US Marketing to Gen Z Consumer Report 2024
As Gen Z transitions into adulthood they are navigating this crucial period during a time of rapid societal, technological and economic change.
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Executive Summary
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Overview
- What you need to know
- Consumer trends: key takeaways
- Market predictions
- Challenges
- Opportunities
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Market Dynamics
- Market context
- Who are Gen Z and what has shaped them?
- Gen Z by the numbers
- A generation in transition makes Gen Z difficult to pin down
- Graph 1: population, by generation, 2018-28
- Gen Z: the future Gen X?
- Graph 2: population distribution, by generation, 2018-28
- Gen Z’s diversity requires diversified messaging
- Graph 3: generations, by race, 2023
- Graph 4: generations, by Hispanic origin, 2023
- Economics and life stage
- Gen Z is compromising on home ownership
- Graph 5: homeownership rate, aged under 25, 2004-23
- Compromising on housing – Gen Z adults living with parents
- Graph 6: housing situation, by generation, 2024
- Gen Z continues the trend of choosing later in life to focus on family
- Graph 7: median age of mother at first birth, 1980-2020
- Graph 8: median age at first marriage, 2010-2023
- Family life
- US household structure continues to diversify
- Graph 9: household composition – Gen Z teens, 2024
- Gen Z teens acknowledge and accept parents’ expectations
- Graph 10: attitudes toward family pressure – any agree, by Gen Z teens and adults vs all, 2024
- Gen X parents remain influential to their adult Gen Z children
- Graph 11: parental influence – frequency of talking to a parent, by Gen Z adults vs all, 2024
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Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Gen Z lifestyles – adults
- Gen Z re-defines “adulthood”
- Graph 12: household composition, by Gen Z adults vs all, 2024
- Gen Z workers are feeling the burnout
- Erratic behavior for an erratic economy?
- Gen Z is reevaluating education due to social and economic disruptions
- Graph 13: college enrollment rate, by 18-24s, 1980-2022
- Cost a major factor in delaying child-rearing
- Gen Z is a significant opportunity for both entry-level and high-end products
- Graph 14: life circumstances and milestones, by Gen Z adults vs all adults, 2024
- Contrasting generational perceptions
- Adults, overall, rate Gen Z lower on key positive traits
- Graph 15: difference in how adults see themselves vs how they see Gen Z (% point), 2024
- Graph 16: how all adults see Gen Z vs how they see themselves, 2024
- Gen Z’ self-perception vs general opinions reveals a wide gulf
- Graph 17: Gen Z adults vs all adults self-perceptions, 2024
- Challenge the “slacker” stereotype by marketing to Gen Z’s innovative spirit
- Graph 18: how adults perceive different generations, 2024
- Gen Z is saddled with typical reputation of youthful entitlement and impressionability
- Consumers’ perceptions of older and younger generations vary
- Shifting values – Gen Z strives to work smarter, not harder
- Graph 19: generational descriptor – “hardworking” – differences, by Gen Z adults and Baby Boomers, 2024
- Gen Z’s social media usage amplifies sensitivity to external judgments and feelings of inadequacy
- Graph 20: attitudes toward comparing self to others – any agree, by Gen Z adults and teens vs all, 2024
- Cultural perspectives and self-expression
- Family traditions remain important in the face of Gen Z’s diversifying cultural identity
- Graph 21: attitudes toward cultural influences – any agree, by Gen Z adults and teens vs all, 2024
- Diversity and inclusion when messaging to Gen Z remains important
- Graph 22: attitudes toward cross-cultural experiences – any agree, by Gen Z adults and teens vs all, 2024
- Focus on common human experiences for effective diversity messaging
- Graph 23: attitudes toward cultural qualities – any agree, by Gen Z adults and teens vs all, 2024
- Empower Gen Z teens’ identities through music, fashion and personal interests
- Graph 24: Gen Z teens’ expressions of identity (up to five selected)*, 2024
- Digital spaces are key for Gen Z consumers’ self-expression
- Graph 25: feeling more authentic interacting in-person vs interacting virtually, by key demographics, 2023
- ‘Goal Girls’ – Gen Z teen girls wrap their ideal future selves into their current identities
- Graph 26: Gen Z teens’ expressions of identity (up to five selected)* – the goals I have for my future, by gender and age, 2024
- Black Gen Z teens express their identity through fashion and heritage
- Graph 27: Gen Z teens’ expressions of identity (up to five selected)* – select items, by race/ethnicity, 2024
- Enable self-discovery to become emotionally embedded in consumers’ sense of self
- Graph 28: consistent vs evolving personal style, by generation, 2023
- Free time and social media
- Digital media are among Gen Z’s favorite activities, but don’t count out in-person socializing
- Graph 29: most enjoyable activities (any rank 1-3)*, by Gen Z adults and teens vs all, 2024
- Gen Z teens are highly connected and independent online
- Almost all Gen Z use social media apps daily – usage divided over multiple apps
- Graph 30: social media sites used daily, by Gen Z adults and teens vs all, 2024
- Online branding to Gen Z must appeal to authenticity while navigating around negativity and bad faith
- Graph 31: attitudes toward social media – any agree, by Gen Z adults and teens vs all, 2024
- Boys will be boy gamers
- Spending priorities
- Gen Z adults prioritize spending that reinforces or crafts their identity – in ways that others can see
- Graph 32: preferred leisure spending (any rank 1-3)*, by Gen Z adults vs all adults, 2024
- Comparing past-year spending with splurge priorities may uncover latent or pent-up demand
- Graph 33: past year discretionary spending priorities (any rank 1-3)*, by Gen Z adults vs all adults, 2024
- Gender conventions still play a strong role in Gen Z teens’ spending priorities
- Graph 34: Gen Z teens’ leisure spending categories (up to three selected)*, by gender, 2024
- Gen Z teens’ priorities for self-expression feeds their spending habits
- Graph 35: Gen Z teens’ leisure spending categories (up to three selected)*, by expressions of identity (up to five selected)* – select items, 2024
- Stressors and concerns
- Mental wellbeing continues to be a focus for teens and will be fundamental to how Gen Z approaches new life stages
- Graph 36: teens’ attitudes toward mental wellness (any agree), 2022
- Academic performance outweighs other concerns for Gen Z teens
- Graph 37: top stressors and concerns (any rank 1-3)*, by Gen Z teens, 2024
- Management of time and relationships top concerns for Gen Z adults
- Graph 38: top stressors and concerns (any rank 1-3)*, by Gen Z adults and all adults, 2024
- Looking to the future
- Younger consumers lead in knowledge and adoption of generative AI
- Graph 39: familiarity and experience with generative AI, by age, 2023
- Gen Z adults remain optimistic about their future
- Graph 40: future expectations of living standards, Gen Z adults vs all adults, 2024
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Marketing Strategies
- Opportunities
- Authenticity is still key; but go deeper
- Offer personalization and customization
- Transition and chaos are opportunities for brands to help
- Be nimble
- Focus on principles that resonate with Gen Z
- Successful marketing and advertising campaigns
- Chipotle’s effective outreach through TikTok
- Long-term commitment enhances Dove’s Real Beauty Projects credibility
- Bold and edgy branding by Liquid Death
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Appendix
- Market definition
- Consumer research methodology
- Correspondence analysis – methodology
- Generations
Stay ahead of the curve with Mintel’s US Marketing to Gen Z Report 2023. Our full report is packed with gen z consumer insights, the latest trends and consumer behaviors affecting how the generation responds to marketing.
Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analyzed in the full report and summarized the core topics.
Key Issues Covered in this Report
- Gen Z’s changing attitudes towards work and education, and how they affect Gen Z priorities
- How authenticity and diversity in messaging remains important to Gen Z
- Gen Z lifestyles, how they spend free time, and their use of social media and technology
- Generational perceptions – how Gen Z is perceived and how they think of themselves and other generations
- Gen Z cultural perspectives and how they express themselves
- Gen Z spending priorities, what concerns them now and what they expect for the future
- Opportunities and strategies for marketing and analysis of successful campaigns
Who are Gen Z?
Gen Z consumers are defined as being born 1997-2010. In 2024, members of Gen Z are between the ages of 14 and 27. For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has further defined Gen Z consumer segments as the following:
- Gen Z teens: those aged 14-17
- Gen Z adults: those aged 18-27
Gen Z Consumer Trends
- Three quarters of Gen Z teens believe brands should recognize and represent diverse cultures and lifestyles. These statistics highlight their expectations of inclusivity and diversity.
- Over half of Gen Z who are not yet parents plan on waiting until they are financially stable to start a family, continuing a trend of delaying child-rearing, which has roots in urban population shift. Current conditions – rapidly increasing housing costs, rising costs and standards of living and changing attitudes towards careers – do not suggest that this trend is going away.
- Around four in ten Gen Z adults believe their online activities are a better representation of their true selves than their in-person social interactions. This highlights the importance of authentic, online messaging to this generation and this is reflected in their spending patterns.
US Gen Z – Example Marketing Opportunity
Gen Z values authenticity. From a business standpoint this creates a dilemma; the very nature of marketing itself – persuading individuals to buy a product or service – can clash with genuine engagement and value delivery. “Marketing with authenticity” is about fostering a culture of honesty, transparency and genuine interactions within and outside the organization. Brands that succeed in embedding authenticity into their DNA can build deeper, more resilient connections with their audiences.
Purchase Mintel’s full report for more marketing opportunities, as well as a deeper analysis of the US Gen Z consumers. Readers of this report may also be interested in Mintel’s US Gen Z: Online Shopping Behaviors Report.
Meet The Expert
This report is written by Hiro Takemasa, senior consumer lifestyles analyst at Mintel. Hiro draws from more than a decade of experience in marketing, R&D, regulatory and market research in CPG and specialty chemical industries. Hiro has an MBA in Marketing & MS in Biochemistry from the University of Illinois.
As Gen Z transitions into adulthood they are navigating this crucial period during a time of rapid societal, technological and economic change.
Hiro Takemasa
Senior Consumer Lifestyles Analyst
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