Technology

JUNE HARVARD CAPS / HARRIS POLL: NEARLY 3 IN 4 VOTERS SEE BIDEN AS TOO OLD FOR RE-ELECTION, JUMPING 11 POINTS AFTER WEAK DEBATE

Published

2 years ago

July 1, 2024

BIDEN APPROVAL LOWEST SINCE JULY 2022 AS ATTITUDES TOWARD ECONOMY WORSEN

NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) today released the results of the June Harvard CAPS / Harris poll, a monthly collaboration between the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard (CAPS) and the Harris Poll and HarrisX.

President Joe Biden’s overall approval rating dropped to 40%, his lowest since July 2022, while inflation and immigration remained voters’ top two concerns. The poll also covers public opinion on the first presidential debate and immigration policy. Download key results here.

“The idea of the debate was to shake things up and break some of Trump’s momentum, but if anything it did the opposite,” said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. “Public opinion also shows a dim view of the state of the economy and inflation, reinforcing the notion that Americans want change right now.”

DEBATE HURTS BIDEN, HELPS TRUMP

74% of voters think Biden is too old to be President, an 11-point increase after the debate.66% of voters have doubts about Biden’s mental fitness for office, a 12-point increase after the debate.Voters are on net 7 points more likely to vote for Trump after the debate and 20 points less likely to vote for Biden.

ATTITUDES TOWARD ECONOMY WORSEN

62% of voters characterize their personal economics as fair or poor, up 7 points from May.52% of voters say their personal financial situation is getting worse, especially among Republican (69%) and rural (63%) voters.Biden’s approval on handling inflation dropped to 34%, his lowest in two years.

TRUMP CONTINUES TO LEAD HORSE RACE

Trump leads Biden by 4 points in the horserace, down 2 points from last month.41% of voters (a plurality) say Trump’s guilty verdict in the New York hush money case has no impact on their vote, while 31% say they are more likely to vote for Trump and 27% say less likely.Marco Rubio and Tim Scott are the VP nominees who would be most helpful to Trump.

IMMIGRATION-CRIME NEXUS CONTINUES TO CONCERN VOTERS

Voters say the top issues caused by mass immigration are an increase in violence/crime (57%), a strain on resources such as healthcare and education (57%), and a rise in homelessness (55%).56% of voters think Biden’s recent asylum ban for migrants caught illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border is “too little, too late.”52% of voters support Biden’s recent executive order aimed at expediting citizenship for the undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens.

SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL REMAINS HIGH

64% of voters are paying close attention to the Israel-Hamas war, down 9 points from May, but support for Israel remains consistent at 80%. 67% of voters say Israel should retaliate against Hezbollah until they stop firing rockets into the north (ages 18-24: 53%; ages 65+: 85%).

The June Harvard CAPS / Harris poll survey was conducted online within the United States on June 28-30, 2024, among 2,090 registered voters by The Harris Poll and HarrisX. Follow the Harvard CAPS Harris Poll podcast at https://www.markpennpolls.com/ or on iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

About The Harris Poll & HarrisX

The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing.

HarrisX is a technology-driven market research and data analytics company that conducts multi-method research in the U.S. and over 40 countries around the world on behalf of Fortune 100 companies, public policy institutions, global leaders, NGOs and philanthropic organizations. HarrisX was the most accurate pollster of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

About the Harvard Center for American Political Studies
The Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) is committed to and fosters the interdisciplinary study of U.S. politics. Governed by a group of political scientists, sociologists, historians, and economists within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, CAPS drives discussion, research, public outreach, and pedagogy about all aspects of U.S. politics. CAPS encourages cutting-edge research using a variety of methodologies, including historical analysis, social surveys, and formal mathematical modeling, and it often cooperates with other Harvard centers to support research training and encourage cross-national research about the United States in comparative and global contexts. More information at https://caps.gov.harvard.edu/.

CONTACT:
Sarah Arvizo
pr@stagwellglobal.com

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SOURCE Stagwell Inc.

Technology

SiriusXM Media Becomes Exclusive Audio Advertising Representative for YouTube in the United States

Published

37 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

YouTube, Home of The World’s Number One Podcast Platform and a Leading Music Service, Chooses Audio Ad Powerhouse SiriusXM Media as Its Exclusive Audio Sales Representative in the U.S.

