Marketing Intelligence Hub
One of the wicked dimensions of toxic polarization is that the very problem we’re trying to solve makes getting folks together to solve it increasingly difficult. To overcome this challenge, we have to earn interest, hope, and trust from Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs. That requires smart, targeted, data-driven marketing of our invitations to bridge divides. Movement leaders are investing in market research to increase our collective resonance and ultimate impact. Broadly applicable insights are below and will be continuously expanded by further research.
Felt Severity of Polarization
86% of Americans say they feel exhausted by the division in America.⁷
Americans rate “division in the country” as the most important issue facing them personally.⁸
66% of Americans say that when discussing issues with those with whom they disagree, people are “quick to attack them.” Only 24% say people are “quick to listen.”²
54% of Americans say that discussing issues with those with whom they disagree is usually “stressful and frustrating”²
62% say the political climate prevents them from saying what they believe.⁹
32% say division has made it difficult to get along with friends or family.¹⁰
19% have experienced depression, anxiety or sadness as a result of partisan disagreements and divisiveness.¹¹
Americans express great fear and sadness when reflecting on polarization.⁴
Registered voters see a higher level of political division than non-registered Americans.¹
Among Republicans, the groups who see the highest level of polarization are the very conservative, less than college educated women, libertarians, and women 65+.¹
Republicans who see more polarization are more interested in opportunities for bridging.¹
For much more, including points of hope for bridging, see our page Toxic Polarization: The Latest Numbers
Inclination to Bridge
79% of Americans say, given the opportunity, they would play a part in reducing social division in America. Republicans are a bit less willing (72%), but especially less sure as 47% of all Americans say they would “definitely” play a part, while only 32% of Republicans are so sure.²
42% of American say they would consider joining a conversation with a fellow American of a different background or beliefs to help reduce social division and bridge political divides.³
Democrats (46%) are more interested than Republicans (38%). Independents that lean Democrat (63%) are most interested.
Whites (44%) are more interested than Blacks (37%), Asians (34%), or Hispanics (33%).
Baby Boomers (47%) and Gen X (45%) are more interested than Gen Z (39%) or Millennials (34%).
Higher educated Americans - Post-graduate (56%) and 4-year college (49%) - are much more interested than lower educated Americans - high school graduate (33%) and no high school (25%).
Those who are not politically engaged are significantly less interested (22%).
61% would be interested in talking across political differences if they “would be listened to respectfully.”¹²
79% say that creating more opportunities for people to talk and interact with those who have different values and views would be effective in reducing divisiveness and destructive disagreement.¹¹
54% of Americans say “people I agree with politically need to be willing to listen to others and compromise,” while 46% say “people I agree with politically need to stick to their beliefs and fight.”³
65% of Democrats and 57% of Independents support listening and compromise, but only 38% of Republicans do.
Moderate Democrats (74%) are most supportive of listening and compromise, while Strong Republicans (33%) are least.
61% of Hispanics, 60% of Blacks, and 60% of Asians support listening and compromise, while only 50% of Whites do.
Those who share political content on social media are particularly supportive of fighting (55%).
There is little difference across genders, generations, or education levels.
Resonant Messages & Motivations
Three messages were strongest among those tested in our national messaging survey.²
“It’s time to fight back against cable news, politicians, and social media dividing us against each other. We the people can unite for a stronger future.” (strongest among males, among age 35-54, among very conservative & somewhat conservative, among Republicans and Independents leaning Republican, among Whites, among income less than $50,000 & $100,000-$149,999, among less than college education & graduate education)
“We share one identity: we’re all Americans. It’s time to show up for each other and for the country we love.” (strongest among females, among 55-64 & 65+, among moderates, among Hispanics, among income $50,000-$99,999, among college education)
“We might not see eye to eye, but we need to stop fearing each other and find a way forward together.” (strongest among age 18-34, among somewhat liberal, among Democrats & Independents leaning Democrat, among Blacks, among income $150,000+)
Three framings of a bridging opportunity were strongest among those tested in our national messaging survey.²
“An opportunity to fix things that we broadly agree are broken.” (strongest among both genders, among all age groups, among moderate & somewhat conservative & very liberal, among Democrats & Independents leaning Democrat & pure Independents, among Whites & Blacks, among all income groups, among all education levels)
“A free speech venue.” (strongest among very conservative, among Republicans & Independents leaning Republican)
“A chance to connect respectfully across differences.” (strongest among age 18-34 (tied), among Hispanics)
The term “unity” is viewed more positively by both conservatives and liberals than “civility,” “bridge builder,” or “common ground.”⁶
We asked a large, highly representative body of participants in the Meeting of America pilot why they chose to participate in a bridging program. Their top 5 motivations were:⁵
Concerned about division in America
To find a way forward together
I love America
To fix things we broadly agree are broken
To fight back against cable news, politicians, and social media dividing us against each other
The emotional payoffs people are seeking when engaging with bridging initiatives include:⁴
