For agencies and event organizers, there's a lot of work to be done to assuage consumers' concerns when it comes to returning to live events. In fact, a study from Performance Research found that 60% of consumers have long-term fears about attending large events.

Experiential marketing is one of many industries that has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the interim, agencies and brands have been working diligently to create virtual experiences that bring joy, value, and entertainment to consumers during a difficult time.

With Americans largely confined to their homes over the past few months, most haven’t been getting much use out of their automobiles. Additionally, those who were planning to buy or lease a vehicle have largely postponed their plans to do so; of the 39% of respondents to a CarInsurance.org study who were planning to buy or lease a car between March and May, 71% said they had decided to wait until later on. In this infographic, we take a look at consumers’ auto habits during the pandemic and what they might prioritize in their purchases going forward.

During the lockdown, families were confined to their homes without much to do. So, it’s not surprising to learn that 46% of Americans say they are snacking more now than before the pandemic began. While snacking may have been a panacea for boredom, it appears that those noshing behaviors may linger even as the country begins to open up. In fact, PepsiCo recently announced the launch of two new direct-to-consumer websites — Snacking.com and PantryShop.com — to address both our love of snacks and the emergence of online shopping behaviors. Here, we look at which snacks are most appealing to consumers and where the opportunities are for brands.

Last Friday, the Association of National Advertisers hosted a virtual gala in honor of the 37th annual REGGIE Awards. The REGGIE Awards are among the most coveted in the world of marketing and signify best-in-class brand activations chosen by a jury of over 200 industry leaders.

While old trends becoming new again is a relative constant in some industries, such as fashion, it’s unclear how many of us foresaw the return of the drive-in movie theater in 2020. However, given the constraints put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, drive-ins have seen a huge resurgence – especially in states where citizens are no longer sheltering in-place.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, CNBC created a content series called "The Next Normal," which seeks business leaders' perspectives on how life and business will change as we move toward a new normalcy. As part of their feature, "Working Home is Here to Stay, Even When the Economy Opens," our founder and CEO, Jeff Snyder, was asked to share his thoughts on the return to the workplace. To hear what he had to say, read along on CNBC.

Coming at a time of collective unease and jarring disruption, Mental Health Awareness Month feels particularly crucial this year. As mentioned in our latest infographic, 44% of Americans say their mental health has worsened since March, and 90% are looking for ways to improve their wellbeing. So, how can brands help? Below, we share three ways to genuinely connect with consumers and provide solutions throughout this month:

Like all other events that are mainstays on our calendars, Mother’s Day projects to be a little bit different in 2020. However, that’s not to say that the day of appreciation for the women in our lives will go by the wayside. In fact, 78% of consumers say that celebrating Mother’s Day is even more important to them given the current state of the pandemic. That sentiment is also expected to bring an increase in spending over last year – in spite of all the economic concerns surrounding COVID-19. Below, we share Americans’ plans and priorities for Mother’s Day 2020.

Though citizens across the country are more than ready for new normalcy to take hold, the unfortunate reality is that it’s going to be some time before large-scale live experiences are commonplace again. And even when they do, things will be different. In the meantime, brands have been adapting by creating virtual experiences that allow consumers to engage from afar.