Successful Generation Z marketing strategies are adapting to this generation’s 8 second attention span and how they consume content, as well as their ideological differences. Explore how recent events are shaping Generation Z behaviors and attitudes around media, video content, brand relationships, lifestyles, beliefs and their future outlook.
The State of Gen Z
The State of Gen Z
Who is Generation Z?
Generation Z (aka Gen Z, iGen, centennials, post-Millennials, or homeland generation), refers to the generation that was born between 1997-2012. This generation has been raised on the internet and social media, with some of the oldest finishing college by 2020 and entering the workforce.
This generation has been raised on the Internet with multiple screens, social media, and streaming, not to mention experiencing a global pandemic during their formative years. Some of the oldest are entering the workforce, starting families and developing long-term goals to better shape their future.
Gen Z Purchasing Power:
- Gen Z – which includes today’s teenagers and young 20-somethings – currently makes up 32% of the global population (Forbes)
Gen Z Statistics
- The most watched genres among Gen Z viewers are reported to be movies, animated series/cartoons dramas, and music-related content (Horowitz, 2024)
- The typical Gen Z streamer now utilizes over six streaming services, a noticeable increase from the five used in 2020. (Horowitz, 2024)
- The Roku Channel, Tubi, and Pluto TV are emerging as the most favored FAST services within the Gen Z demographic, noting an increase in FAST TV usage. (Horowitz, 2024)
- Gen Z audiences are equally engaging with professionally produced TV content as they are to engage with non-professional content. (Horowitz, 2024)
- Approximately 80% of the demographic state that they watch short-form videos on a weekly basis, with 70% indicating that they regularly consume TV content every week. (Horowitz, 2024)
- Instagram, TikTok and Snap are likely to see the highest rates of Gen Z usage, Pinterest is also becoming a bigger focus for young, shopping-ready audiences with more than 200 million young users also coming to the Pinterest platform every month. (Social Media Today, 2024)
Marketing to Gen Z
- Six Key Lessons for Marketing to Gen Z:
(Pinterest Business, 2024)
From CTAM Wired Webcast: Passing the Gender Equality Vibe Check with Gen Z
ANA/Horowitz Research:
- Don’t Label Gen Z
40% of Gen Z say labels should be chosen by the individual, not society - Roles are Not Gender Driven
Over 50% of Gen Z says both male and female identifying people can do anything from using makeup, to doing heavy manual labor, to being emotional, to having careers in STEM. - Disappearing Binary, Emerging Fluidity
50% of Gen Z says gender is non-binary. 64% say sexuality is fluid. - Allyship: “You Be You & Let Me Be Me”
88% of Gen Z disagrees that increased acceptance of non-traditional ways of thinking about gender and sexuality is bad for society. - Brand Authenticity
46% of Gen Z say to trust a brand, it’s not enough for them to claim support . . .but show it in action. And 47% say it feels like pandering when a brand makes ads focused on a cause that they’re not involved in.
