INDONESIAKININEWS.COM - Teens, and Generation Z in general, are something of a mystery to older generations. Digitally native in a way that...
But, a new survey of 14,500 teens by Piper Sandler offers fresh data on what this fast-growing customer base is buying, and gives managers some insight into who will be applying for jobs in the months and years to come. The answer: Today’s teens, at their core, have more in common with previous generations than either would like to admit, but the environment they’ve grown up in has given them some unique characteristics.
Generation Z – people born after 1996 – has lived a much different life than their parents and millennials. The Center for Generational Kinetics called the pandemic a “generation-defining experience for Gen Z [that] will impact them for the rest of their lives.” They’re a generation that, broadly speaking, can’t remember a life without smartphones—and they have no memory of the 9/11 attacks, beyond the classroom.
They have numbers on their side, though. Some 32% of the planet’s population falls within the generation’s parameters and they see the world much differently than millennials, Gen Xers, or Baby Boomers. And that makes it all the more important to learn to speak their language.
So, what do teens like? Well, as you might guess, they are, to a point, brand driven (though not as much as their predecessors). Nike is their favorite brand of apparel (preferred by 31% of respondents) and footwear (with a 60% share). e.l.f. is the top cosmetics brand and Bath and Body Works leads the fragrance brand.
They’re wearing more Crocs (which saw its ranking jump from sixth to fifth), but less Under Armor (which fell out of the Top 10). But, among e-commerce sites, it’s Shien (which doesn’t sell most of the top brands) that takes the #2 spot, as ranked by most frequent use. (Amazon, of course, is the leader, as it is with every other generation.)
Among food brands, Nature Valley, Clif; and Goldfish were the most preferred snacks. And Chick-Fil-A is the top restaurant chain (followed by Starbucks and Chipotle). When it comes to plant-based meats, though, interest appears to be fading fast. Just 14% said they consume products like Beyond Burgers–and 23% of those who do say they plan to eat less plant-based meat in the future, up from 17% in the fall of 2021.
TikTok leads social media preferences, which won’t come as a surprise to anyone who has been in the general vicinity of a teen in the past year or two. Snap is a close second (with 38% using TikTok compared to 30% for Snap). Instagram rounds out the top three with 20% of the votes, though it did lose some ground since the spring of this year.
Gen Z lives through its smartphones, communicating with friends and relying on it for their primary source of entertainment. Apple has a strong inroad with this generation, with 87% of teens saying they own an iPhone and 88% expecting to get an iPhone when they upgrade.
Make-up? That’s coming more into vogue, as 41% say they wear it every day, compared with just 33% who said so last year. Virtual reality is losing some ground, though, with just 14% saying they use the headsets (versus 17% last spring).
And, despite the generational differences, some truths about teens remain the same after all these years. A little over one-third (39%) hold part-time jobs. Parents still cover about two-thirds of their total spending (which hit $2,331 last year, a 3% increase over 2021). And the bulk of spending by females went to clothing (which saw a 10% increase over last year) and footwear (up 7%).
As confused as parents might be when it comes to Generation Z, employers are just as lost. A separate study from the Center for Generational Kinetics (CGK) found 43% of Gen Z plan to change their career or industry because of what they learned or experienced during the pandemic.
Despite being saddled with a stereotype of not wanting to work, though, the CGK said Generation Z takes work very seriously, having watched their parents struggle through the Great Recession and seen the effects of the pandemic.
Saving money is important to them and they place a high value on employee benefits. One of their biggest fears in the office, though, is public speaking. Since socialization in front of people has been deemphasized in the age of smartphones, something as small as a review with managers can be anxiety inducing.
Perhaps that’s why technology is the most intriguing field to Gen Z. Nearly half of the respondents to CGK’s survey said they believe it will have the best career opportunities for them.
Just be sure to have real burgers in the cafeteria.
Source: fastcompany
