Assessing the outgoing year, more respondents have expressed positive evaluations for the second year in a row. Russians have greater hopes for 2018 than they did a year ago.

MOSCOW, December 21, 2017. The Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a survey devoted to what Russians remember the outgoing year for and what they expect in 2018, how they plan to celebrate the New Year’s Eve, what they are going to give and how much money they are going to spend on celebrations.

2017 events

The military operations in Syria have been trending for the third consecutive year (38% in 2017). The Crimea Bridge is at the top of the national event ranking (6%). The major scandals are the IOC’s decision to suspend the Russian team from the 2018 Olympics (12%) and the Ulyukayev’s trial (11%).

The Russian media analysis carried out by the Medialogia Company shows that the top three visible world events also include the Syrian war (22,056.29). Top national events involve the St Petersburg metro attack (17,347.37) and Unified Election Day (16,258.12). The major scandal refers to the doping allegations and the participation of the Russian team at the PyeongChang Olympics (20,512.04).

2017 rankings

Vladimir Putin remains politician of the year (58%). He is followed, in a landslide, by Sergey Lavrov (18%), Vladimir Zhirinovsky (13%), Sergey Shoygu (10%), and Dmitry Medvedev (9%), etc.

As to showbiz, TV and cinema stars, Russians still have no icons they strongly admire (even previous favorites do not get many likes). The athlete rating is headed by biathlete Anton Shipulin (4%), hockey player Alexander Ovechkin (4%), figure skater Evgeniya Medvedeva (4%).

Sergey Bezrukov has been the most popular actor for several years (5%); this year he is sharing his ranking with Konstantin Khabensky (5%). Dmirty Khvorostovsky is the most popular musician of the year (14%). High-profile writers are hard to identify; all substantive replies do not gain more than 2%: Daria Dontsova (2%), Boris Akunin (2%), Zakhar Prilepin (2%); the remainder gained 1% or even less. 

“Pust Govoryat” talk show is recognized to be the most popular TV show this year (13%). Top three television drama series include “Mentovskie tayny” (5%), “Tayny sledstviya” (4%), and “Sled” TV series (4%). The best movies of 2017 are “Salyut 7” (4%), “Posledniy bogatyr” (4%), and “Legenda o Kolovrate” (4%).

Emotions and assessments of 2017, expectations for 2018

Russians are bidding farewell to2017 in the same mood as they were bidding 2016: the corresponding index* is still 63 p.p. (an all-time high). On New Year’s Eve 49% of Russians feel joy and expect changes for the better; 32% are calm and confident (an increase from 25% in 2016). Fewer Russians feel sad (from 14% to 4%).

Summing up the outcomes of the outgoing year, respondents say that 2017 has been positive personally for them and their families compared to the previous year: the index of personal outcomes** is 14 p.p. in 2017 (5 p.p. in 2016). Fifty-five percent say that the year has been “good” or “successful”; 41% report certain difficulties 2017 brought to them. National-scale assessment dynamic looks much more positive: the corresponding index ** has been increasing from -53 p.p. in 2015 to -12 p.p. in 2017 for the second consecutive year. However the balance of assessments is negative: 40% provide positive evaluations, whereas 52% report negative outcomes.

Russians have high hopes for 2018, and much more respondents expect changes for the better than they did a year ago: the index of personal expectations*** for the upcoming year gained 27 p.p. from 2015 to 2017  (from 37 to 64 p.p.). Having reached 43 p.p. in 2016, public expectations on a national scale returned to the previous level (42 p.p. in 2017). More than one-quarter of respondents (27%) consider the upcoming year will be successful for them personally, 21% - for the country in general.  

New Year celebration plans, spending and gifts

Home is still the most popular place to spend the New Year’s Eve (78%). Every tenth Russians (8%) is going to visit friends, 3% is going to dacha. Only 4% of respondents are not going to celebrate the New Year’s Eve at all.

Ninety-six percent of Russians plan to spend money on New Year’s Eve. This year the amount of spending has increased by 15%, and the average New Year budget makes up 14,299 rub. (vs.12,397 rub. last year). According to 86% of respondents, an average of 5,301 rub. will be spent on gifts (4,338 rub. in 2016); 90% expect to spend an average of 4,596 rub. on New Year’s Eve table; 51% will spend an average of 4,402 rub. on cinema, theaters, restaurants, and New Year's parties for kids.

In terms of gifts, desires coincide with possibilities this year; most of respondents will give souvenirs (31%), and souvenirs are the most desired gifts as well (14%). Money is absent from the top five most desired things. Respondents are also going to give toys (23% vs. 1%), confectionary, spirits (22%; 7% want to get them), perfumery, and cosmetics (21% and 12%, respectively). Thirteen percent of respondents are not going to give any gifts; 27% will refuse to receive any gifts.

Detailed results are available

<link wciom.ru/fileadmin/file/reports_conferences/2016/2016-12-26-itogi%20goda.pdf&gt;

* Index describes an overall Russian perception of the outgoing year and hopes for the upcoming year. The Index is based on the question: “What feelings do you have bidding a farewell to the outgoing year and welcoming the upcoming year?” The answer “good feeling, a sense of optimism” corresponds to the coefficient “0.9”; the answer “I feel neither emotional upheaval nor negative emotion”– “0.5”; “Rather bad mood, pessimistic expectations” – “0.1”. The Index is measured in points and can vary between 10 and 90. The higher the value of index is, the more optimistic Russians are about the upcoming year.

** Indices of personal outcomes and general country’s outcomes are based on the questions “What was the outgoing year like for you personally and your family?” and “What was the outgoing year for Russia in general?” The Index is calculated as the difference of positive and negative assessments. The value of Index may vary between -100 and 100 points. The higher the value of Index is, the more positive respondents are about the outgoing year.

*** Indices of Personal Expectations and Index of National Expectations are based on the questions “What do you and your family expect for the upcoming year?” and “What should Russia expect for the upcoming year?” The Index is calculated as the difference of positive and negative assessments. The value may vary between -100 and 100 points. The higher the value of Index is, the more positive respondents are about the future. 

The VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted in December, 2017. The survey involved 1,800 Russians aged 18 and over, and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

The 2003-2016 results are based on household surveys.

The monitoring and analysis of the Russian media was carried out by the Medialogia Company using the Medialogia database involving 43,100 sources and online media. The period of study was from January through December 2017. The rankings are based on the Medialogia event visibility metric defined as the sum of the visibility of event on certain topic in the most popular media.

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory! Full or partial reproduction of the Medialogia Company materials in other media must contain a reference to the Medialogia Company.