ELMWOOD PARK, N.J., Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The first-ever Bubble Wrap® Brand "Pop" Poll stress survey found that 77 percent of Americans are more stressed or as stressed today than they were one year ago. Close to one-third of the nation (32 percent) believes that there is a better shot for the national debt to be erased than a life without stress. 

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As part of the 12^th Annual Bubble Wrap® Appreciation Day, Sealed Air Corporation, the makers of Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning, conducted the Bubble Wrap® "Pop" Poll to gauge the current stress level of Americans and reinforce the surprise stress-relieving benefits of popping Bubble Wrap®. The survey, conducted by Kelton Research, reveals that just over one minute of popping Bubble Wrap® provides stress relief equivalent to a 33 minute massage.

The survey also shows that Americans who have popped Bubble Wrap® in the last seven days are less stressed about their health than those without as much recent Bubble Wrap® material popping experience. The "Pop" Poll also found that 69 percent of workers would take a pay cut to ensure that they would never be stressed on the job again.

"Bubble Wrap® was originally intended as a form of textured wallpaper, but has transformed into an unexpected 'pop' culture icon, becoming most recognized for the satisfying release that comes with the popping of each bubble," said William V. Hickey, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sealed Air.  "Bubble Wrap® Appreciation Day is the one day that fans from around the world can truly relieve some of their daily stress by popping Bubble Wrap® materials." 

Sealed Air Corporation's Dr. Pop sifted through the Bubble Wrap® "Pop" Poll results (posted on www.BubbleWrapFun.com) at the Sealed Air headquarters in Elmwood Park, N.J., to reveal many different triggers that cause stress and unique ways that Americans would handle their anxieties.

Stress Hits Home
Close to four in ten (38 percent) of Americans polled would rather never encounter an ounce of stress again than win a new home worth 100 million dollars.

The Northeast Needs Some "Pop" Relief
Thirty-six percent of Northeasterners are likely to feel stressed more than 10 times in an average month compared to 26 percent of the rest of the country; this makes the Northeast region the most frequently stressed in the country.

Blue is Better!
Almost one in two Americans (43 percent) say that the most relaxing or soothing color is blue.

Don't Pop Alone, Try A Famous Friend!
According to the "Pop" Poll, over one in four Americans said that they would have the most fun popping Bubble Wrap® with Ellen DeGeneres (26 percent) with Will Farrell coming in second (18 percent).

Easy Rider
Recent Bubble Wrap® poppers are less likely to be stressed out by unpredictable events when traveling, such as missing a flight (52 percent vs. 59 percent) or a hotel losing their reservation (39 percent vs. 43 percent).

Despite the attempts of imitators, there is only one Bubble Wrap®; a product which has transcended its intended use of protecting valuables to become a "pop" culture phenomenon. Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning has inspired users to come up with hundreds of different uses.  For more information on Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning or the Bubble Wrap® "Pop" Poll Stress Survey visit BubbleWrapFun.com.

More On Bubble Wrap® and Bubble Wrap® Appreciation Day

Bubble Wrap® Appreciation Day is celebrated every year on the last Monday in January.

The originally intended use for Bubble Wrap® was entirely different than how it is used today. Inventors Marc Chavannes and Al Fielding originally developed a plastic they hoped to market as textured wallpaper.  When that idea did not take off, the inventors began to have some success marketing the product as a greenhouse insulator.

Chavannes then realized that Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning could be used as an improvement from paper and old newspapers for cushioning fragile items. Once the opportunity was identified, the inventors worked hard on the manufacturing process for Bubble Wrap® cushioning in an effort to create an ideal packaging material.  After a lot of tinkering, they developed a special, proprietary barrier protection which prevented air from leaking and resulted in the crisp "Pop" that Bubble Wrap® is famous for.

About Sealed Air
Sealed Air is the new global leader in food safety and security, facility hygiene and product protection. With widely recognized and inventive brands such as Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning, Cryovac® brand food packaging solutions and Diversey® brand cleaning and hygiene solutions, Sealed Air offers efficient and sustainable solutions that create business value for customers, enhance the quality of life for consumers and provide a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations. On a pro forma basis, Sealed Air generated revenue of $7.6 billion in 2010 and has approximately 26,000 employees who serve customers in 175 countries. To learn more, visit www.sealedair.com.

About the Bubble Wrap® "Pop Poll" Stress Survey
Conducted by Kelton Research between December 8th and December 15th, 2011 among 1,191 nationally representative Americans ages 18 and over using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas were set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population ages 18 and over.  Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results.  In this particular study, the chances are 97 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 2.8 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

SOURCE Sealed Air Corporation