US Marketing to Gen Z: 2026
Gen Z represents about one in five US consumers, but their influence on marketing extends far beyond their demographic footprint.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Outlook for Gen Z consumers
- Opportunities
- Help Gen Z navigate an uncertain future
- Win over Gen Z by giving them a voice, gain loyalty by listening
- Trust in an era of fragmented content requires sustained investment and consistent messaging
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OVERVIEW OF GEN Z
- Gen Z and the trends that shaped them
- Gen Z by the numbers
- The challenge isn't Gen Z's size – it's the competition for their attention
- Graph 1: share of total population, by generation, 2010-25
- Social and economic forces are delaying the formation of families, distorting Gen Z adulthood timelines
- Graph 2: mean age of mother, by birth order, 2007-24
- Diversity for Gen Z extends beyond their heritage
- Graph 3: racial makeup, by age group, 2024
- Graph 4: Hispanic makeup, by age group, 2024
- Gen Z and culture
- Blended influences are creating new pathways for brands to connect
- Graph 5: self-reporting as two or more races, by age group, 2024
- Graph 6: identifying as LGBTQ+, by generation, 2012-24
- Gen Z finds pride and belonging on their own terms
- Graph 7: feels proudest of (any rank 1-3), by Gen Z and non-Gen Z, 2026
- The last Gen Z high school graduates face a shifting job market
- Graph 8: employed persons aged 16+, by occupation, 2004-24
- Graph 9: educational attainment by those aged 25-34, by year of approximate generation*, 1982, 1989, 2001, 2018
- Gen Z and the economy
- Gen Z face a resilient but rapidly changing job market
- Graph 10: unemployment and underemployment rates, 2021-26
- Gen Z is earning more but owning less in an economy driven by asset ownership
- Graph 11: gains in median wealth ($ thousands), by generation, 2018-23
- Graph 12: median household income ($ thousands), by age of householder, 2019-23
- Family support gives some Gen Z financial flexibility, for now
- Graph 13: percent living with parents, ages 18-34, 2005-25
- Graph 14: self-described financial situation, by generation and household income, 2026
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THE GEN Z CONSUMER
- Current priorities shape immediate behaviors
- Gen Z top life priorities right now
- Gen Z is building for the future while managing the present
- Graph 15: biggest priorities in life right now (select up to three), Gen Z vs non-Gen Z, 2026
- Connect physical health with broader life goals to match Gen Z's holistic expectations of wellness
- The abundance of choice in health & wellness encourage experimentation – albeit with a time limit
- Graph 16: casually changes brands in health & wellness, by generation, 2026
- Gen Z men and women largely align on life priorities, but differ on how they frame them
- Graph 17: biggest priorities in life right now (select up to three), Gen Z by gender, 2026
- Stanley pivots between rugged utilitarianism and wellness fashion accessory
- Help Gen Z on their path from financial security to life management
- Graph 18: biggest priorities in life right now (select up to three), by Gen Z income tiers, 2026
- Future priorities indicate diverging attitudes toward achieving financial successs
- Gen Z is exploring many paths for their financial future
- Graph 19: biggest priorities for financial future (select up to three), Gen Z, 2026
- Gen Z is reevaluating education as job market needs change and access to information broadens
- Graph 20: biggest priorities for financial future (select up to three), Gen Z vs non-Gen Z, 2026
- YouTube and other video platforms are poised to become informal hubs of education for Gen Z
- Gen Z may be underestimating the importance of early investment
- Graph 21: investing as a priority for financial future (select up to three), Gen Z vs non-Gen Z, 2026
- As social engineering gains importance as a career strategy, Gen Z looks for ways to gain influence
- Digital communities are shaping the next generation of connections
- Shopping behaviors change as the meaning of value evolves
- Gen Z consumer behaviors – researching prices, quality, etc
- Gen Z approaches shopping like research – brands must activate on multiple fronts
- Graph 22: product research behaviors done at least once a month, Gen Z vs non-Gen Z, 2026
- Gen Z is value conscious, but will pay a premium for fast, easy solutions when the need arises
- Graph 23: purchased something without thinking about my budget at least once a month, Gen Z vs non-Gen Z, 2026
- Course-corrections in gaming monetization has helped to retain players
