State of Media: Gen Z

Piper Sandler Companies (NYSE: PIPR), in partnership with DECA, completed their 41st semi-annual Taking Stock with Teens® survey of 7,000 U.S. Gen Z teens. Generation Z, are those born between 1996 to approximately 2010. Within the U.S., Gen Z has amassed over 90 million members and contributes approximately $83 billion in annual U.S. retail sales.

The findings revealed the hobbies and preferences across a variety of industries from clothing and apparel to food and technology. Out of the 7,000 U.S. teens surveyed, they lived in 47 states and were an average of 16.1. Within this group, there were 51% male, 47% female, and 2% non-binary respondents.

Social Causes

Teens care greatly about social and political causes, listing racial equality as their top social cause at 20%. The environment came next at 12% and the Black Lives Matter movement at 6%.

Spending Habits and Buying Behavior

With 33% of the respondents currently employed part-time, self-reported spending increased slightly to $2,165 per year. While these teens likely still live at home, the average household income was reported as $76,750, above the U.S. median income of approximately $61,937. Even still, there was a female-led spending pattern amongst the respondents with a heavy focus on clothing and apparel. Secondhand shopping and selling as well as “thrifting'“ were listed as a preference for many, noting that 47% had purchased and 56% have sold secondhand.

Also, overall wellness was revealed as a priority with skincare beating out makeup for those shopping females. Skincare lines of CeraVe held the top spot at 35% and Cetaphil at 10%. Top cosmetic brands of Tarte and e.l.f. were tied at 10% with Maybelline at 9% in third. Lastly, Ulta stole the top spot for beauty destinations at 46% and Sephora at 24%.

For all teen respondents, food was the number one priority. Interestingly enough, Chick-Fil-A rose to the top of the favorite restaurants at 18% and Starbucks a near second at 12% and Chiptole at 11% in third. Lunch box type snacks were also listed as their top snacks with Lays in first at 11%, Goldfish at 9%, and Cheez-it at 8%.

Streaming and Social Media

Due to the pandemic, everyone has been streaming more than ever. Teens within Gen Z are not exempt to this. These teens listed Netflix (32%) and YouTube (31%) as their top two daily video consumption platforms. Hulu, came as a distant third at 8%.

Within social media, the top 3 platforms should not come as much of a surprise. Snapchat came in first at 31%, TikTok in a very close second at 30%, and Instagram in third at 24%. This lets you know that Facebook and Twitter hold a lower spot in platform preference for Gen Z and are still more apt to older audiences.

Reaching consumers where they are and personalizing content is an important theme for us at Creative License Business Consulting. We have shared articles on topics such as “Defining Your Target Market” and “Gender Differences: Understanding Your Market”. There are many more insights on our Blog to help you define and understand your market better. If you are ready to take your marketing to the next level, contact us to schedule an initial consultation.