Gen Z: 2022 Trends, Analysis and Consumer Insights

Gen Z: 2022 Trends, Analysis and Consumer Insights

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  GEN 2022 TRENDS, ANALYSIS& CONSUMER INSIGHTS
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  Gen Z ispoised to be the next generation of influential shoppers. They are expected to have significant spending power by 2026 so brands must cultivate brand loyalty and start building relationships early. There are over 1.2 billion Gen Zers globally. It’s estimated that they represent about $143 billion in annual purchasing power. This does not even include the products and services paid for by their parents and family. According to Oxford Economics, in less than ten years, Gen Z’s purchasing power will reach $2 trillion. Gen Z’s importance for marketing and PR will only increase; in the US, Gen Z will make up 30% of the US workforce by 2030 and is estimated to increase their per capita annual expenditure by 70% between 2020 and 2025. Marketing and PR teams need to start paying attention to Gen Z's purchasing habits and trends. This generation is already making waves culturally, and their shopping habits will significantly impact the future of retail, commerce, and B2B decision making. Previous generations like Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials have always influenced innovation and the economy, as well as how brands create products, communicate with customers, and set prices. Gen Z is already doing this, and the impact they are making is record-setting. Brands must get a head start on understanding how they shop, where they shop, and what they are talking about on their digital channels. Gen Z represents a lucrative opportunity for brands that can connect with them and influence their shopping habits. This generation is known for being savvy and resourceful in using social and digital apps. They are also highly independent and value transparency. Methodology Zeno created an audience of 250K Gen Z social profiles. We analyzed their top interests and affinities and compared them against the general population to better understand what makes Gen Z different from others. We also mapped the conversation to the customer journey. Zeno used a combination of data from Audiense and Infegy (May 2021 – April 2022) looking at Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, and TikTok. 2022 GEN Z INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS 2 GEN Z 2022 TRENDS, ANALYSIS & CONSUMER INSIGHTS
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  Gen Z TikTokusage continues to show huge growth in the customer journey. They are vocal about the brands they love and don’t hold back when sharing their experiences. Brands must prioritize marketing campaigns that integrate customer advocacy programs that reinforce repeat purchases and word of mouth. Gen Z values authenticity and community interaction, evident from Reddit emerging as one of the top channels. Brands need to consider non-traditional channels such as Reddit to understand Gen Z user behavior and conversation. Buying media placements and participating in AMAs will be an effective tactic in reaching this audience. The Gen Z customer journey expands across all emerging and legacy digital channels like TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit. Brands must actively listen across these channels and act on feedback to stay relevant. Additionally, brands must get ahead of the ever-changing conversations and align campaigns to trending topics to stay relevant. Gen Z values brands that “walk the walk” based on their love of sharing brand stories and participating in challenges. Gen Z will buy from the brands with values that align with their own, and they will tell others about their experiences. Brands must showcase their values with authentic marketing campaigns and messaging to reinforce their position and drive brand loyalty. Contrary to popular belief, Gen Zers do rely on traditional news sources to stay informed about issues in their communities and global events. Brands must integrate PR programs with digital marketing initiatives to reinforce company and brand messaging across all channels. Female Gen Zers tend to be more vocal on Instagram (75%), TikTok (69%), Reddit (67%), and Twitter (53%) in sharing brand experiences. 3 GEN Z ANALYSIS: KEY TAKEAWAYS 2022 GEN Z INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS
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  GEN AUDIENCE SEGMENTATION & PERSONAANALYSIS From the analysis, we identified five core audience personas, all with unique interests and affinities: Cultural Trailblazers, Social Advocates, Serial Streamers, Sports Junkies, and Modern-Day Romantics. 4 Sports Junkies Cultural Trailblazers Social Advocates Serial Streamers Modern—Day Romantics 2022 GEN Z INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS
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  GEN Z PERSONAHIGHLIGHTS From music and entertainment, to sports and social justice, enthusiastic Gen Zers dive into their interests and causes with gusto. Serial Streamers Social Advocates Modern—Day Romantics Cultural Trailblazers Sports Junkies Cultural Trailblazers These trendsetters aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo. Social Advocates Social activism isn’t just a passing interest, but a way of life. Serial Streamers This segment can finish an entire series in one sitting. Sports Junkies Sports is their religion. Players are their heroes. Modern-Day Romantics They value simplicity and see the beauty in everything. 5 2022 GEN Z INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS
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  Cultural Trailblazers SOCIETY &CULTURE 86% of this segment are most likely interested in: 3.4X WORK & DATING MUSIC 46% of this segment are most likely interested in: 3.1X HIP-HOP & AWARDS 39% of this segment are most likely interested in: ENTERTAINMENT 1X MOVIES & TV SPORTS 23% of this segment are most likely interested in: .5X BASKETBALL & NBA EDUCATION 22% of this segment are most likely interested in: .5X HS & COLLEGE More likely to be interested in these topics than the general population. TOP INTERESTS 19.8% 6.9% 6.5% 5.4% 4.5% = = 3.9% 3.4% 3.1% 3% 2.8% TOP MEDIA AFFINITIES = Indicates if this segment over-indexes, under- indexes, or is equal when compared to gen pop. One who creates culture. This crowd leads and ideates cultural change in real-time. Music is what drives them and they over-index in listening to hip-hop from all eras. They are "in the know" when new artists come on to the scene and discover them on Spotify and Tidal. They read CNN and The New York Times to stay current with the latest news. Top Emojis found in their content 51% female 6 2022 GEN Z INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS
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  Social Advocates ENTERTAINMENT 36% of thissegment are most likely interested in: .05X MOVIES & TV SCIENCE 29% of this segment are most likely interested in: 2X ENGINEERING 26% of this segment are most likely interested in: EDUCATION 1X COLLEGE & HIGHER ED NEWS 25% of this segment are most likely interested in: .5X BREAKING, POLITICAL MUSIC 21% of this segment are most likely interested in: .5X STREAMING APPS More likely to be interested in these topics than the general population. TOP INTERESTS 46.8% 17.5% 17.2% 16.9% 12.9% 12.8% 12.2% 9.9% 9.3% 6.6% TOP MEDIA AFFINITIES = Indicates if this segment over-indexes, under- indexes, or is equal when compared to gen pop. They demand change and won’t stop until it happens. Social activism isn’t just a passing interest, but a way of life. The social activist is someone who chooses to act on behalf of others in order to create positive change. They consistently stay up to date with societal and cultural issues and are invested in making the world a better place for all humans. Top Emojis found in their content 54% male 7 2022 GEN Z INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS
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  Serial Streamers ENTERTAINMENT 54% of thissegment are most likely interested in: 1.5X MOVIES & TV PETS 29% of this segment are most likely interested in: .01X DOGS, CATS, BIRDS 31% of this segment are most likely interested in: EDUCATION = COLLEGE & HIGHER ED SOCIETY 25% of this segment are most likely interested in: 2X WORK, DATING SPORTS 28% of this segment are most likely interested in: 2.3X ESPORTS, BASKETBALL More likely to be interested in these topics than the general population. TOP INTERESTS 10.9% 5.8% 5.65% 5.3% 5.23% 5.1% 5.1% 4.7% 3.91% 3.65% TOP MEDIA AFFINITIES = Indicates if this segment over-indexes, under- indexes, or is equal when compared to gen pop. A remote and strong WIFI connection is all they need. Serial Streamers can finish an entire series in one sitting and are always on the lookout for their next streaming obsession. They watch everything from Netflix and Hulu, to Amazon Prime and Disney+. They talk about their favorite shows on social media, often providing commentary and criticism on the latest episode. Top Emojis found in their content = 54% male 8 2022 GEN Z INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS
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  Sports Junkies SPORTS 59% of thissegment are most likely interested in: .05 NBA, WWE, SOCCER ENTERTAINMENT 41% of this segment are most likely interested in: 2X MOVIES, TV 37% of this segment are most likely interested in: SOCIETY 1X WORK, DATING, CULTURE EDUCATION 33% of this segment are most likely interested in: .5X GRAD SCHOOL, ALUMNI MUSIC 23% of this segment are most likely interested in: .5X HIP-HOP More likely to be interested in these topics than the general population. TOP INTERESTS 37.9% 31.7% 21.2% 20.4% 19% 18.3% 17% 15.1% 8.7% 5.2% TOP MEDIA AFFINITIES = Indicates if this segment over-indexes, under- indexes, or is equal when compared to gen pop. Winning is everything. Everything. They live and breathe the NFL, NBA, and college sports. Sports are their religion, players are their heroes, and they live and die with their teams. They know every stat, player, coach, trade rumor, and can talk your ear off about any of it. They love everything about the game and are always looking for someone to share this passion with. Top Emojis found in their content 83% male 9 2022 GEN Z INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS
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  Modern-Day Romantics ENTERTAINMENT 56% of thissegment are most likely interested in: 4X MOVIES & TV EDUCATION 45% of this segment are most likely interested in: 2X COLLEGE & HIGHER ED 42% of this segment are most likely interested in: SOCIETY 1X WORK, DATING MUSIC 28% of this segment are most likely interested in: 2X COUNTRY, STREAMING SHOPPING 21% of this segment are most likely interested in: 2.3X ONLINE, RETAIL More likely to be interested in these topics than the general population. TOP INTERESTS 9.8% 9.2% 6% 5.6% 5.5% 4.3% 4% 3.4% 3.1% 3% TOP MEDIA AFFINITIES = Indicates if this segment over-indexes, under- indexes, or is equal when compared to gen pop. They value simplicity and see the beauty in everything. Their glass is always half full and they maintain a positive outlook despite what's happening in the world. They read E! News and People Magazine to stay up-to-date on the latest celebrity gossip, but they also get their news from media outlets like CNN and The New York Times. Top Emojis found in their content 75% female 10 2022 GEN Z INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS
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  WHAT’S HAPPENING WITHGEN Z 28 CONCLUSION How does Gen Z feel about Elon Musk? Love him or hate him -- everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. Love him or hate him -- everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. Love him or hate him -- everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. Love him or hate him - - everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. Love him or hate him -- everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. Love him or hate him -- everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. Love him or hate him -- everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. Love him or hate him -- everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. ZENO ANALYTICS Zeno uses data and analytics to create an unfair advantage for their clients. 28 At Zeno, we are data pioneers, and consistently push ourselves to discover novel & innovative data sources and analysis methodologies that differentiate insights for our clients. We question everything and trust nothing until we’ve explored every avenue of possibility to ensure confidence & enlightenment. We guide our clients through their data journey starting with analytics that inform the positioning of a campaign or program. We identify core audiences, build data-informed personas, analyze the competitive landscape, and identify whitespace opportunities to capture momentum in the most saturated conversations. Through rigorous audience analysis, we achieve a deep customer empathy, understanding any target demographic’s media consumption and the topics, trends, and narratives that demand their attention. We are agile and can quickly deliver analyses that convey the information our clients need when it is most needed. The journey continues throughout the life of a client’s analytics program. We optimize our platforms in real-time to ensure that we are maximizing performance across channels. This approach also allows us the agility to pivot into new directions when opportunities arise. As an agency, we are committed to delivering best-in-class reporting and pushing the envelope of data storytelling. We move beyond traditional vanity metrics, developing custom metrics in- house when appropriate to communicate the story of the data efficiently & holistically. We leverage a proprietary measurement framework based on a scoring system which is consistent across all of our clients here at Zeno. While the methodology remains the same, the structure is flexible enough to include various data points and weight them differently depending on our client's goals and objectives. At Zeno, we are committed to helping our clients demonstrate business value from the investments they are making into marketing and PR programs above all else. We will innovate, communicate, and educate our clients through our expert consult & delivery of quality insights at any phase of the data journey. 2022 GEN Z INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS
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  WHAT’S HAPPENING WITHGEN Z 28 CONCLUSION How does Gen Z feel about Elon Musk? Love him or hate him -- everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. Love him or hate him -- everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. Love him or hate him -- everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. Love him or hate him - - everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. Love him or hate him -- everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. Love him or hate him -- everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. Love him or hate him -- everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. Love him or hate him -- everyone’s talking, and they sure feel passionate about it. DO YOU WANT THE FULL REPORT? Please email Michael.Brito@zenogroup.com 28 2022 GEN Z INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS