Original DirectionsYour next essay, the proposal (also called th.docx

Original Directions
Your next essay, the proposal (also called the position essay),
will not be due until Week Six. However, you need to plan it
this week. After reading Defining a Generation, you should
start thinking about how your experience of being a member* of
Generation Z differs or aligns with the facts presented about
Gen-Z individuals. In the proposal, you will identify your own
defining characteristics of Generation Z, which we will use as
the basis for your research essay. After you have selected a
topic and decided on a thesis (position), complete the"Proposal
Essay Outline Assignment"by midnight on Sunday, May 31.
Keep in mind the most challenging positions to defend in a
logical argument are ones that are based minimal experience or
a lack of evidence. What might be true for you, may not be true
of your peers. Try to keep in mind your lessons on avoiding
logical fallacies and think of the bigger picture of your
generation. If you have any questions on your outline, please do
not hesitate to contact me.
Email From Professor because I am a Millennial my directions
are a bit different.
*For your proposal, follow all the same guidelines, with the
exception of working for Millennials. You are also about to
choose a slightly different time frame for the
product/app/service you choose for your outline topic, but I'm
auto-banning iphones as a topic. If you'd like to run ideas by me
for the proposal, please feel free to send a list of ideas.
App Chosen: Youtube
Replace the word Generation Z for Millennial.
Question 1
State your position on the product/tool/service/app that

embodies the spirit of Generation Z in one or two
sentences. This will serve as your thesis. (For example,
"Because of its mission to use the support of large groups,
where everyone contributes in small ways to bring creative
projects to reality, Kickstarter is the perfect service to embody
the Millennial spirit.")
Question 2
List the 3 major reasons why you support this position in the
form of characteristics of Generation Z. You should use your
three supportable, logical reasons
(For example, "At its core, Millennials are a compassionate
generation, and can be characterized by their desire to support
each other and stand up for their beliefs.")
First Reason
_____________________________________________________
__________
Second Reason
_____________________________________________________
________
Third Reason
_____________________________________________________
_________
Question 3
Take the first major reason that you wrote above and fill in the
following important points.
First Reason:
_____________________________________________________
_

· Supporting detail #1 (This a specific example that
demonstrates Reason 1)
· Optional:Supporting detail #3 (This a specific example that
Question 4
Take the second major reason and fill in the following
important points :
Second Reason:
_____________________________________________________
_
Question 5
Take the third major reason and fill in the following important
points :
Third Reason:
_____________________________________________________

_
Question 6
This will be your last chance to convince your audience that
your point of view is correct. To do this you will want to do the
following things:
· Begin with conclusion sentences that expand on your position
in a new way. (So what? What next?)
· Create a clever or lasting thought to serve as a final image for
the reader. (Who cares, and why?)
· In the space below, provide one or two sentences you think
both restate your position in a creative way
5/25/2020 Generation Z: Latest Gen Z News, Research, Facts &
Strategies | Business Insider
https://www.businessinsider.com/generation-z 1/6
Generation Z
LATEST CHARACTERISTICS, RESEARCH,
AND FACTS
Generation Z (aka Gen Z, iGen, or centennials), refers to the
generation that was born between 1996-2010, following

millennials. This generation has been raised on the internet and
social media, with some the oldest finishing college by 2020
and
entering the workforce.
Business Insider Intelligence has been tracking Gen Z’s
characteristics, traits, values, and trends to develop in-depth
statistics, facts, and marketing strategies targeting what will
soon
become the largest cohort of consumers.
Gen Z is estimated to soon become the largest US consumer
population. The Digital Commerce and Gen Z Report from
Business Insider
Intelligence
What is Generation Z (Gen Z)?
https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence?IR=T&itm_source
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z_hub_page&itm_content=text_body&itm_term=bii_subscriptio
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Z/p/98280495/category=11987292
Generation Z, is the youngest, most ethnically-diverse, and
largest
generation in American history, comprising 27% of the US
population. Pew Research recently defined Gen Z as anyone
born
after 1997. Gen Z grew up with technology, the internet, and
social
media, which sometimes causes them to be stereotyped as tech-
addicted, anti-social, or “social justice warriors.”
What are Millennials (Gen Y)?
Millennials, also known as Generation Y, include anyone born
between 1981 and 1996 (ages 23 to 38 in 2019) and represent
about a
quarter of the US population. Much of this cohort entered the
workforce at the height of the Great Recession, and have
struggled

