LOCALISM IN RHODE ISLAND LOCAL BY NATURE

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "LOCALISM IN RHODE ISLAND LOCAL BY NATURE"

Joseph Richard
6 years ago
Views:

1 LOCALISM IN RHODE ISLAND LOCAL BY NATURE NOVEMBER 2015

2 2

Localism and Localists Over the past 25 years, the United States has shifted from taking a lively interest in the wider world to cautiously turning its gaze inward.

3 Localism and Localists Over the past 25 years, the United States has shifted from taking a lively interest in the wider world to cautiously turning its gaze inward. In the 1990s, the country played a crucial role in two successful overseas military interventions: driving the invading Iraqi army out of Kuwait and halting bloodshed in the Balkans. Politically, with the collapse of the Soviet empire, and economically, with Japan in decline, the United States reaped last man standing benefits. The world was hungry for American technology and American business ideas. The Web started spreading around the world, with Silicon Valley at its heart. The expansive mood turned inward in the early 2000s, as exemplified by the name of the Department of Homeland Security created in 2002 in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Intervention in Afghanistan and then Iraq led to long years of costly, wearying conflict abroad. With China and emerging economies growing fast, American jobs were migrating to lower-wage countries. The wider world looked less full of opportunities and more full of threats. In short, the direction of Americans attention has turned 180 degrees. They have increasingly shifted from thinking that what they need is out there somewhere, over the horizon in another state or another part of the country. They re looking closer to home, to what s happening locally. For five years, Havas PR has been tracking the trend of attention directed much closer to home; that s when we went on record with a bold statement: Local is the new global. We ve called this growing mentality localism and the people who have it localists. This is not simply a fancy word for the sort of people who have always stayed close to home, like George Bailey in It s a Wonderful Life. Localists have global awareness. They have explored and experienced what s out there, either physically or virtually; they re aware of it, but they have become more interested in what s within reach. They have global options, but they re making more local choices. Localism is a national trend that is here with us, but, like the future, we reckon it s not distributed evenly. To get some pointers on American localists as a whole, in spring 2015, Havas PR commissioned Market Probe International to field a national online survey of 1,000 Americans with a battery of statements probing relevant behaviors and attitudes. At the same time, we fielded the same survey in four states of particular interest to our agency: Arizona, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. 3

Rhode island s local roots At least four factors make Rhode Island one of the most naturally local states in the whole nation. Being one of the original American colonies, its roots are long and deep.

4 Rhode island s local roots At least four factors make Rhode Island one of the most naturally local states in the whole nation. Being one of the original American colonies, its roots are long and deep. It was awarded a royal charter in 1663 and declared independence in The state has had a colorful and honorable history first to prohibit the importation of slaves, last to ratify the U.S. Constitution (demanding that the Bill of Rights be added), home of the Industrial Revolution and so much more right up to the present day. This tends to make for a strong local identity. Rhode Island is the smallest state, measuring just 48 miles by 37 miles for a total of 1,214 square miles. That makes it smaller than many American cities, 4

% POPULATION GROWTH INDEXED TO 1900 0% 0% 27% 21% United States Rhode Island 60% 62% 41% 40% 66% 74% 137% 100% 101% 85% 121% 169% 270% 228% 199% 134% 145% 121% 151% 306% 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950

It s also one of the most densely populated states, which means more of its citizens inevitably cross paths more often.

By the standards of many American states, Rhode Island s residents live practically in one another s pockets, although even Rhode Island has not been immune to costly urban sprawl.

5 % POPULATION GROWTH INDEXED TO % 0% 27% 21% United States Rhode Island 60% 62% 41% 40% 66% 74% 137% 100% 101% 85% 121% 169% 270% 228% 199% 134% 145% 121% 151% 306% including greater Phoenix (2,000 square miles). Driving distances are small. In fact, the state is practically walkable for energetic types, and certainly bikeable. It s also one of the most densely populated states, which means more of its citizens inevitably cross paths more often. At 1,018 people per square mile, it s a shade behind second-place New Jersey (1,195). Washington, D.C., is the densest at 9,856, but then again, D.C. is not really a state. By the standards of many American states, Rhode Island s residents live practically in one another s pockets, although even Rhode Island has not been immune to costly urban sprawl. Unlike many states, Rhode Island hasn t experienced a massive influx of migrants from other states or countries. At just over 1 million inhabitants in 2010, the population had increased by only 151 percent in the 110 years since That s half the overall increase of the United States as a whole (306 percent), let alone states such as Arizona (which grew 5,100 percent in that same time period). Rhode Island s population growth has been natural, meaning driven by births rather than by newcomers. This might be expected to make for relatively stable communities in which people know one another and have strong local ties. For all that, being naturally local doesn t necessarily equate to being localists. People who have lived all their lives and have all their friends and work in the same area are certainly well connected locally, but they ve always been local; their mindset might be old-fashioned parochial, it might be localist and it might well be a mixture of the two. In our survey, we aimed to explore the nature of local connectedness in Rhode Island. 5

