A new study by LG Electronics (LG) reveals that 48 percent of consumers are more optimistic today than they were six months ago.
The survey, conducted across 16 markets, provides extensive data on global optimism, its drivers and the demographics that feel the most optimistic and happy. The global average optimism score is 7.49/10.
Consumers were most optimistic about their personal growth and development (69 percent) and family dynamics (66 percent), but least optimistic about their finances.
Entertainment, including movies, TV, music, and art, was identified as the most significant factor driving optimism (60 percent), followed by AI (56 percent). Less than half of the respondents chose social media (48 percent), while international crises such as war generated the least optimism.
LG surveyed to support and understand the nature of happiness, aligning with its brand philosophy, Life’s Good. The results are part of LG’s broader effort to assess the potential and influence of optimism globally, reflecting the company’s commitment to enhancing consumer optimism.
As part of this effort, earlier in the year, LG Electronics East Africa ran the LG Optimism Your Feed campaign, which invited participants to create and share moments of everyday optimism on their social media feeds. Running across TikTok and Instagram, the challenge encouraged participants to foster a more positive environment on their social media feeds by posting optimistic moments.
The Optimism Your Feed campaign was inspired by an LG survey which showed that 45% of people felt they received a similar or greater amount of negative content in their feeds compared to positive content. Additionally, 25% of people felt that negative content in their feeds made them feel anxious, while one in five was found to be feeling unhappy.
Optimism your feed
“As a brand that is passionate about spreading optimism, we strive every day to be the most customer-focused we can be,” said Kim Hyo-Eun, vice president and head of LG’s Brand Management Division.
“Consumers want tools to feed their optimism and belief in the future, and providing this is a key part of LG’s mission. That is why we launched our ‘Optimism your Feed’ campaign, which empowered users to pull more optimistic content into their social media feeds. The campaign has been proven to help consumers boost positive feelings, with 78 percent of people saying they felt more optimistic after seeing the campaign versus before exposure.”
The “Optimism your feed” playlist can be found on LG’s global TikTok channel (@lge_lifesgood) and global YouTube channel (@LGGlobal). More details can be found on the campaign page at www.lg.com/lifesgood/.
Meanwhile, the latest LG survey reveals key aspects of generational attitudes towards optimism. Optimism and happiness both decrease with age, although the latter was found to reduce at a slower rate. Interestingly, despite younger age groups averaging higher rates of happiness and optimism, individuals under 18 reported some of the lowest scores. Additionally, 50 percent of Gen Zs expressed that optimism can be harmful, the highest of any age group. This caution may be due to their life stage, as Gen Zs were twice as likely to disagree about having the tools needed to succeed (16 percent) compared to millennials.
The Role of Social Media
Younger age groups are more likely to search online for positive content and like-minded people to improve optimism. 86 percent of consumers say social media impacts their personal lives, more than those who believe it impacts society (67 percent). Gen Zs are also more likely to talk to a therapist, indulge in shopping, or take drastic actions to counter negativity, such as deleting a social media account.
In contrast, older groups tend to seek offline comforts, such as spending time outdoors, seeing family, or engaging in hobbies. Younger people appear more willing to seek external methods to boost optimism and happiness compared to their older counterparts.
Related Content: LG East Africa Awards Five Winners Optimism Your Feed Campaign