New Deal Cements SiriusXM’s Leadership In Powering The Largest Ad-Supported Audio Ecosystem And Gives Brands Exclusive Access To YouTube’s Audio-First Inventory

NEW YORK, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SiriusXM (NASDAQ: SIRI) today announced a new audio advertising partnership with Google that connects YouTube to one of the largest audio advertising platforms in North America. The agreement makes SiriusXM Media, the advertising group representing SiriusXM, Pandora, and expansive Streaming and Podcast Networks, the exclusive advertising representative of YouTube audio advertising inventory in the U.S. This will provide advertisers access to guaranteed impressions at scale for the first time, backed by similar sophisticated targeting and measurement as YouTube’s ecosystem.

“Audio is one of the most powerful mediums for listeners, creators, and advertisers alike, and at SiriusXM Media, we’re proud to be at the forefront helping brands harness that impact at scale,” said Scott Walker, SiriusXM’s Chief Advertising Revenue Officer. “By partnering with YouTube, a true leader in ad-supported content consumption, we’re uniting our unique skillset with their audience, creating an unparalleled opportunity for marketers and creators to grow their businesses.”

“YouTube has become a primary destination for audio-first content, where fans engage with their favorite podcasts, music, and creators,” said Romana Pawar, Senior Director of Product, YouTube Ads. “By partnering with SiriusXM Media, we are making it easier than ever for advertisers to tap into these high-attention moments.”

YouTube audio ads reach listeners wherever they are across audio-first content and behaviors: immersed in podcasts, talk shows, and music. By meeting users in environments primed for listening and engagement, such as when YouTube content is playing on smart speakers, brands can tap into high-intent listening experiences across YouTube’s vast creator ecosystem. According to a study from SiriusXM Media and Edison Research, there are more than 212 million monthly listeners in the U.S.1 engaging in audio-first content or environments on YouTube.

Starting this fall, advertisers will be able to buy guaranteed audio ad impressions against YouTube’s high-value audiences at scale for the first time directly through SiriusXM Media—paired with an audio-first activation approach to extend reach and impact. Brands can now reach YouTube’s expansive, next-generation and highly engaged audience in the same place where they buy SiriusXM Media’s leading portfolio of ad-supported audio inventory, ensuring a seamless buying experience powered by AdsWizz Inc.’s ad tech platform. As audio continues to reach consumers as a constant companion throughout the day, from commuting to working hours, this deal gives brands an opportunity to reach a valuable audience that is further leaning into audio-first behaviors and content on YouTube in high-attention moments.

Powered by AdsWizz, SiriusXM Media now offers access to 255 million monthly listeners2—reaching nearly 90% of the U.S. population 13+—delivering expansive scale and incremental reach, best-in-class measurement and targeting capabilities, and premium brand-safe environments across every major audio touchpoint. The landmark partnership with YouTube highlights SiriusXM’s commitment to an open, partner-first audio advertising ecosystem, continuing to connect advertisers to premium audio content wherever audiences choose to listen.

For more information, please visit https://www.siriusxmmedia.com/advertise-on-youtube-audio.

About Sirius XM Holdings Inc.
SiriusXM is the leading audio entertainment company in North America with a portfolio of audio businesses including its flagship subscription entertainment service SiriusXM; the ad-supported and premium music streaming services of Pandora; an expansive podcast network; and a suite of business and advertising solutions. SiriusXM offers a broad range of content for listeners everywhere they tune in with a diverse mix of live, on-demand, and curated programming across music, talk, news, and sports. For more about SiriusXM, please go to: www.siriusxm.com.

Media Contacts:
Victoria Chow, victoria.chow@siriusxm.com
Erica Walsh, ericawalsh@google.com

1 Edison Research, Infinite Dial 2026 + SiriusXM Media
2 Edison Research, Infinite Dial 2026 + SiriusXM Media

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SOURCE Sirius XM Holdings Inc.

