mindful Moments from Headspace
- Both regular private prayer and community worship increases with age
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- Figure 43: Personal worship and houses of worship, by age, July 2020
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- Figure 44: Service attendance, by age, July 2020
- Religious community is a more pivotal part of life in the Midwest and South
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- Figure 45: Personal worship and houses of worship, by region, July 2020
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- Figure 46: Service attendance, by age, July 2020
- Non-religious practices can also demonstrate faith
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- Figure 47: Non-religious practices, by religious presence and dedication, by religious identity, July 2020
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- Figure 48: Non-religious practice, by generation, by location, July 2020
- Trend Spotlight: Healing crystals and gemstones
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- Figure 49: Miranda Kerr - Touting the power of crystals on Instagram and in her beauty line
Religion in Pop Culture
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- Overt religious entertainment can be polarizing
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- Figure 50: Religious entertainment and celebrities, by religious presence and dedication, by religious identity, July 2020
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- Figure 51: Religious media, by religious presence and dedication, by religious identity, July 2020
- Younger generations have more faith in celebrities’ religious claims
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- Figure 52: Religious entertainment and celebrities, by religious presence and dedication, by religious identity, July 2020
- Figure 53: Religious media, by generation, July 2020
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- Brands providing religious connection
Competitive Strategies
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- Mintel Global Trend Drivers
- Identity
- Category example: one-for-one giving business model
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- Figure 54: TOMS Shoes: changing the world, November 2018
- Wellbeing
- Category example: household care
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- Figure 55: The Home Edit: Master the mess
- Rights
- Category example: food and beverage
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- Figure 56: The Halal Guys: From Muslim cab drivers to an international fan-base
- Experiences
- Category example: digital media
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- Figure 57: Lizzo leading Instagram meditation, March 2020
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Direct marketing creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
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