Emotion-Driven Voters Support Government Bailout Plan: StartSampling Survey

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A recently completed survey of over 2,400 likely voters across the country found that Americans whose behavior leans toward their emotional side believe the bailout package passed by Congress will help the country.

“Everyone recognizes that people are different, and their reaction to major news will vary dramatically. However, if you understand how and why people are different, the message can be custom tailored to meet the needs of those who matter most”

Based on a second political behavioral study conducted by StartSampling, Inc. and Xyte, Inc., supporters of the bailout package passed by Congress tended to be more supportive of the bailout because of the emotional component of the country’s financial woes. Families losing jobs and homes, people losing retirement savings --- all of these things led to more support for the bailout from profiles classified as “Emotional.” People who are classified as “emotional” tend to overreact to crises. They are calmed by giving them a solution …the bailout plan.

Demographic characteristics of bailout package supporters tend to be:

• 35+ years of age
• People with the least education (some high school) and those with most education (post grad)
• The higher a person’s income the more they supported the bailout

Those that were hesitant about the bailout and wanted to hear a specific plan tended to be older and focused on defining a goal, determining how to achieve the goal and systematically following the plan to reach the goal. In addition, many of these “skeptics” want to have the economic plan spelled out with details. For them, “helping the economy” is very abstract and vague; they want more details and prefer that the plan include descriptions of how it will not only solve the financial problem, but also how it will take care of those that have been most affected by the current crisis and return the country to some semblance of normalcy.

“Everyone recognizes that people are different, and their reaction to major news will vary dramatically. However, if you understand how and why people are different, the message can be custom tailored to meet the needs of those who matter most,” said Larry Burns, CEO of StartSampling. “By using the sophisticated behavioral measurement tools developed by Madison, Wisconsin-based Xyte, Inc., we are able to explain those differences and identify what’s driving the volatile reactions we all read about.”

About StartSampling, Inc.

StartSampling’s mission is simple: “Helping people connect with brands … to turn trying into buying.” The company’s Insight Exchange Panel, made up of consumer members of the StartSampling community, is used for a variety of research purposes. StartSampling offers a full range of promotion services include design and development (web implementation and packaging), physical fulfillment, data handling, cleansing and storage, on-line reporting for real time monitoring and adjustment, and research tools to better understand brand marketing efforts. In addition, StartSampling assists retailer clients by providing their shoppers with access to online sample centers and offers. For more information, visit www.startsampling.com.

About Xyte, Inc.

Xyte, a human behavioral research company, is leading the shift in consumer measurement approach from demographic mass marketing to personalized behavior engagement. Using a proprietary systems-science model, the Xyting People™ system combines technology and advanced statistical methods to measure and predict human behavior and is being used by the media and advertising industry to increase marketing and advertising effectiveness. For more information, visit www.xyte.com.