consumer trends

GULF SOUTH INDEX: Our social media habits are changing

Social media continues to transform how we communicate, gather information and connect with others. It’s the place where we get…

GULF SOUTH INDEX: What is your economic pain threshold?

Inflation and supply chain disruptions were key factors weighing on consumer sentiment around economic outlook and overall optimism at the…

GULF SOUTH INDEX: Covid-fatigue, misinformation weighing on consumers in 2022

As 2022 gets underway, we are approaching two years of navigating a global health pandemic. Just when we thought things…

GULF SOUTH INDEX: Our search for happiness & meaning – What we learned in 2021

In the last couple of years, I’ve taken to writing down interesting things and experiences in a journal that I…

GULF SOUTH INDEX: Supply chain setbacks, renewed optimism drive early holiday shopping

With Thanksgiving just a couple weeks away, many consumers are making holiday plans and preparing for the gift-giving season. The…

NEW REPORT: Optimism down but opportunities abound in the Gulf South

New data released today in the Gulf South Index Fall Update shows consumers in our region are finding themselves in…

GULF SOUTH INDEX: Choosing to stay and build – What businesses & organizations can expect

In 2005, everything my wife and I owned washed away in floodwater that followed Hurricane Katrina. She and I had…

GULF SOUTH INDEX: We are back in the cone of uncertainty

While the summer started off on an optimistic note with COVID-19 cases declining, mask mandates lifting and people setting off…

GULF SOUTH INDEX: Back-to-school: Consumers are shopping early, spending more

Parents are gearing up for students to head back to in-person learning in the coming days and weeks. Some, for…