with the subsequent widening of the generational wealth gap.
Millennials have led older generations in technology adoption
and
embracing digital solutions. Their financial status and tech-
savviness have fundamentally changed how they live and work
—
earning them stereotypes that they job hop and have killed a
number of industries. Prior to Gen Z, millennials were the
largest
and most racially and ethnically diverse generation.
What is Generation X (Gen X)?
Generation X, also known as Gen X, the latchkey generation or,
jokingly, the forgotten or middle child generation, consists of
people born between 1965 and 1980 (ages 39-54 in 2019).
Currently,
Gen X comprises 20.6% of the US population, making them
smaller
than any other age demographic.
This cohort grew up with higher divorce rates and more two-
income households, resulting in a general lack of an adult
presence

in their childhoods and teenage years. As such, Gen X is
generally
viewed as peer-oriented and entrepreneurial in spirit.
What is Generation Alpha?
Some members of Gen Alpha (anyone born after 2010) can
barely
walk, but it’s already set to be the most transformative
generation
yet. Alphas haven’t just grown up with technology — they’ve
been
completely immersed in it since birth. Early in their formative
years, these children are comfortable speaking to voice
assistants
https://www.businessinsider.com/generation-z-profile-2017-9
https://www.businessinsider.com/teens-gen-z-generation-z-
what-teens-are-like-2018-6
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/17/where-
millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/
https://www.businessinsider.com/category/millenials
https://www.businessinsider.com/generation-you-are-in-by-
birth-year-millennial-gen-x-baby-boomer-2018-3
https://www.insider.com/gen-z-vs-gen-x-spending-habits-2018-
11
https://www.businessinsider.com/generation-alpha-2014-7-2

and swiping on smartphones. They don’t consider technologies
to
be tools used to help achieve tasks, but rather as deeply
integrated
parts of everyday life.
F E AT U R E D G E N Z A R T I C L E S
Generation Zs reveal their 100
favorite brands
How companies are eyeing Gen
Z
How Gen Z’s morning routine
di�ers from other generations
Gen Z’s favorite photo-editing
app
Sectors and businesses Gen Z is
killing
Why members of Gen Z are least
likely to get a job
How Gen Z is creating a $5
billion market for fake meat and
seafood

Experts are marketing to Gen Z Gen Z’s favorite slang words
What it’s REALLY like to be a
teen in 2018
Which generation you are, by
birth year
https://www.businessinsider.com/top-100-gen-z-brands-
youtube-amazon-netflix-2018-9
https://www.businessinsider.com/r-as-millennials-age-more-us-
companies-look-ahead-to-generation-z-2018-6
https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-baby-boomers-
gen-z-morning-routine-2018-6
https://www.businessinsider.com/photo-editing-app-vsco-x-
tops-one-million-subscribers-2018-6
https://www.businessinsider.com/generation-z-things-gen-z-are-
killing-facebook-ralph-lauren-2018-5
https://www.businessinsider.com/generation-z-teen-jobs-2018-5
https://www.businessinsider.com/generation-z-is-eating-fake-
meat-2017-10
https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-are-marketing-to-
generation-z-2017-7
https://www.businessinsider.com/goat-savage-lit-dope-bae-
teens-gen-z-slang-words-2018-6
what-teens-are-like-2018-6

F A Q S A B O U T G E N Z
What are the Generation Z birth years &
age range?
Generation Z is broadly defined as the 72 million people born
between 1996 and 2010, but Pew Research has recently defined
Gen
Z as anyone born after 1997.
Generation Z vs Millennials (Gen Y)
Gen Z most closely mirrors millennials on key social and
political
issues, but without much of the optimism; More US Gen Zers
than
any other generation (68%) feel the US is headed in the wrong
direction, and fewer Gen Zers than any other generation (32%)
feel
the country is headed in the right direction.
Is generation Z conservative?
Generation Z considers itself more accepting and open-minded
than any generation before it. Almost half of Gen Zs are
minorities,
compared to 22% of Baby Boomers, and the majority of Gen Z

supports social movements such as Black Lives Matter,
transgender
rights, and feminism.
What are common names for Generation
Z?
Generation Z, or Gen Z, is also sometimes referred to as iGen,
or
Centennials.
What is after Generation Z?
The generation that follows Gen Z is Generation Alpha, which
includes anyone born after 2010. Gen Alpha is still very young,
but
is on track to be the most transformative age group ever.
What are common Generation Z
characteristics?
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/17/where-
what-teens-are-like-2018-6#and-they-say-theyre-more-
accepting-and-open-minded-than-any-generation-before-them-
29
https://www.marketingcharts.com/demographics-and-audiences-
68603
https://www.businessinsider.com/generation-alpha-2014-7-2