Feel proud to be a citizen of the United States
Feel confident about the future of the next generation
Feel hopeful that we are getting better as a country
Feel hopeful that progress is being made on issues that impact us all
Republican Concerns
Republicans believe Democrats are much more comfortable and free to express their views, which is a major factor when considering whether to join a discussion with diverse viewpoints. 54% of Republicans say Democrats are very comfortable to freely and openly express their political views while only 22% say the same of Republicans.¹
Republicans want to know that they won’t be shamed, attacked, or belittled when they share their opinions.¹
“The only thing that would motivate me is to know that I could speak freely and honestly and that it was okay to disagree without being crucified.” -Rania
“I would be motivated to have a conversation with others if my ideas were not shown down, the ideas were not belittled, the ideas were not construed or seen as hateful or old fashioned.” -Richard
“I would be very willing to hear someone’s point of view and share mine to have a discussion if I could ensure I would not be attacked and belittled for having my own opinion and reasons for believing in something.” -Grace
“I’d be motivated to have a conversation if I knew it to be safe without repercussions. Additionally, if there was likelihood of progress through conversation. Progress would be the acceptance of differing viewpoints and the possible establishment of common ground.” -John
Safety is a top concern for Republicans, and many specifically requested security for in-person events. They want to know that attendees will be screened, and the moderators will maintain firm control. When asked what else they would need to know before deciding to participate in a conversation across divides, many of their questions dealt with security and personal safety¹…
Who will be controlling the event to ensure civility and mutual respect?
Are there penalties for people who do not adhere to the ground rules?
How many people will attend, and will they be screened in some way to ensure that no one is armed or out to cause trouble
Will it be recorded or photographed?
Who is the organizer? Do they have a political agenda?
Is it in a neutral location, not affiliated with another group’s territory?
Will there be equal numbers from each side?
Will food be served?
Is there a registration fee?
Event sponsors matter. 50% of Republicans say there are businesses they consider to be so out of line with their values that they’d be less likely to attend an event if sponsored by those businesses.¹
Desirable sponsors: hospitals, nonprofits, think tanks, local businesses, charities
Undesirable sponsors: Disney, Facebook, Nike, Google, CNN/MSNBC/ABC/CBS, Starbucks, big business
Republican Desires
Asked to describe the ideal event, Republicans said it would be safe, controlled, and interactive. Specifically¹…
Friendly security and safety measures
Moderators to control the discussion
A welcoming atmosphere
Open dialogue
The ability to socialize
Refreshments
A balance of views represented
A set-up that encourages face-to-face interaction
Community events with food are the most popular event type across Republican segments.¹
Many Republicans initially say they prefer in-person events but, after seeing videos promoting online events, they voiced support for both online and in-person formats.¹
”I was hoping it would be in person, but the fact that it's online, may make it more accessible for people to show up and express themselves from the safety of being behind their screen.” -Michael (Populist)
“I would prefer an online event, but I think it's important to be able to "see" who you are talking to. It's too easy to be rude, attack, or be disrespectful when discussing topics that we are passionate about if we can't "see" who we are talking to. So video is important for online events.” -Karen (Libertarian)
On the question of discussing issues, there was broad agreement that having a good conversation and connecting with someone with different values and beliefs was an end goal in and of itself.¹
“I think it's enough for people to just open up about what matters to them and have a safe space to do it in. People will never agree on the same thing, and that's fine, what matters is everyone's voice is heard and respected” -Zeny (Cheney+)
“No expectations of changing the world. I would be okay with just being able to converse and express my opinion and why I have it.” -Charles (Faith and Flag)
“People are people, and if nothing comes out of it so be it. I would hope that we could do some type of healing though, or at least have a better understanding and respect for each other!” -Tommy (Populist)
Resonating with Republicans
Republicans’ advice for advertising a bridging event¹…
Stay positive and upbeat
Use patriotic images
Use uplifting, peaceful words that don’t trigger an emotional reaction
Stress “Unity” and “Coming Together”
Stress inclusivity. Watch for anything that could signal a partisan lean in either direction (image, sponsor, language)
Don’t focus too much on VIPs, instead show people from all walks of life coming together
Emphasize safe interaction and the ability to be heard
“Unity, Coming Together, Bridging the Divide, Healing the Hurt, etc. An outline of America with hundreds of pictures of US Citizens of all different races and genders smashed together within the borders of the outline. A red hand shaking a blue hand or a red animated figure hugging a blue animated figure.” -Julia (Faith and Flag)
“It would have to be patriotic. Lots of red white and blue. Lots of flags. Stars and stripes. Bald eagle crying would touch my heart. People hugging or embracing, that look different from each other, would touch me as well.” -Colleen (Libertarian)
Republicans are consistently less moved than other groups by bridging messages, based on national messaging surveys thus far.²
But one message, the strongest among all Americans, performed even better among Republicans in our national messaging survey.²
“It’s time to fight back against cable news, politicians, and social media dividing us against each other. We the people can unite for a stronger future.”