6 Rhode Island Versus Other States 6

respondents to rate all 50 states on five dimensions (see above).

In each case, more obvious candidates such as Florida for older people beat out the home state.

7 RHODE ISLAND IS THE BEST STATE FOR... SMARTEST SEXIEST HEALTHIEST 17% 14% 10% YOUNGER PEOPLE 9% OLDER PEOPLE 8% We asked Rhode Island respondents to rate all 50 states on five dimensions (see above). On none of the dimensions did Rhode Island score the strongest, but it was far from the weakest. In each case, more obvious candidates such as Florida for older people beat out the home state. Its best showing was smartest, where its 17 percent was beaten only by neighboring Massachusetts, which scored 21 percent. Rhode Islanders had no doubt that California was sexiest (37 percent), leaving Rhode Island in a distant second (14 percent). California led the scoring for healthiest, too (15 percent), with Rhode Island a closer second, at 10 percent. California was also the frontrunner as best for young people (29 percent), ahead of New York (13 percent) and Rhode Island, back in third position (9 percent). For older people, Florida was far and away the top choice (70 percent), with Arizona (10 percent) just ahead of Rhode Island (8 percent). 7

Home City Versus Other Cities We also asked Rhode Island residents to pick the best city on 11 dimensions. They could choose from their own city and two dozen others1 from across the United States.

Bearing in mind that Rhode Islanders were rating their home city against some world-class cities in different domains (New York for business, Boston for medicine, Jacksonville for retirement, for

8 Home City Versus Other Cities We also asked Rhode Island residents to pick the best city on 11 dimensions. They could choose from their own city and two dozen others1 from across the United States. Their home city scored most impressively on best for everyday men and women, with 17.2 percent, placing it amply ahead of New York City (7.7 percent) and Charlotte, N.C. (5.9 percent). Bearing in mind that Rhode Islanders were rating their home city against some world-class cities in different domains (New York for business, Boston for medicine, Jacksonville for retirement, for example), many state residents had a lot of local pride. 1 Austin, Texas; Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas; Denver; Detroit; El Paso, Texas; Fort Worth, Texas; Houston; Indianapolis; Jacksonville, Fla.; Los Angeles; Memphis, Tenn.; Nashville, Tenn.; New York; Philadelphia; Phoenix; San Antonio; San Diego; San Francisco; San Jose, Calif.; Seattle; Washington, D.C. 8

9 I IDENTIFY WITH THE STATE WHERE I LIVE WHERE I LIVE IS THE BEST CITY FOR... EVERYDAY MEN AND WOMEN 17.2% RETIREMENT MEDICINE FOODIES 13% 8.6% 7.8% MILLENNIALS MAKERS LGBT 7.5% 7.1% 7.0% ENTREPRENEURS BUSINESS INNOVATION 6.1% 5.7% 5.7% ARTISTS 4.5% 9

ethnicity, people, places, institutions, brands and activities.

10 Elements of Personal Identity People s sense of their own identity builds up gradually over time as they experience things that come to feel part of them, things they identify themselves with: ethnicity, people, places, institutions, brands and activities. How does location factor into the mix in a country like the United States, a nation of restless people with itchy feet, always on the move? 10

I IDENTIFY WITH STATE WHERE I LIVE I IDENTIFY WITH THE TOWN/CITY WHERE I LIVE I IDENTIFY WITH MY FAVORITE SOCIAL HANGOUTS ALL STATES 64.7% ALL STATES 59.0% ALL STATES 35.2% RHODE ISLAND 64.

6% We expected Rhode Islanders to identify with locations strongly as strongly as Americans in general and possibly even more so given the small size and distinctiveness of their state.

