The research study, carried out three weeks after the atrocities, asked consumers in 37 countries how they viewed their lives, businesses and brands in the post-attack world.
It revealed that the notion of celebrity -- a staple of marketing and advertising campaigns for so long -- has taken on a new form, as firefighters and policeman were held up by the media as icons. The study revealed that this was most pronounced in the US, where respect for the new, everyday heroes, was particularly profound.
Consumers also criticised any sensational media coverage of the attacks. The survey found they wanted realism in media coverage, and this extended to what they thought about marketing communications and advertising campaigns.
There is also a desire among consumers to re-connect with their families, the survey found. Many of those who responded said that they have reassessed personal priorities in terms of work and relationships.
The study says that marketers needed to respond with reality and authenticity.
As far as advertising goes, consumers said they were more wary than ever of hype, but that they welcomed a return to normality. However, advertisers ran the risk of alienating consumers by seeming too opportunistic, they said.
The research was carried out by McCann Pulse, McCann-Erickson WorldGroup's proprietary service for monitoring the social and cultural forces that affect consumers and their attitudes towards advertising and marketing communications.
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