The average Gen Z got their first smartphone just before their
twelfth birthday. They communicate primarily through social
media and texts, and spend as much time on their phones as
older
generations do watching television.
The majority of Gen Zs prefer streaming services to traditional
cable, as well as getting snackable content they can get on their
phones and computers.
Gen Z is the most ethnically diverse and largest generation in
American history, and eclipses all other generations before it in
embracing diversity and inclusion.
M O R E T O L E A R N
Generation Z will soon become the most pivotal generation to
the
future of retail, and many will have huge spending power by
2026.
To capture a piece of this growing cohort, retailers and brands

need
to start establishing relationships with Gen Zers now.
But Gen Zers are different from older generations, because they
are
the first consumers to have grown up wholly in the digital era.
They're tech-savvy and mobile-first — and they have high
standards for how they spend their time online.
After ignoring the digital revolution and millennial buyers for
too
long, retailers and brands have spent the last decade trying to
catch
up to millennials' interests and habits — so it’s critical for them
get
ahead of Gen Z's tendency to be online at all times, and make
sure
to meet this generation's digital expectations.
The Digital Commerce and Gen Z report from Business Insider
Intelligence:
Explores the current and future spending power of Gen Z.
Examines Gen Zers' interest in brick-and-mortar shopping,
and identifies how retailers and brands can capitalize on it.

Provides insight into the generation's digital expectations, and
analyzes what they mean for selling to Gen Zers online.
what-teens-are-like-2018-6#the-average-teen-got-their-first-
smart-phone-just-before-their-12th-birthday-2
what-teens-are-like-2018-6#teens-spend-as-much-time-on-their-
phones-as-adults-do-watching-television-6
Discusses the influence of quality and social media on Gen Z's
purchase behavior, and considers potential courses of action
for retailers and brands.
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5/25/2020 Generation Z characteristics and its implications for
companies | McKinsey
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-
goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-
for-companies# 1/16
Consumer Packaged Goods

The influence of Gen Z—the first generation of true digital
natives—is
expanding.
L
See our latest research on Gen Z in
America and Gen Z in Asia .
ong before the term “influencer” was coined, young people
played that social role by
creating and interpreting trends. Now a new generation of
influencers has come on the
scene. Members of Gen Z—loosely, people born from 1995 to
2010—are true digital natives:
from earliest youth, they have been exposed to the internet, to
social networks, and to mobile
systems. That context has produced a hypercognitive generation
very comfortable with
collecting and cross-referencing many sources of information
and with integrating virtual and
offline experiences.
As global connectivity soars, generational shifts could come to
play a more important role in
setting behavior than socioeconomic differences do. Young
people have become a potent

influence on people of all ages and incomes, as well as on the
way those people consume and
relate to brands. In Brazil, Gen Z already makes up 20 percent
of the country’s population.
McKinsey recently collaborated with Box1824, a research
agency specializing in consumer
trends, to conduct a survey investigating the behaviors of this
new generation and its
‘True Gen’: Generation Z and its‘True Gen’: Generation Z and
its
implications for companiesimplications for companies
November 12, 2018November 12, 2018 | Article| Article
By Tracy Francis and Fernanda Hoefel
https://www.mckinsey.com/
goods/our-insights
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/the-
young-and-the-restless-generation-z-in-america
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/asias-
generation-z-comes-of-age
https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/tracy-francis
https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/fernanda-hoefel
for-companies# 2/16

influence on consumption patterns in Brazil. The survey
coupled qualitative insights about
Gen Z in three of the country’s major cities (Recife, Rio de
Janeiro, and São Paulo) with
multigenerational quantitative data that cut across
socioeconomic classes. Our goal was to
understand how this new generation’s views might affect the
broader population, as well as
consumption in general.
Our study based on the survey reveals four core Gen Z
behaviors, all anchored in one
element: this generation’s search for truth. Gen Zers value
individual expression and avoid
labels. They mobilize themselves for a variety of causes. They
believe profoundly in the
efficacy of dialogue to solve conflicts and improve the world.
Finally, they make decisions and
relate to institutions in a highly analytical and pragmatic way.
That is why, for us, Gen Z is “True
Gen.” In contrast, the previous generation— the millennials ,
sometimes called the “me
generation”—got its start in an era of economic prosperity and
focuses on the self. Its

members are more idealistic, more confrontational, and less
willing to accept diverse points of
view.
Such behaviors influence the way Gen Zers view consumption
and their relationships with
brands. Companies should be attuned to three implications for
this generation: consumption
as access rather than possession, consumption as an expression
of individual identity, and
consumption as a matter of ethical concern. Coupled with
technological advances, this
generational shift is transforming the consumer landscape in a
way that cuts across all
socioeconomic brackets and extends beyond Gen Z, permeating
the whole demographic
pyramid. The possibilities now emerging for companies are as
transformational as they are
challenging. Businesses must rethink how they deliver value to
the consumer, rebalance scale
and mass production against personalization, and—more than
ever—practice what they
preach when they address marketing issues and work ethics.
Meet True Gen
Generations are shaped by the context in which they emerged