Both nationally and in the state, not quite as many people identified with the town or city where they now live. Nationally, it was 59.0 percent; in Rhode Island, 56.6 percent.

Social hangouts are an important part of what makes a place feel like somewhere rather than nowhere. More than a third of Rhode Islanders (34.

11 I IDENTIFY WITH STATE WHERE I LIVE I IDENTIFY WITH THE TOWN/CITY WHERE I LIVE I IDENTIFY WITH MY FAVORITE SOCIAL HANGOUTS ALL STATES 64.7% ALL STATES 59.0% ALL STATES 35.2% RHODE ISLAND 64.4% RHODE ISLAND 56.6% RHODE ISLAND 34.6% We expected Rhode Islanders to identify with locations strongly as strongly as Americans in general and possibly even more so given the small size and distinctiveness of their state. Sure enough, almost two-thirds of Rhode Islanders (64.4 percent) identified with the state where they now live, virtually the same as in the national sample (64.7 percent). Both nationally and in the state, not quite as many people identified with the town or city where they now live. Nationally, it was 59.0 percent; in Rhode Island, 56.6 percent. People are intensely social. They value places and spaces where they can get together with other people and do things, or just be: places of worship, sports clubs, bars and public spaces. Social hangouts are an important part of what makes a place feel like somewhere rather than nowhere. More than a third of Rhode Islanders (34.6 percent) identify with their favorite social hangout almost exactly the same percentage as the national sample (35.2 percent). Other results confirmed Rhode Islanders solid sense of connection and location, very much on par with the national sample: I feel settled in the location (town/ city) where I currently live : 69.3 percent all states, 68.8 percent Rhode Island Where I live has a real sense of place : 59.7 percent versus 57.6 percent In fact, Rhode Islanders appear more likely (64.6 percent) than Americans as a whole (59.5 percent) to know a lot of people in their local area. 11

Strong Local Interest and Involvement We ve

getting more interested in local affairs,

atrocities in the Middle East, the latest

Celebrityland, I AM MORE INTERESTED THAN I

12 Strong Local Interest and Involvement We ve been seeing a steady trend of Americans getting more interested in local affairs, partly as a paradoxical effect of what used to be called the World Wide Web. Online services constantly deliver a whole world of news updates to your nearest connected device: economic crises in Greece, atrocities in the Middle East, the latest escapades of the Kardashian clan out in Celebrityland, I AM MORE INTERESTED THAN I USED TO BE IN WHAT S HAPPENING LOCALLY ALL STATES RHODE ISLAND 54.0% 53.6% 12

and the twists and turns of politicians in Cablenewsland.

I IDENTIFY WITH THE STATE WHERE I LIVE Overall, more than half of Americans (54.

6 percent, the figure for Rhode Islanders is once again virtually identical. In the same vein, 32.

13 and the twists and turns of politicians in Cablenewsland. But it turns out that online is also great for getting into the local loop. I IDENTIFY WITH THE STATE WHERE I LIVE Overall, more than half of Americans (54.0 percent) say they are more interested than they used to be in what s happening locally. At 53.6 percent, the figure for Rhode Islanders is once again virtually identical. In the same vein, 32.9 percent of Americans overall are involved in local initiatives (chambers of commerce, schools, volunteering, etc.). For the many Americans who are involved locally, that number might look disappointingly low. Among Rhode Islanders, the number is marginally higher at 34.4 percent, further confirming their interest in what s local. 13

On the other hand, while well over half of Americans in general socialize locally (60.7 percent), a higher 68.6 percent of Rhode Islanders do so.

