This report examines Black Gen Z and Millennial attitudes and behaviors from a marketing standpoint. Gen Z consumers are defined as being born 1997-2010 and Millennial consumers are defined as being born 1980-96. In 2025, members of Gen Z are between the ages of 15 and 28 and Millennials are between the ages of 29 and 45.
Black Gen Z & Millennials – US Consumer Insights
Black Gen Zs and Millennials are two distinct groups who share many similarities and differences. Black Gen Zs can be seen as a rebellious group as their preferences for media, their optimism about the new administration and rejection of outdated political ideologies, signal a shift toward self-defined values and identity. On the other hand, Black Millennials are more rooted in tradition, but feel a sharper decline in trust across institutions than their general market counterparts.
Social media is a key discovery method for both, but Millennials use a broader mix of information sources. Both groups have saving priorities that focus on travel, cars and homeownership, but Millennials – especially high earners – rank travel as their top goal. Audio and short-form content are special interest media formats for each group, and brands must navigate evolving trust dynamics when it comes to information sources and a growing demand for joy, transparency and culturally aligned messaging.
This report looks at the following areas:
- An overview of the Black Gen Z and Black Millennial populations in the US
- The importance of moving beyond outdated narratives in marketing to Black Gen Zs and Millennials
- Insights into savings priorities among Black Gen Zs and Millennials
- Analysis of product and service discovery platforms
- Exploration of media preferences and consumption habits
- Examination of reasons for and against brand boycotts
- Impact of the new federal administration on consumer perceptions
- Marketing strategies, tactics and brand examples for reaching Black Gen Zs and Millennials
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Courtney Rominiyi. Courtney currently reports on Black consumers. Before Mintel, she developed research in academia and non-profit organizations with nearly 10 years of experience with special focuses on real estate, food and beverage, and haircare. Courtney has a B.S. and M.A. in Sociology from Old Dominion University and Texas State University, respectively.
To reach Black Gen Zs and Millennials, brands must move beyond outdated narratives, embrace optimism, cultural nuance, financial ambition, and social-first media.
Courtney Rominiyi
Multicultural Consumer Insights Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Market predictions
- What consumers want & why
- Opportunities
- Leverage humor and relatability for marketing campaigns
- Tap into economic optimism and financial focus to engage Gen Z
- Build around travel and social influence for Black Millennials
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market context
- Who are Black Gen Zs and what has shaped them?
- Technology has shaped Black Millennials’ lives, bridging gaps in connectivity, boosting entrepreneurship and education, and elevating social justice
- Black Gen Zs and Millennials – an overview
- Black Millennials rise as Gen Zs plateau in population shift
- Graph 1: population share, by race and Hispanic origin, 2020-30
- Graph 2: Black population, by age, 2020-30
- Black Millennial women lead in higher education attainment
- Graph 3: Black population aged 18+ – college graduation rate, by age and gender, 2021
- Graph 4: Black population aged 18+ – high school graduation rate, by age and gender, 2021
- Market drivers
- Rethinking the narrative: surveyed Black consumers support the idea that more are being raised in two-parent households
- Graph 5: share of Black children 0-17 living with married parents, 1970-2024
- Black Millennial and Gen Z birth rates reflect broader societal and socioeconomic shifts
- Graph 6: births per 1,000 women by age group, 2005 and 2023^
- Black Americans are concentrated in frontline and care jobs, but remain underrepresented in STEM; pay gaps persist, even with equal education
- Graph 7: share of Black workers ages 16 and older, by occupation, 2022
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CONSUMER INSIGHTS
- Consumer fast facts
- Consumer fast facts, continued
- Savings priorities for purchases
- Black Gen Zs and Millennials prioritize travel, cars and homeownership while balancing traditional milestones with modern spending goals
- Graph 8: Black consumers – top categories consumers are saving to purchase (rank 1-3), by Gen Z and Millennials vs all adults, 2025
- Young Black adults show stronger commitment to goals like buying homes, cars and education; Black Millennials are especially focused on travel
- Graph 9: top categories consumers are saving to purchase (any rank 1-3), by Black Gen Z and Millennials vs all Gen Z and Millennials, 2025
- Marketing should reflect lifestage differences as Gen Zs save for stability like homeownership, while Millennials prioritize leisure
- Graph 10: Black consumers – top 3 categories consumers are saving to purchase (any rank 1-3), by Gen Z and Millennials, 2025