(Exhibit 1). Baby boomers, born
from 1940 to 1959, were immersed in the post–World War II
context and are best represented
by consumption as an expression of ideology. Gen Xers (born
1960�79) consumed status,
while millennials (born 1980�94) consumed experiences. For
Generation Z, as we have seen,
the main spur to consumption is the search for truth, in both a
personal and a communal form
[ 1 ]
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-
insights/millennials-burden-blessing-or-both
for-companies# 3/16
(Exhibit 2). This generation feels comfortable not having only
one way to be itself. Its search
for authenticity generates greater freedom of expression and
greater openness to
understanding different kinds of people.
Exhibit 1

for-companies# 4/16
‘Undefined ID’: Expressing individual
truth
I need to be free; I need to be myself, increasingly be myself,
every day. With the internet, I
feel much more free.
—Female respondent, 22, city of São Paulo
I really like things that are unisex! I think it’s absurd that stores
and brands split everything into
“male” and “female.” After all, fabric is genderless.
—Female respondent, 22, Goiânia
For Gen Zers, the key point is not to define themselves through
only one stereotype but rather
for individuals to experiment with different ways of being
themselves and to shape their
individual identities over time (Exhibit 3). In this respect, you
might call them “identity nomads.”
Exhibit 2

for-companies# 5/16
Seventy-six percent of Gen Zers say they are religious. At the
same time, they are also the
generation most open to a variety of themes not necessarily
aligned with the broader beliefs
of their declared religions. For example, 20 percent of them do
not consider themselves
exclusively heterosexual, as opposed to 10 percent for other
generations. Sixty percent of
Gen Zers think that same-sex couples should be able to adopt
children—ten percentage
points more than people in other generations do.
Gender fluidity may be the most telling reflection of “undefined
ID,” but it isn’t the only one.
Gen Zers are always connected. They constantly evaluate
unprecedented amounts of
information and influences. For them, the self is a place to
experiment, test, and change.

Seven out of ten Gen Zers say it is important to defend causes
related to identity, so they are
Exhibit 3
for-companies# 6/16
more interested than previous generations have been in human
rights; in matters related to
race and ethnicity; in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
issues; and in feminism (Exhibit
4).
‘Communaholic’: Connecting to different
truths
We each have our own style and way of being, but what binds
us is that we accept and
understand everyone’s styles.
—Male respondent, 16, Recife
Exhibit 4

for-companies# 7/16
Gen Zers are radically inclusive. They don’t distinguish
between friends they meet online and
friends in the physical world. They continually flow between
communities that promote their
causes by exploiting the high level of mobilization technology
makes possible. Gen Zers
value online communities because they allow people of different
economic circumstances to
connect and mobilize around causes and interests. (Sixty-six
percent of the Gen Zers in our
survey believe that communities are created by causes and
interests, not by economic
backgrounds or educational levels. That percentage is well
above the corresponding one for
millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers.) Fifty-two percent of
Gen Zers think it is natural for
every individual to belong to different groups (compared with
45 percent of the people in
other generations), and Gen Zers have no problem with moving
between groups.

‘Dialoguer’: Understanding different
truths
We must practice tolerance, and we must learn to listen and
accept differences.
—Male respondent, 20, Gioânia
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-
analytics/our-insights/competing-in-a-world-of-sectors-without-
borders
for-companies# 8/16
Exhibit 5
for-companies# 9/16

for-companies# 10/16
Gen Zers believe in the importance of dialogue and accept
differences of opinion with the
institutions in which they participate and with their own
families (Exhibit 5). They can interact
with institutions that reject their personal values without
abandoning those values. The fact
that Gen Zers feel comfortable interacting with traditional
religious institutions without
abandoning personal beliefs that might not be broadly accepted
by these institutions also
demonstrates their pragmatism. Rather than spurn an institution
altogether, Gen Zers would
rather engage with it to extract whatever makes sense for them.
Members of this generation therefore tend to believe that
change must come from dialogue:
57 percent of millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers think
they would have to break with
the system to change the world, compared with 49 percent of
Gen Zers. Gen Z is also more
willing to accommodate the failings of companies. Thirty-nine
percent of the people in this
generation, for example, expect companies to answer customer