14 Local Connectedness Almost half of Americans (48.4 percent) now feel more connected to their local area than they used to. Unlike on other connectedness questions, Rhode Islanders scored a little lower (43.1 percent) than the national sample. On the other hand, while well over half of Americans in general socialize locally (60.7 percent), a higher 68.6 percent of Rhode Islanders do so. Security is a big issue in a nation where anxiety has been running high, fanned by drama-driving media, for at least 14 years now. While national bodies such as Homeland Security and the military are looking after the stuff that makes the headlines, for most people security is a day-to-day issue in their neighborhood. A solid 43.0 percent of Americans say their sense of security depends more on strong local connections than it did before, and a marginally higher 43.9 percent of Rhode Islanders think that way. Achievement and getting things done are also big issues in a nation full of restless spirits keen to hit targets and take things to the next level. Widely regarded as a nation of individualists, Americans are also quick to celebrate the achievements of their communities and organizations. Across the nation as a whole, that community-oriented mentality seems to be growing. More than one-third of Americans in our national sample (35.1 percent) said their sense of satisfaction depends more on local achievements than it did before. The number is barely lower (33.7 percent) among Rhode Islanders. The spirit of localism in Rhode Island is particularly strong when it comes to food perhaps not surprising in a state that s renowned for its seafood. Overall, half of Americans (50.2 percent) say they prefer to eat out at locally owned restaurants rather than branded chains, but that s overshadowed by the 62.8 percent of Rhode Islanders who prefer local eateries. A similar dynamic pertains to shopping. A very solid 64.9 percent of Americans prefer to shop locally if possible, compared with 74.0 percent of Rhode Islanders. 14

What it all means for marketers The trend toward greater localism people taking a lot more interest in what s local to them covers mixes of anything from shopping, socializing and entertainment to

15 What it all means for marketers The trend toward greater localism people taking a lot more interest in what s local to them covers mixes of anything from shopping, socializing and entertainment to work and volunteering to their sense of identity and belonging. The first essential point for marketers is that localism has big implications for consumers time, attention and energy: The more localist they are, the more of those vital resources they spend on what s local to them. Another crucial point is that although localism is a broad trend with common features across geographies and demographics, the specific ways localists behave differ from place to place. There are important local variations in localism. The living conditions and social attitudes in Seattle and Denver are different from those in San Antonio and Boston. Drilling down further, localism in Providence might well differ from localism in Newport, even though they are only 35 miles apart. There s no such thing as onesize-fits-all localist marketing strategies and tactics. Pretty much by definition, the principles of localist marketing have to be adapted down to state, city, neighborhood and even block level. On the face of it, local connectedness in Rhode Island is pretty much on par with the whole country. The question is how much of this is traditional parochialism and how much is modern localism. On one hand, a strong element of parochialism is likely. Rhode Island has a pretty stable population with little demographic churn to stir things up, certainly little inward migration. Local connectedness is more likely to be a long-standing fact of life than an aspiration. On the other hand, Rhode Islanders are exposed to the same factors that are fostering localism across the country: mobile devices making local businesses and events more searchable on the fly; constant feeds of anxiety-inducing national and global news; and awareness of how global forces affect local economies. Either way, Rhode Island offers marketers great potential to help its residents and visitors (students, tourists, businesspeople and more) tap into local resources that are so distinctive to the state. PHOTO CREDITS Page 1: creativecommons.org/ruth Clark Page 2: creativecommons.org/r lyeh Imaging Page 3: creativecommons.org/timothy Burling Page 4: creativecommons.org/6sn7 Page 5: From top: creativecommons.org/ Joe Bar; creativecommons.org/eric Harrison; creativecommons.org/u.s. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region Page 6: creativecommons.org/artur Staszewski Page 7: creativecommons.org/will G Page 8: From top: creativecommons.org/jef Nickerson; creativecommons.org/6sn7 Page 9: Clockwise from left: creativecommons.org/eric Kilby; creativecommons.org/jef Nickerson; creativecommons.org/timothy Burling Page 10: From top: creativecommons.org/ digboston; creativecommons.org/timothy Burling Page 11: Clockwise from top: creativecommons.org/kelly Sikkema; creativecommons.org/jakerome; creativecommons.org/timothy Burling; creativecommons.org/m01229 Page 12: From top: creativecommons.org/ Gary Brownell; creativecommons.org/gavin Stewart Page 13: From top: creativecommons.org/ Heather Katsoulis; creativecommons.org/jef Nickerson; creativecommons.org/lee Wright Page 14: From top: creativecommons.org/ Bob; creativecommons.org/timothy Burling Page 15: creativecommons.org/timothy Burling 15

16 Havas PR 200 Madison Ave., 9th Floor New York, NY us.havaspr.com 95 Chestnut St. Providence, RI Marian Salzman, CEO E: C:

LOCALISM IN ARIZONA A LOWER DEGREE OF LOCAL CONNECTEDNESS

LOCALISM IN ARIZONA A LOWER DEGREE OF LOCAL CONNECTEDNESS NOVEMBER 2015 2 Localism and Localists Over the past 25 years, the United States has shifted from taking a lively interest in the wider world to