Early this month, CVS caused quite a stir in the major retailer world when they announced that they would no longer carry cigarettes in their store locations.   When it announced the move, the CEO said that the reasoning was based on the principle that tobacco products have no place in a health care environment.  While the move will cost significant money, company leadership is hoping that improved brand perception will result in higher sales. What has the result been so far? The most updated YouGov BrandIndex on CVS shows the USRead More

A new CNN/ORC International poll of American citizens asks the chicken and the egg question regarding immigration: is it more important to fix the border or to create a better pathway to citizenship? The survey of 1,010 American adults, conducted from January 31-February 2, 2014, revealed the shifting opinions of the American populace when it comes to the issue of immigration.  54% of respondents believed the main focus should be on developing a plan to allow illegal immigrants with jobs the chance to become legal residents.  Only 41% believed theRead More

A new CNN/ORC International poll asks the question: how well does the Republican Party understand women? The survey of 1,010 American adults, conducted from January 31-February 2, 2014, asked two related questions to discover which party Americans perceive as being truly in line with women’s issues.  Do you think the Republican Party generally understands the problems and concerns of women? And Do you think the Democratic Party generally understands the problems and concerns of women? Only 42% answered the first question, on the Republican Party, in the affirmative, with 55%Read More

We here at American Insights loved watching the Sochi winter Olympic Games (especially curling), which got us thinking—how do the majority of our American brethren feel about the games being held in Russia.  But more specifically, how do Americans feel about Russia and its often controversial leader Vladimir Putin? Our friends at Gallup answered that question with a recent poll measuring American public opinion on Russia and its leader. According to the Gallup survey conducted Feb. 6-9, a significant majority of Americans have unfavorable opinions of Russia and Putin.  Putin’sRead More

The most recent Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index reveals that optimism is at its highest point since the third quarter of 2008.  While the optimism scores are still well below the pre-recession levels, it represents a significant uptick that may indicate that as the economy continues its slow recovery so will small businesses across the country.  Several factors contributed to the positive sentiment among small business owners including: Improved cash flow An increase in hiring Increasing revenue Less difficulty in accessing credit Despite the increase in positive sentiment, small businessRead More