Generation Z comprises people born between 1996 and 2010. This generation's identity has been shaped by the digital age, climate anxiety, a shifting financial landscape, and COVID-19. Gen Z is currently the second-youngest generation, with millennials before and Generation Alpha after.
They are “digital natives” in the truest sense of the term. The stats prove this. More than 95% of Gen Zers own a smartphone, 83% own a laptop, and 78% own an internet-connected gaming console. The “Xbox Game Pass” offers users a Netflix-like experience for video gaming and its popularity is soaring (507% in 5 years).
Pew Research recently defined Gen Z as anyone born 1997 onwards. Gen Z grew up with technology, the internet, and social media, which sometimes causes them to be stereotyped as tech-addicted, anti-social, or “social justice warriors.”
Gen Z is known for being resourceful, independent learners who value diversity and inclusive culture and place a priority on well-being and mental health in the workplace. They are fiscally conservative with a keen focus on investing and income. Gen Z values justice and equity.
Gen Zers generally have strong values related to racial justice and sustainability. Mobilizations like the Global Climate March, led by Gen Z activist Greta Thunberg, thrive on the activism of young people. Climate change is one of the issues Gen Zers care about most.
It starts with what values are important to Gen Z'ers and moves into what brands and products they rate. “Teens feel that being cool is about just being yourself, embracing what you love, rejecting what you don't, and being kind to others.”
You'll find that they are quite different from the previous generations. Gen Z prioritises positive relationships, work-life balance, schedule flexibility, and job stability. 90% of them want human interaction at work and direct communication from their co-workers.
Among the things Generation Z cares about, racial and gender equality are at the top of the list. Gen Z is also concerned about climate change and the potential impacts their generation will have to deal with in the years to come.
Gen Z has learned to think, learn, and communicate in an environment defined by wireless internet ubiquity, wholesale technology integration, infinite content, and immediacy.
Gen-Z cares about following their passions, caring for the earth and demanding social and environmental justice from high-level decision-makers. As a result, they're more vocal, values-driven and individualized than generations that came before them.
Gen Z are primarily the children of Generation X. Their Generation X parents raised Gen Z to be independent and able to figure things out for themselves.
Marketing consultant Nancy Nessel explains that Gen Z defines beauty as “being yourself”, telling Vogue: “Gen Z demands and appreciates each individual as their most authentic self.” It's this attitude that prompts companies to launch campaigns such as Project Body Hair.
Gen Z has revived a slew of long-dormant trends, resurrecting brands and styles that were last popular in the 1990s and 2000s. Low-rise jeans, maxi skirts, baguette bags, and Ugg boots are just a handful of the trends seeing a 2023 resurgence.
The online world is usually where Zoomers tend to get their inspiration fix for what to spend on. In fact, 97% of Gen Z say they use social media as their number one source of shopping inspiration. For Gen Z, your social media is the home of brand persona and identity, and it can also be a crucial shop front.
#1 - Reflecting and Reevaluating. Many Gen Zs are worried about the future, according to a study by Cigna. In fact, 65% of employees say they have spent increased time evaluating their life priorities compared with two years ago—and this number is higher among Gen Z—at 71%.
Students fear a lack of finances and fulfilment
The greatest fears for Generation Z centre on not achieving their hopes and dreams for the future.
According to the studies, 81 % of Gen Z admit Instagram and YouTube are their favorite platforms. The survey with Gen Z-ers helps businesses know which platform they are using the most.
And it looks like Gen Z is indeed shaping up to be a homebody generation as well: Looking at their favorite activities by age, 13-18-year-olds are the most likely to say they “go out with friends” for fun in an average night, but playing video or mobile tops their list, followed by watching TV or movies.
When we first started delving into the buying habits of Gen Z and Millennials, we found Gen Z to be pragmatic, focused on saving money, and wanting brands to constantly innovate. Millennials, on the other hand, were idealistic, willing to pay more for experiences, and committed to their favorite brands.
Gen Z is the name given to the current generation of young people by many demographic researchers. According to the Pew Research Center, Generation Z consists of people born between 1997 and 2012.
In 2023, the Gen Z trend is towards more personalized and socially conscious brands. Their spending habits reflect a preference for brands that align with their values and utilize their preferred Generation Z social media platforms.
According to a recent survey of Gen Z's shopping habits, the top products consumers in this age group (defined as those aged 18 to 24) purchase online are those in the clothing and shoes category. As many as 65% of Gen Z shoppers—or close to two in three—say they get these items over the internet.