- Black Gen Zs and Millenials lean into tech to build their homes
- Graph 11: Black Gen Z and Millennials – top categories consumers are saving to purchase – electronics and large appliances (any rank 1-3), by gender, 2025
- Wealth building through homeownership can help Black consumers create future inheritance and financial security for the next generation
- Gen Z parents are building a nest, not just a vibe, with a greater focus on furniture
- Graph 12: Black Gen Z – top categories consumers are saving to purchase – furniture (any rank 1-3), by parental status, 2025
- Marital status shapes spending as married Black Millennials focus on family, while singles prioritize building stability
- Graph 13: Black Millennials – top categories consumers are saving to purchase (any rank 1-3), by marital status, 2025
- Trends and pop culture TV can help connect to Black Gen Zs and Millennials: Spotlight Bob’s Till Decor Do Us Part
- As Black Millennials consider savings for the family, promote tailored savings options that accommodate the full spectrum of family needs
- Showcase premium experiences as Black Millennials consider travel a top savings goal
- Product and service discovery
- Black Gen Zs rely most on social media; Millennials use a wider mix, including online browsing and in-store, showing a clear generational split
- Graph 14: Black consumers – product and service discovery platforms, by Gen Z and Millennials vs all Black adults, 2025
- Black Gen Zs and Millennials mirror broader trends, but Black Millennials show stronger engagement across digital and in-store discovery channels
- Graph 15: product and service discovery platforms, by Black Gen Z and Millennials vs all Gen Z and Millennials, 2025
- Black Gen Z adults are skipping the store, and brands must meet them where they shop and scroll
- Graph 16: Black consumers – product and service discovery platforms – while in-store, by generation, 2025
- Black Millennial men shop in-store more; single men show that home life shifts drive discovery
- Graph 17: Black Millennials – product and service discovery platforms – while in-store, by males and marital status, 2025
- Analyst POV: gig work may lead to greater aisle discovery for single Black men
- Brands can use pop culture to draw men in, even for serious health needs, by making the message clever, relatable and culturally relevant
- Podcasts hold premium power with high-earning Black Millennials
- Graph 18: Black consumers – product and service discovery platforms – podcasts, by Millennials and HHI, 2025
- Black Gen Z teens are digital-first when it comes to product discovery
- Graph 19: Gen Z teens – product discovery platforms, 2025
- Media preferences
- Social media and short-form content lead among Black Gen Zs and Millennials in free-time media consumption
- Graph 20: Black consumers – media preferences (select up to 3), by Gen Z and Millennials vs all adults, 2025
- Quick look: media preferences of Gen Zs vs Millennials
- Gen Zs turn to audio and e-books for depth, but video content dominates for entertainment
- Graph 21: Black Gen Z – reasons for media preferences by format, 2025
- Millennials look to long-form and audio for balance, but news still wins for credibility and information
- Graph 22: Black Millennials – reasons for media preferences by format, 2025
- Local and national TV news remain top media sources for Black consumers – shaping trust, opinions and cultural awareness across generations
- Millennial women have the greatest preference for text amongst all Black consumers
- Graph 23: Black consumers – media preferences – ebooks or traditional books (select up to 3), by Millennials and gender, 2025
- Does audio fill the information gap? Millennial men lead audio content use
- Graph 24: Black consumers – media preferences – audio content (select up to 3), by Millennials and gender, 2025
- Analyst POV: audio offers access but also may increase risk for misinformation, particularly among Black Millennial men
- Reasons for and against brand boycotts
- Are boycotts losing their fire? Black Gen Zs and Millennials opt out of brand boycotts
- Graph 25: participation in brand boycotts (past six months), by Black Gen Z and Millennials, all Gen Z and Millennials, 2025
- DEI rollbacks are the main cause for recent boycotts, but ethics and political changes also impact consumers’ decisions
- Graph 26: Black consumers – reasons for brand boycott (past six months), by Gen Z and Millennials vs all adults, 2025
- Black Gen Zs and Millennials are more likely to boycott over DEI and ethics than their peers
- Graph 27: reasons for brand boycott (past six months), by Black Gen Z and Millennials vs all Gen Z and Millennials, 2025
- Recent controversies haven’t led to boycotts as Black consumers feel the brands they support reflect their values
- Graph 28: Black consumers – reasons for not boycotting (past six months), by Gen Z and Millennials vs all adults, 2025
- Black Gen Zs challenge the power of boycotts – will there be a shift toward new forms of action and accountability when it comes to brand issues?
- Graph 29: reasons for not boycotting (past six months), by Black Gen Z and Millennials vs all Gen Z and Millennials, 2025
- Plot twist: Black Gen Zs may feel silenced not for echoing the past, but because their views and optimism differ from older generations and outgrow boycotts
- Is Black Gen Zs’ turn from family traditions influencing their politics?
- Trust in information sources
- Black consumers, especially Millennials, are losing trust in government and legacy media
- Graph 30: Black consumers – trust LESS in information sources, by generations, 2025
- Black Gen Zs show the greatest gain of trust in sources as generative AI gains ground with all younger audiences
- Graph 31: Black consumers – trust MORE in information sources, by generations, 2025
- Black Gen Z and Millennials show the highest gains in trust across most sources
- Graph 32: trust MORE in sources of information, by Black Gen Z and Millennials vs all Gen Z and Millennials, 2025
- Millennial men have become more trusting of information sources
- Graph 33: Black Millennials – trust MORE in information sources, by gender, 2025
- Fathers are leveraging more information sources, Gen Z and Millennial dads are more trusting
- Gen Z and Millennial fathers are more trusting
- Graph 34: Black Gen Zs – trust MORE in information sources, by parental status, 2025
- Graph 35: Black Millennials – trust MORE in information sources, by parental status, 2025
- Black Millennial and Gen Z women lose trust in key information sources
- Perception of the new administration’s impact
- Black Gen Zs have more optimistic views for the new federal administration, especially around finances and the future
- Graph 36: Black consumers – perception of the new administration’s impact, all adults vs Gen Z and Millennials, 2025
- Gender divide in politics becomes more evident with Millennials when it comes to planning for the future
- Graph 37: Black consumers – perception of the new administration’s impact, by Millennials and gender, 2025
- Income plays a significant role in Gen Z’s perspective of the Trump administration
- Graph 38: Black Gen Zs – perception of the new administration’s impact, by HHI, 2025
- Family structure shapes Black Gen Z’s view of government, singles and those from single-parent homes report less trust and fewer perceived gains
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING STRATEGIES
- Launch activity, innovation and marketing
- As trust in AI grows, ChatBlackGPT supports growing trustt through culturally informed AI
- Heinz and DJ Mustard’s launch shows how social media can inform product innovation
- “Hug It Out” style campaigns can ease travel hesitation for Black Millennials, a group hit hard by political fatigue and trust
- Hug it Out in Eastern Townships
- Cash App’s “That’s Money” campaign aligns with Black Gen Z’s push for self-defined success, financial freedom, and culturally fluent content.
- Spotlight: Pattern Beauty Lounge ad taps into nostalgia and cultural relevance, which can help reach Black Millennial consumers
- PATTERN Lounge
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APPENDIX
- Market definition
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
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