- Activities others see as inefficient may provide meaningful secondary benefits for Gen Z
- Graph 24: thrifting behaviors done at least once a month, Gen Z vs non-Gen Z, 2026
- Disruption resonates with Gen Z
- Gen Z consumption patterns differ, but traditional brand signals still matter
- Graph 25: factors important for new purchases outside of price (select up to three), Gen Z vs non-Gen Z, 2026
- Social video drives discovery, loyalty is low
- Gen Z product discovery
- Social media videos offers what physical channels cannot: scale, speed and specificity
- Graph 26: platforms where new products and services are discovered (select up to five), Gen Z vs Non-Gen Z, 2026
- While short-form dominates passive attention, long-form take viewers further down the purchasing funnel
- Gen Z is quickly outsourcing discovery to generative AI and other tools
- Graph 27: platforms where new products and services are discovered (select up to five), Gen Z vs Non-Gen Z, 2026
- Nurture Gen Z's optimism towards AI by committing to transparency
- Graph 28: attitudes and experiences with AI content, Gen Z vs non-Gen Z, 2026
- Gen Z's openness to experimentation lowers barriers to trial, but raises the bar for retention
- Graph 29: attitudes towards changing brands, average of all consumer categories, Gen Z vs non-Gen Z, 2026
- Gen Z attitude towards ads
- For Gen Z, humor and authenticity are most effective mid-funnel
- Graph 30: advertising preferences (select up to five), Gen Z vs non-Gen Z, 2026
- Humor as a vehicle for product information work well with low-interest categories
- The act of participation may be more effective than consuming ad content
- Graph 31: advertising preferences, Gen Z vs non-Gen Z, 2026
- Stay ahead of the credibility challenges facing user-generated content
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APPENDIX
- Market definition
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology – US
- US generation groups
- Supplemental data
- Daily social media usage, by generation
- Graph 32: social media sites visited daily, by generation, 2026
- Gen Z approaches to changing brands, by product category
- Graph 33: attitudes towards changing brands, Gen Z, by product category, 2026
- Abbreviations and terms
"Gen Z are diverse in terms of lifestyles, but shared traits such as growing up with social media and the rapid pace social and technological change in their formative years have created common expectations around technology, authenticity, flexibility and personal agency."
Hiro Takemasa, Senior Consumer Lifestyles Analyst
Gen Z represents about one in five US consumers, but their influence on marketing extends far beyond their demographic footprint. Through social media, use of AI platforms and constant digital connectivity, they have an outsized voice in the broader consumer ecosystem.
Delayed life stages, financial support from parents and evolving approaches to adulthood have given many Gen Z consumers greater flexibility to pursue experiences, relationships, careers and personal development. More than a quarter of Gen Z males see “gaining influence” as key to a secure financial future, underscoring the importance of social cache and visibility for this generation. These shifts have made experimentation a defining feature of their consumer behavior, resulting in lower barriers to trial but higher investment by brands seeking long-term loyalty.
The greatest opportunities lie in helping Gen Z build influence, skills and adaptability while creating marketing experiences they can actively participate in. The greatest threat is a continued erosion of trust – poor-quality or deceptive AI content, the saturation of user-generated content and broad societal skepticism – these issues raise the bar of credibility and authenticity for brands.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
- An overview of Gen Z, including demographic and cultural trends and their relationship with the current economic and technological environment
- How their current and future priorities differ from older generations, both due to their relatively earlier life stages and external factors
- How Gen Z priorities manifest in their consumption preferences, product search habits and receptiveness to marketing
- Examples and analysis of recent marketing campaigns that align with Gen Z tastes, preferences and priorities
Market Definitions
Generation Z represents individuals born between the years 1997-2010, aged 16-29 in 2026. Consumer research for this Report was conducted in April 2026. Survey participation was limited to adults aged 18 and over.
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