Technology

ServiceForge plants two million trees worldwide

Published

37 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

The company celebrates a meaningful milestone in its ongoing initiative to make a lasting impact within global communities

PORTLAND, Ore., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ServiceForge, the 24/7 live answering and customer service platform built for skilled trades and home service businesses, announces a significant achievement in its ongoing sustainability drive: the company has now planted more than two million trees worldwide, a milestone reached in time for Earth Day 2026.

Each month, ServiceForge plants one tree for every employee and every customer. What began as a simple commitment to give back has grown into a meaningful, long-term impact effort, now surpassing a major milestone. This accomplishment reflects the company’s continued dedication to environmental stewardship and community-focused values.

For context, two million trees adds up to:

Approximately 4,000 acres of forestRoughly 3,000 football fieldsTrees sufficient to remove an estimated 44,000 metric tons of CO₂ per year (equivalent of taking 9,500 cars off the road)

“This milestone reflects the kind of work we believe in: steady, intentional and rooted in real impact,” said Jane Blanchard, head of brand and marketing for ServiceForge. “In the skilled trades, success isn’t about quick wins; it’s about the slow, human work of strengthening homes, businesses and communities. Planting trees is a natural extension of that mission. It’s a way for us to contribute to something lasting, something that grows alongside the businesses we serve.”

ServiceForge partners with verified reforestation organizations that plant trees in areas affected by deforestation, wildfires and climate change. Partners include Trees for the Future, Save the Redwoods League and Friends of Pando, ensuring that each tree contributes to restoration efforts where it’s needed most.

“We’re in the business of fixing things,” Blanchard said. “What better way to exemplify that commitment than by planting trees, which clean the air, restore habitats and ultimately make the world a better place.”

For more information about ServiceForge and their Giving Back initiative, visit https://www.serviceforge.com/why-serviceforge/givingback

About ServiceForge
ServiceForge helps home service businesses get found, get booked and get paid with 24/7 human answering, scheduling, lead qualification and payments. By combining smart technology with real human connection, ServiceForge helps service businesses stand out in an increasingly disconnected world, ensuring contractors capture more jobs while delivering exceptional customer service. For more information, visit serviceforge.com.

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SOURCE ServiceForge

Technology

Contractor Commerce launches AI-powered conversational buying experience

Published

37 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

New technology ushers in new era of e-commerce for home service contracting companies

LEBANON, Ohio , April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Contractor Commerce, a leading e-commerce and sales enablement platform built specifically for home service contractors, announces the next evolution in its platform: a conversational buying experience that’s powered by AI and designed to improve the way homeowners shop for residential services online.

By empowering home service professionals to establish their own virtual storefronts, Contractor Commerce has long championed a modern buying experience, fully aligned with the way consumers seek information on the web, including through guided buying journeys and seamless purchasing flows. With conversational buying, Contractor Commerce embeds AI directly into the shopping experience, allowing the end consumer to enjoy a more natural, personalized and responsive process.

“This shift from guided to conversational shopping builds on everything we’ve done up to this point,” said Paul Redman, president of Contractor Commerce. “Our goal has always been to help contractors meet homeowners where they are. This advanced and intuitive approach will further that goal, and cement Contractor Commerce as a category leader.”

Contractor Commerce’s expanded capabilities are designed to reflect how homeowners buy today: researching options, comparing pricing and making decisions in a time and place that’s most convenient to them. Features include:

An image upload option, allowing homeowners to submit photos of their home systems to receive specific, real-time recommendations.Robust pricing tools, including quote comparisons and full rebate integration, enabling homeowners to fully assess their options and understand the fine print.An AI agent-guided buying journey, providing homeowners with personalized assistance even when they are not fully sure what types of services they need.

“Our conversational buying platform is made for contractors, not retailers,” Redman said. “The goal is to help businesses establish trust, improve their lead qualification process and capture after-hours demand, all while providing customers with a frictionless shopping experience.”

For more information about Contractor Commerce, visit ContractorCommerce.com.

About Contractor Commerce

Contractor Commerce is the pioneer and industry leader in providing e-commerce services for contractors, offering plug-and-play online stores for home service companies so they can grow their sales and serve customers with convenience and transparent pricing. To learn more about Contractor Commerce and its innovative solutions, visit ContractorCommerce.com.

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SOURCE Contractor Commerce