complaints in the same day;
for the three earlier generations, the percentage is much
higher—52 percent.
Gen Z’s belief in dialogue combines a high value for individual
identity, the rejection of
stereotypes, and a considerable degree of pragmatism. That
brings us to the fourth core
behavior of Gen Z.
‘Realistic’: Unveiling the truth behind all
things
I don’t believe this talk of investing in the dream and all that.
Work is work.
—Female respondent, 22, Salvador, state of Bahia
Gen Zers, with vast amounts of information at their disposal,
are more pragmatic and
analytical about their decisions than members of previous
generations were. Sixty-five
percent of the Gen Zers in our survey said that they particularly
value knowing what is going
on around them and being in control. This generation of self-
learners is also more
comfortable absorbing knowledge online than in traditional
institutions of learning.
What’s more, Gen Z was raised at a time of global economic

stress—in fact, the greatest
economic downturn in Brazil’s history. These challenges made
Gen Zers less idealistic than
the millennials we surveyed (Exhibit 6). Many Gen Zers are
keenly aware of the need to save
for the future and see job stability as more important than a
high salary. They already show a
high preference for regular employment rather than freelance or
part-time work, which may
come as a surprise compared to the attitude of millennials, for
example. According to the
survey, 42 percent of Gen Zers from 17 to 23 years old are
already gainfully employed in either
full- or part-time jobs or as freelance workers—a high
percentage for people so young.
Gen Z: Consumption and implications for
companies
Exhibit 6

The youthful forms of behavior we discuss here are influencing
all generations and, ultimately,
attitudes toward consumption as well. Three forces are
emerging in a powerful confluence of
technology and behavior.
Consumption re-signified: From
possession to access
This more pragmatic and realistic generation of consumers
expects to access and evaluate a
broad range of information before purchases. Gen Zers analyze
not only what they buy but
also the very act of consuming. Consumption has also gained a
new meaning. For Gen Z—and
increasingly for older generations as well—consumption means
having access to products or
services, not necessarily owning them. As access becomes the
new form of consumption,
unlimited access to goods and services (such as car-riding

services, video streaming, and
subscriptions) creates value. Products become services, and
services connect consumers.
As collaborative consumption gains traction, people are also
starting to view it as a way to
generate additional income in the “ gig economy .” Another
aspect of the gig economy involves
consumers who take advantage of their existing relationships
with companies to generate
additional income by working temporarily for them. Some
companies are already embracing
the implications.
Car manufacturers, for example, are renting out vehicles
directly to consumers, so that
instead of selling 1,000 cars, these companies may sell one car
1,000 times. The role of
sporting-goods businesses, likewise, has shifted to helping
people become better athletes by
providing access to equipment, technology, coaching, and
communities of like-minded
consumers. Similarly, traditional consumer-goods companies
should consider creating
platforms of products, services, and experiences that aggregate
or connect customers

around brands. Companies historically defined by the products
they sell or consume can now
rethink their value-creation models, leveraging more direct
relationships with consumers and
new distribution channels.
Singularity: Consumption as an
expression of individual identity
https://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/overview/in-the-
news/exploding-myths-about-the-gig-economy
The core of Gen Z is the idea of manifesting individual identity.
Consumption therefore
becomes a means of self-expression—as opposed, for example,
to buying or wearing brands
to fit in with the norms of groups. Led by Gen Z and
millennials, consumers across
generations are not only eager for more personalized products
but also willing to pay a
premium for products that highlight their individuality. Fifty-

eight percent of A-class and 43
percent of C-class consumers say they are willing to pay more
for personalized offerings.
Seventy percent of A-class and 58 percent of C-class consumers
are willing to pay a premium
for products from brands that embrace causes those consumers
identify with. And here’s
another finding that stood out in our survey: 48 percent of Gen
Zers—but only 38 percent of
consumers in other generations—said they value brands that
don’t classify items as male or
female. For most brands, that is truly new territory.
Although expectations of personalization are high, consumers
across generations are not yet
totally comfortable about sharing their personal data with
companies. Only 10 to 15 percent of
them declare not to have any issues in sharing personal data
with companies. If there is a
clear counterpart from companies to consumers, then the
number of consumers willing to
share personal information with companies goes up to 35
percent—still a relatively small
number.

