National Aggregate Consumer Sentiment toward Marketing: A Thirty‐Year Retrospective and Analysis

<p>An annual survey of U.S. consumers’ sentiment toward the institution of marketing has been conducted for the past two decades. This report describes the measuring instrument (which produces a summary index number for each year), the sample, and the longitudinal trend of survey results—the upshot of which is a pattern of slightly improving consumer sentiment toward marketing practice. When also incorporating the findings of similar research done prior to this study, a 30 yr. historical record emerges. Finally, examination of secondary data reveals that selected macroeconomic variables relate strongly to the consumer marketing sentiment index.</p>