Trends Following September 11.

As New York City prepares for a full day of events to mark the first anniversary of September 11th, communications agency Euro RSCG Worldwide today released observations on five important trends that have emerged among Americans in the months since 9.11. Here are some examples of the findings:

Rise of the Everyday Hero: We are seeing increased respect for men and women in uniform. Last Halloween the media reported on large numbers of children dressing up as firefighters and police officers. The number of applicants to take the Police Academy entrance exam in New York City nearly tripled in June 2002 compared with a year earlier.

Loss of Trust: September 11 shook our faith in the safety of our world, and that has been compounded by Enron and all the other accounting scandals, the meltdown of the Catholic church, the plunging stock market. General Electrics seem to be the most trusted US company, even if most of the respondent assumed that “None are to be completely trusted”.

Home as Haven: As the world grows scarier, home, family, friends, and traditions provide a sense of solace and safety. This desire to remain in familiar surroundings has meant a decreased inclination among Americans to travel abroad for 39% of them.

At Arm’s Length: Despite the outpouring of international sympathy in the aftermath of 9.11, it has become clear that large segments of the world’s populations were happy (at least on some level) to see the U.S. take a hit. Americans are being forced to acknowledge the fact that they are not universally loved and admired. For example, the admiration of South Americans towards North Americans decreased by 43%. 70% of Australians worry that the World becomes too americanized.

Pride and Patriotism: Even in the face of sometimes overwhelming fear and uncertainty, 9.11 brought with it a sense of pride-among New Yorkers and everyone else who celebrated our nation and the bravery of our heroes. Contrary to Latin American, 68% of North American said that they admire the U.S. more since September 11.

This summarizes only a small portion of the findings of Euro RSCG’s ongoing studies of consumer perceptions and behaviors post 9.11.