As the on- and offline worlds converge, consumers expect more
than ever to consume
products and services any time and any place, so omnichannel
marketing and sales must
reach a new level. For consumers who are always and
everywhere online, the online–offline
boundary doesn’t exist. Meanwhile, we are entering the
“segmentation of one” age now that
companies can use advanced analytics to improve their insights
from consumer data.
Customer information that companies have long buried in data
repositories now has strategic
value, and in some cases information itself creates the value.
Leading companies should
therefore have a data strategy that will prepare them to develop
business insights by
collecting and interpreting information about individual
consumers while protecting data
privacy.
For decades, consumer companies and retailers have realized
gains through economies of
scale. Now they may have to accept a two-track model: the first
for scale and mass
consumption, the other for customization catering to specific

groups of consumers or to the
most loyal consumers. In this scenario, not only marketing but
also the supply chain and
manufacturing processes would require more agility and
flexibility. For businesses, that kind
of future raises many questions. How long will clothing
collections grouped by gender
[ 2 ]
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-
sales/our-insights/what-shoppers-really-want-from-
personalized-marketing
https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/whos-
shopping-where-the-power-of-geospatial-analytics-in-
omnichannel-retail
continue to make sense, for example? How should companies
market cars or jewelry in an
inclusive, unbiased way? To what extent should the need for a
two-speed business transform
the internal processes and structure of companies?

Consumption anchored on ethics
Finally, consumers increasingly expect brands to “take a stand.”
The point is not to have a
politically correct position on a broad range of topics. It is to
choose the specific topics (or
causes) that make sense for a brand and its consumers and to
have something clear to say
about those particular issues. In a transparent world, younger
consumers don’t distinguish
between the ethics of a brand, the company that owns it, and its
network of partners and
suppliers. A company’s actions must match its ideals, and those
ideals must permeate the
entire stakeholder system.
Gen Z consumers are mostly well educated about brands and the
realities behind them. When
they are not, they know how to access information and develop
a point of view quickly. If a
brand advertises diversity but lacks diversity within its own
ranks, for example, that
contradiction will be noticed. In fact, members of the other
generations we surveyed share
this mind-set. Seventy percent of our respondents say they try to
purchase products from

companies they consider ethical. Eighty percent say they
remember at least one scandal or
controversy involving a company. About 65 percent try to learn
the origins of anything they
buy—where it is made, what it is made from, and how it is
made. About 80 percent refuse to
buy goods from companies involved in scandals.
All this is relevant for businesses, since 63 percent of the
consumers we surveyed said that
recommendations from friends are their most trusted source for
learning about products and
brands. The good news is that consumers—in particular Gen
Zers—are tolerant of brands
when they make mistakes, if the mistakes are corrected. That
path is more challenging for
large corporations, since a majority of our respondents believe
that major brands are less
ethical than small ones.
For consumers, marketing and work ethics are converging.
Companies must therefore not
only identify clearly the topics on which they will take
positions but also ensure that everyone
throughout the value chain gets on board. For the same reason,
companies ought to think

carefully about the marketing agents who represent their brands
and products. Remember
too that consumers increasingly understand that some
companies subsidize their influencers.
Perhaps partly for that reason, consumers tend to pay more
attention to closer connections—
for example, Instagram personas with 5,000 to 20,000 followers.
Marketing in the digital age
is posing increasingly complex challenges as channels become
more fragmented and ever
changing.
Young people have always embodied the zeitgeist of their
societies, profoundly influencing
trends and behavior alike. The influence of Gen Z—the first
generation of true digital natives—
is now radiating outward, with the search for truth at the center
of its characteristic behavior

and consumption patterns. Technology has given young people
an unprecedented degree of
connectivity among themselves and with the rest of the
population. That makes generational
shifts more important and speeds up technological trends as
well. For companies, this shift
will bring both challenges and equally attractive opportunities.
And remember: the first step in
capturing any opportunity is being open to it.
1. From June to October 2017, researchers, psychologists, and
social scientists undertook ethnographic
field research to observe how Gen Zers communicate, what they
believe in, and the choices they make
(and why). Using advanced ethnographic techniques (scenario
invasion), researchers conducted 120
qualitative interviews in Recife, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo
with influential people from this generation.
Besides the field research, 90 Gen Zers participated in focus
groups in these three cities, as well as in
Florianópolis and Goiânia. From October 3 to 11, we also
conducted an online survey with 2,321 men and
women from 14 to 64 years of age and various socioeconomic
brackets in Brazil.
About the author(s)

Tracy Francis is a senior partner and Fernanda Hoefel is a
partner in McKinsey’s São Paulo
office.
The authors wish to thank the broader team of people that
contributed to this article in many
different forms.
https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/tracy-francis
https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/fernanda-hoefel
5/25/2020 Where Millennials end and Generation Z begins | Pew
Research Center
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/17/where-
millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/ 1/8
NEWS IN THE NUMBERS
Defining generations: Where

