This report looks at the following areas:
This Report explores the latest trends in Gen Z consumers’ technology usage habits, including
- Gen Z’s demand for technology products/electronics
- Gen Z’s loyalty to technology brands, appealing brand images and ways to increase their affinity
- Gen Z’s usage of generative AI tools/platforms
- Gen Z’s perception of AI-generated content (AIGC) and their attitudes towards generative AI
Gen Z is highly rational and forward-looking when choosing technology products. They value the long-term utility of technology products while scrutinising whether technology brands have truly incorporated environmental or guochao concepts into product designs or actual experiences, rather than stopping at labels or marketing slogans. Brands can also aim to build deeper emotional connections with Gen Z through fun AI-powered interactions.
Toby Xu, Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
For the purposes of this Report, Generation Z, or Gen Z, is defined as those born after 1995. Consumer data used for this Report is based on a sample of 18-27 year olds with a monthly household income of over RMB6,000 in Tier 1 cities or over RMB5,000 in Tier 2 or lower cities. Please note that the ages of Gen Z surveyed have slightly changed based on different survey years.
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Executive summary
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definitions
- What you need to know
- The market
- Market factors
- Companies and brands
- Marketing activities
- The consumer
- Smartphones, laptops and wireless/Bluetooth headphones are essential to Gen Z's digital lives
- Graph 1: demand for technology/electronic products , 2024
- Gen Z has higher brand loyalty to essential technology products
- Graph 2: loyalty to technology brands, by product, 2024
- Align products with values and interests to impress Gen Z
- Graph 3: ways technology brands can improve favourability among Gen Z, 2024
- Technology brands with a professional and reliable or innovative and pioneering image greatly appeal to Gen Z
- Graph 4: attractive technology brand images, 2024
- Despite the AI trend, generative AI platforms/tools have not yet become widely popular among Gen Z consumers
- Graph 5: usage of generative AI platforms/tools, 2024
- Gen Z expects diverse AI-generated content but is concerned about AI replacing services provided by humans
- Graph 6: perceptions of AIGC, 2024
- Find a balance between the creativity and authenticity of AI
- Graph 7: agree with the following statements about generative AI, 2024
- Issues and insights
- What we think
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The market
- Market factors
- Gen Z faces serious challenges in the job market and is more prudent in spending
- Graph 8: number of college graduates, 2019-24
- Graph 9: surveyed urban unemployment rate by age group, 2023-24
- Overall spending power remains unchanged, but the income structure has deteriorated
- Graph 10: Gen Z's monthly disposable personal income, 2023 vs 2024
- Gen Z is alleviating financial pressures by means other than working income
- Graph 11: income sources of Gen Z, 2023 vs 2024
- Technology demand remains strong, but there is limited willingness to trade up
- Graph 12: planning to spend more on trading up technology products (ie buying more expensive brands or products), 2023-24
- Graph 13: sectors in which consumers have spent more money than in the previous month – technology, 2023-24
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Companies and brands
- Marketing activities
- Technology brands create immersive urban outdoor experiences for young consumers
- Technology products to help Gen Z workers
- Technology brands are attuned to young people's thoughts
- Shopping platforms cater to the diverse preferences of young people
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The consumer
- Demand for technology/electronic products
- Smartphones, laptops and wireless/Bluetooth headphones are essential to Gen Z's digital lives
- Graph 14: demand for technology/electronic products , 2024
- Gen Z focuses on the long-term utility of technology products
- Graph 15: extent of demand for technology/electronic products , 2024
- Focus on young women's demand for audio devices
- Graph 16: demand for wireless/Bluetooth earphones and smart speakers, by gender, 2024
- Tap into the potential of projectors among young women
- Graph 17: extent of demand for projectors, by gender and age, 2024
- Do not ignore workplace newbies' trade-up demand for productivity tools
- Graph 18: extent of demand for laptops, desktops and tablets, by employment status, 2024
- Loyalty to technology brands
- Gen Z has higher brand loyalty to essential technology products
- Graph 19: loyalty to technology brands, by product, 2024
- Young women are more open-minded when it comes to smartphone brands, while young men show higher levels of loyalty
- Graph 20: loyalty to smartphone brands, by gender, 2024
- Gen Z in Tier 1 cities is more willing to try different brands
- Graph 21: loyalty to technology brands, by city tier, 2024
- Ways technology brands can improve favourability
- Align products with values and interests to impress Gen Z
- Graph 22: ways technology brands can improve favourability among Gen Z, 2024
- Attract workers with traditional Chinese design and provide more social networking opportunities for students
- Graph 23: activities of technology brands to improve favourability, by employment status, 2024
- Advertise the brand's social responsibility to young women in the workplace
- Graph 24: ways for technology brands to increase favourability as preferred by Gen Z working full-time, by gender, 2024
- Novel brand experiences can attract men with lower incomes, while brand equity can effectively resonate with middle-to-high-income men
- Graph 25: ways for technology brands to increase favourability as preferred by Gen Z men, by monthly household income, 2024
- Attractive technology brand images
- Technology brands with a professional and reliable or innovative and pioneering image greatly appeal to Gen Z
- Graph 26: attractive technology brand images, 2024
- Create premium value with innovation and imagination, and win public approval with sincerity
- Graph 27: technology brand images that Gen Z men find appealing, by monthly household income, 2024
- Become a source of motivation for young workers to keep taking risks and exploring
- Graph 28: technology brand images that Gen Z with a full-time job find appealing, by gender, 2024
- Smartphone brands should focus on professionalism and innovation while leveraging trendy designs to differentiate themselves
- Graph 29: attractive technology brand images, by loyalty to smartphone brands, 2024
- Usage of generative AI platforms/tools
- Despite the AI trend, generative AI platforms/tools have not yet become widely popular among Gen Z consumers
- Graph 30: usage of generative AI platforms/tools, 2024
- Generative AI platform/tool usage is still concentrated in the top platforms
- Graph 31: usage of generative AI platforms/tools – repertoire analysis, 2024
- Perception of AIGC
- Gen Z expects diverse content generated by AI
- Gen Z expects diverse AI-generated content but is concerned about AI replacing services provided by humans
- Graph 32: perception of AIGC, 2024
- Leverage AI content marketing to attract young women with high consumption potential
- Graph 33: AIGC that Gen Z women like and look forward to seeing more, by monthly disposable income/pocket money, 2024
- Attitudes towards Generative AI
- Use AI to make marketing more engaging while ensuring transparency and quality
- Graph 34: attitudes towards generative AI, 2024
- Gen Z is optimistic about the potential of generative AI in skill and emotional assistance
- Graph 35: attitudes towards generative AI, 2024
- Gen Z is cautious about AIGC's creativity and authenticity
- Graph 36: attitudes towards generative AI, 2024
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Issues and insights
- Reposition the role of technology products in Gen Z's lives
- Become a daily companion to Gen Z's growth
- Help Gen Z pursue their hobbies and interests
- Explore a greater fusion of technology and guochao
- Gen Z continues to be interested in guochao, but they are looking for a meaningful embodiment of the trend
- Graph 37: activities that would improve opinion of the technology brand, all Gen Z vs Gen Z who prefer an innovative and pioneering technology brand image, 2024
- Incorporate unlikely combinations and local characteristics in guochao marketing
- Use AI to connect with digital natives in a way that resonates with them
- Ignite Gen Z's creativity with AI
- Explore the possibility of AI fulfilling the emotional needs of Gen Z
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Appendix – methodology and abbreviations
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
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