Most resonant “framing” of a bridging event among Republicans is a “free-speech venue.” This frame was also best among strongly conservative Americans and Independents leaning Republican.²
Best performing invitation messages across Republican segments in our Republican Marketing Study¹…
“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed it ourselves. Join your fellow citizens in respectful conversation. Sign up today.”
“Join Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs who are ready to stop fighting and start solving problems. Together, we can take our power back. Sign up today.”
“Longing for the return of common sense? Join others who want to have a two-way conversation about how to move our country forward together. Sign up today.”
Among Republicans, aspirational messages test best while messages that mention overcoming negative aspects of polarization (political circus, cancel culture, media bias) are less effective.¹
76% of Republicans view content on Facebook weekly or more, followed by YouTube (47%), Instagram (32%), Twitter (21%), and TikTok (21%).¹
For more, see the Field Playbook on Engaging Conservatives in the Bridging Movement
Republican Segmentation
Among Republicans, there isn’t a direct line between ideology and willingness to participate in a discussion. A mix of more conservative and less partisan Republicans across the spectrum (from evangelical Christians to Libertarians) express interest.¹
Among Republicans, younger men rank “political division” as their top issue and express the most interest in bridging. More specifically, younger college-educated men indicate the most interest in signing up for a discussion while non-college educated older women would be more hesitant to “sign up,” but they are just as willing to “learn more.” College-educated Republicans generally are more likely to “sign-up” than non-college voters, but that difference disappears for “learn more "or “join a group.” Men under 45 report the highest interest in participating, while women over 65 express less interest than other cohorts.¹
Republicans who rate polarization 75-99 are more likely to cite “threats to free speech/cancel culture” as a top concern than Republicans overall. Republicans who rate polarization a 100 ("on the edge of a civil war”) are more worried about political division than cancel culture.¹
Among Republican segments, Libertarians and those who approve of Liz Cheney are most concerned about political division and most likely to say that “people like them” could play a role in healing divides. Libertarians are most likely to sign up for a bridging event; 48% say they would be very likely to sign up, 56% very likely to learn more. 45% of those who approve of Liz Cheney say they would be very likely to sign up for an event.¹
“We can absolutely heal the divide and, indeed, it is regular, everyday people who have the greatest strength and impact on society. We need to wield our collective power for good.” -Karen (Libertarian)
Populist Republicans¹
Say threats to free speech / cancel culture is the most important issue.
See political division as more severe than other Republican segments.
See healing divides as more important than other Republican segments.
But they are hesitant to speak up and participate in conversations in their community
“I and so many other Americans live in fear of saying the wrong thing. Anything I would say to help heal the divides would just lead to anyone who disagrees telling me I am a horrible person.” -Rania
26% say they would be very likely to sign up for a bridging event; 31% very likely to learn more.
Faith & Flag Republicans¹
More concerned with illegal immigration and a decline in traditional family values than political division.
Say healing divides is very important but tend to think the other side’s values are part of the problem and need to change for healing to occur.
Particularly interested in attending a community service project type bridging event.
Most concerned about offending people with their beliefs and values (which they feel strongly about). This holds them back from having conversations.
“I am very careful with what I say because if you say the wrong thing it will come back to bite you in the rear. The challenges to conversations like this are being cancelled or treated differently because of your opinions.” -Mallory
Yet 43% say they would be very likely to sign up for a bridging event.
For additional details and findings from these studies, email Pearce@ListenFirstProject.org
¹ Republican Marketing Study (national survey + focus groups) for Bridging Movement Goals & Measures Program, conducted by Bellwether Research in 2023
² National message testing survey for Listen First Project, conducted by Citizen Data in 2022
³ National survey for Listen First Project, conducted by More in Common in 2022
⁴ National survey for Common Ground Committee, conducted by Intuify in 2020
⁵ Meeting of America pilot participant survey, 2022
⁶ PACE Civic Language Perceptions Project
⁷ More in Common Hidden Tribes report
⁸ Georgetown University Battleground Poll
⁹ CATO Institute poll
¹⁰ Public Agenda: America’s Hidden Common Ground: Putting Partisan Animosity in Perspective
¹¹ Public Agenda: America’s Hidden Common Ground on Overcoming Divisiveness
¹² Making Caring Common: Do Americans Really Care For Each Other?