Millennials end and Generation Z
begins
BY MICHAEL DIMOCK
For decades, Pew Research Center has been committed to
measuring public attitudes on
key issues and documenting differences in those attitudes across
demographic groups. One
lens often employed by researchers at the Center to understand
these differences is that of
generation.
Generations provide the opportunity to look at Americans both
by their place in the life
cycle – whether a young adult, a middle-aged parent or a retiree
– and by their
membership in a cohort of individuals who were born at a
similar time.
Michael Dimock, president of
Pew Research Center
As we’ve examined in past work, generational cohorts give
researchers a tool to analyze
changes in views over time. They can provide a way to
understand how different formative
experiences (such as world events and technological, economic
and social shifts) interact

with the life-cycle and aging process to shape people’s views of
the world. While younger
J A N U A R Y 1 7 , 2 0 1 9
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millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/dimock_mike-
4_160x240/
https://www.people-press.org/2015/09/03/the-whys-and-hows-
of-generations-research/
Research Center
and older adults may differ in their views at a given moment,
generational cohorts allow
researchers to examine how today’s older adults felt about a
given issue when they
themselves were young, as well as to describe how the
trajectory of views might differ
across generations.
Pew Research Center has been studying the Millennial
generation for more than a decade.

But by 2018, it became clear to us that it was time to determine
a cutoff point between
Millennials and the next generation. Turning 38 this year, the
oldest Millennials are well
into adulthood, and they first entered adulthood before today’s
youngest adults were born.
In order to keep the Millennial generation analytically
meaningful, and to begin looking at
what might be unique about the next cohort, Pew Research
Center decided a year ago to
use 1996 as the last birth year for Millennials for our future
work. Anyone born between
1981 and 1996 (ages 23 to 38 in 2019) is considered a
Millennial, and anyone born from
1997 onward is part of a new generation.
https://www.pewresearch.org/topics/millennials/
https://www.people-press.org/2007/01/09/a-portrait-of-
generation-next/
https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2014/03/07/millennials-in-
adulthood/
millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/ft_19-01-
17_defininggenerations_generationzdominates/
Research Center

Since the oldest among this rising generation are just turning 22
this year, and most are
still in their teens or younger, we hesitated at first to give them
a name – Generation Z, the
iGeneration and Homelanders were some early candidates. (In
our first in-depth look at
this generation, we used the term “post-Millennials” as a
placeholder.) But over the past
year, Gen Z has taken hold in popular culture and journalism.
Sources ranging from
Merriam-Webster and Oxford to the Urban Dictionary now
include this name for the
generation that follows Millennials, and Google Trends data
show that “Generation Z” is
far outpacing other names in people’s searches for information.
While there is no scientific
process for deciding when a name has stuck, the momentum is
clearly behind Gen Z.
Generational cutoff points aren’t an exact science. They should
be viewed primarily as
tools, allowing for the kinds of analyses detailed above. But
their boundaries are not

arbitrary. Generations are often considered by their span, but
again there is no agreed
upon formula for how long that span should be. At 16 years
(1981 to 1996), our working
definition of Millennials is equivalent in age span to their
preceding generation,
Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980). By this definition,
both are shorter than the
span of the Baby Boomers (19 years) – the only generation
officially designated by the U.S.
Census Bureau, based on the famous surge in post-WWII births
in 1946 and a significant
decline in birthrates after 1964.
Unlike the Boomers, there are no comparably definitive
thresholds by which later
generational boundaries are defined. But for analytical
purposes, we believe 1996 is a
meaningful cutoff between Millennials and Gen Z for a number
of reasons, including key
political, economic and social factors that define the Millennial
generation’s formative
years.
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show-post-millennials-on-track-to-be-most-diverse-best-
educated-generation-yet/
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Generation%20Z
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/us/generation_z
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Generation%
20Z
https://www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/p25-1141.pdf
Research Center
Most Millennials were between the ages of 5 and 20 when the
9/11 terrorist attacks shook
the nation, and many were old enough to comprehend the
historical significance of that
moment, while most members of Gen Z have little or no
memory of the event. Millennials
also grew up in the shadow of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,
which sharpened broader
views of the parties and contributed to the intense political
polarization that shapes the
current political environment. And most Millennials were
between 12 and 27 during the

2008 election, where the force of the youth vote became part of
the political conversation
and helped elect the first black president. Added to that is the
fact that Millennials are the
most racially and ethnically diverse adult generation in the
nation’s history. Yet the next
generation – Generation Z – is even more diverse.
Beyond politics, most Millennials came of age and entered the
workforce facing the height
of an economic recession. As is well documented, many of
Millennials’ life choices, future
earnings and entrance to adulthood have been shaped by this
recession in a way that may
not be the case for their younger counterparts. The long-term
effects of this “slow start” for
Millennials will be a factor in American society for decades.
Technology, in particular the rapid evolution of how people
communicate and interact, is
another generation-shaping consideration. Baby Boomers grew
up as television expanded
dramatically, changing their lifestyles and connection to the
world in fundamental ways.
Generation X grew up as the computer revolution was taking
hold, and Millennials came of

age during the internet explosion.
In this progression, what is unique for Generation Z is that all
of the above have been part
of their lives from the start. The iPhone launched in 2007, when
the oldest Gen Zers were
millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/ft_19-01-
17_generations_2019/
https://www.people-press.org/2016/12/15/americans-name-the-
10-most-significant-historic-events-of-their-lifetimes/
https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2018/11/15/early-benchmarks-
show-post-millennials-on-track-to-be-most-diverse-best-
educated-generation-yet/
https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2012/02/09/young-
underemployed-and-optimistic/
Research Center
10. By the time they were in their teens, the primary means by
which young Americans
connected with the web was through mobile devices, WiFi and
high-bandwidth cellular
service. Social media, constant connectivity and on-demand
entertainment and
communication are innovations Millennials adapted to as they

came of age. For those born
after 1996, these are largely assumed.
The implications of growing up in an “always on” technological
environment are only now
coming into focus. Recent research has shown dramatic shifts in
youth behaviors, attitudes
and lifestyles – both positive and concerning – for those who
came of age in this era. What
we don’t know is whether these are lasting generational
imprints or characteristics of
adolescence that will become more muted over the course of
their adulthood. Beginning to
track this new generation over time will be of significant
importance.
Pew Research Center is not the first to draw an analytical line
between Millennials and the
generation to follow them, and many have offered well-reasoned
arguments for drawing
that line a few years earlier or later than where we have.
Perhaps, as more data are
collected over the years, a clear, singular delineation will
emerge. We remain open to
recalibrating if that occurs. But more than likely the historical,
technological, behavioral

and attitudinal data will show more of a continuum across
generations than a threshold.
As has been the case in the past, this means that the differences
within generations can be
just as great as the differences across generations, and the
youngest and oldest within a
commonly defined cohort may feel more in common with
bordering generations than the
one to which they are assigned. This is a reminder that
generations themselves are
inherently diverse and complex groups, not simple caricatures.
In the near term, you will see a number of reports and analyses
from the Center that
continue to build on our portfolio of generational research.
Today, we issued a report
looking – for the first time – at how members of Generation Z
view some of the key social
and political issues facing the nation today and how their views
compare with those of
older generations. To be sure, the views of this generation are
not fully formed and could
change considerably as they age and as national and global
events intervene. Even so, this

early look provides some compelling clues about how Gen Z
will help shape the future
political landscape.
In the coming weeks, we will be releasing demographic analyses
that compare Millennials
to previous generations at the same stage in their life cycle to
see if the demographic,
economic and household dynamics of Millennials continue to
stand apart from their
predecessors. In addition, we will build on our research on
teens’ technology use by
exploring the daily lives, aspirations and pressures today’s 13-
to 17-year-olds face as they
navigate the teenage years.
https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2019/01/17/generation-z-
looks-a-lot-like-millennials-on-key-social-and-political-issues
https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/05/31/teens-social-
media-technology-2018/
Research Center
Yet, we remain cautious about what can be projected onto a
generation when they remain

so young. Donald Trump may be the first U.S. president most
Gen Zers know as they turn
18, and just as the contrast between George W. Bush and Barack
Obama shaped the
political debate for Millennials, the current political
environment may have a similar effect
on the attitudes and engagement of Gen Z, though how remains
a question. As important
as today’s news may seem, it is more than likely that the
technologies, debates and events
that will shape Generation Z are still yet to be known.
We look forward to spending the next few years studying this
generation as it enters
adulthood. All the while, we’ll keep in mind that generations
are a lens through which to
understand societal change, rather than a label with which to
oversimplify differences
between groups.
Note: This is an update of a post that was originally published
March 1, 2018, to
announce the Center’s adoption of 1996 as an endpoint to births
in the Millennial
generation.
Topics Baby Boomers, Millennials, Generation Z, Generations
and Age

Michael Dimock is the president of Pew Research Center.
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Millennials less con�dent about nation’s future, but so were
their
parents, grandparents when young
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Live blog: Generations in the Next America
South Korea’s Millennials downbeat about payo� of education,
future
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The politics of American generations: How age a�ects a�itudes
and
voting behavior
U.S. and European Millennials di�er on their views of fate,
future
P O P U L A R O N F A C T T A N K
F A C T T A N K J A N U A R Y 1 7 , 2 0 1 9
De�ning generations: Where Millennials end and Generation Z
begins
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Are you in the American middle class? Find out with our
income
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Key �ndings about U.S. immigrants
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