Social scientists are always studying how different generations interact with society. It’s valuable to consider how certain age groups impact markets, as it reveals the unique buying power each generation wields.
Along with their buying power, generational changes ripple out both subtle and strong social changes. We can also take an inverted view and observe how generational changes impact what people buy.
Gen Z currently makes up 26% of the world’s population. And they’re not kids anymore. They’re teens and young adults eager to vote with their dollars. By 2025, they’re expected to make up more than 50% of consumers in the United States, and yet they’re already challenging typical “consumer culture”.
If you’re a content creator or marketing professional, Gen Z is your newest prime audience. They’re digitally intuitive. They don’t like waiting. They are smarter than you think.
What is Gen Z doing, and how are they engaging with existing businesses? Let’s look at some of the top brands Gen Z love and why.
Gen Z is the first generation to enter the world as fully digital natives. By the time they were born (1997 to 2012), the internet was the most widely utilized source for finding information. When they reached their tweens, smartphones, and social media were already everyday norms.
Now that Zoomers are entering young adulthood, they can’t imagine life offline.
The brands they love can say the same.
Zoomers are, and always have been, plugged in. They’ve been bombarded with digital ads since day one. They can smell B.S. from a mile away and spot inauthentic branding faster than you can say, “link in bio”.
Gen Z craves authenticity. They support tech brands that enable information sharing and that challenge rigid, outdated norms. It’s no wonder why favorite platforms among the generation include YouTube, Google, Amazon, Netflix, and Apple, where personalization is encouraged and freedom of expression is valued. Gen Z even relies on these brands as everyday outlets for most of their consumer activity, including online shopping, education, entertainment, and social connection.
Collectively, Gen Z automatically favors big tech companies and retail giants. Unless you live like a monk, you also frequent Walmart, Google, Target, and Amazon for everyday essentials, no matter what your financial situation.
Within these retail conglomerates, though, many Gen Zers are opting for socially and environmentally responsible products. The health-conscious check for unwanted ingredients like palm oil, corn syrup, and artificial fragrances. The environmentally conscious choose brands that are low-waste, non-toxic, or fair trade. And when Gen Zers spot big brands that can do better, they’re calling them out on it; demanding positive change.
43% of Gen Z shoppers don’t buy products tested on animals. Gen Z women especially are growing the demand for brands with a cruelty-free mission. Cosmetic brands like Glossier, e.l.f., and The Ordinary are well-known beauty brands among Gen Z thanks to their cruelty-free processes and affordable price range.
Conscious consumerism might be a Gen Z ideal in theory, but the generation is not so responsible when it comes to clothes. According to a 2022 Global Sustainability Study, more than 50% of Gen Zers claim sustainability is a priority — but their generation is today’s biggest consumer of fast fashion. Half of Gen Z shoppers in the U.S. still frequent international fast fashion producers such as H&M, Zara, and Shein.
Why the fast fashion addiction? Social media marketing likely plays a big role. Why invest hours of time and hundreds of dollars shopping for an organic cotton dress when your Instagram feed advertises an identical polyester knockoff for $15.00 (+ free shipping)?
It’s also likely that Gen Z simply can’t afford sustainable clothing, even though they may prefer the concept. Navigating early adulthood in digitally-led, economically volatile times is… challenging. Their top-rated brands reveal this paradox even more.
For a generation obsessed with tech, personalization, authenticity, and inclusivity, it comes as no surprise that the most highly-favored brand among Zoomers is YouTube.
YouTube’s content powerhouse is easily tailored to meet any consumer query or lifestyle curiosity. From tech reviews and skincare hauls to independent news and livestreams, YouTube checks all the boxes for younger generations’ wildly individual interests. Similarly, TikTok is dominated by Gen Z audiences, thanks to its highly personalized, easily accessible video content atmosphere. Other social media platforms (Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, Twitch, Reddit) rank in the top 25 list of Gen Z brands.
Let’s make this skimmable: here’s a list of some of Gen Z’s favorite brands, according to 2022 research.
Gen Z’s favorite brands cater to themes of personal expression, social inclusion, and affordability. Whether it be a megabrand like Walmart or a small, local shop, Zoomers want to put their money where their mouth is— and they often do, when they can. Brands that back up the Gen Z spirit of individualism and impact gain their loyalty, now and into the future.
Want help reaching Gen Zers through your brand’s content? Reach out to the Hire a Writer team for some ideas.
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