J. G. Navarro
Research expert covering advertising and marketing with a focus on South America
Advertising and marketing to Generation Z in the United States – statistics & facts
Promoting brands among the youngest group of adult consumers resembles a marathon rather than a spree. Gen Zers in the United States enjoyed the smallest amount of disposable income, suggesting that their affinity for certain products and services can only convert into sale increases to a limited extent. At the same time, turning a company into an integral, positive part of a person's formative years may help the brand in the long run by consolidating consumption habits among an entire audience. However, Generation Z's expectations and technology preferences challenge some advertisers seeking a communication revamp.
Socials may have the upper hand as ad platforms, but content streaming – particularly video and, to a lesser extent, audio – tops U.S. Gen Z's ranking of daily consumed media as of 2023. Over 40 percent streamed video and music every day, while only 30 percent watched linear TV and 20 percent listened to traditional radio. The intersection between video content and social app usage among Gen Zers in the U.S. is even more emblematic of this audience's media habits. YouTube ranked first in 2023, adopted by more than nine out of 10 Gen Z members, followed by Instagram and TikTok. Moreover, including some of their vocabulary does not hurt. During a 2024 survey, 60 percent of U.S. Gen Zers felt neutral about brands using Generation Z's or Alpha's slang terms, but nearly 20 percent said that made them more likely to view the advertiser positively. Perhaps unsurprisingly, among older consumers, that share fell below 15 percent.
Gen Z consumers and where to find them
According to a late 2023 study, the share of U.S. Gen Zers finding social media ads entertaining surpasses all preceding generations. Among Gen Xers and older, the percentage stands below 30 percent. Similarly, more than four in 10 Gen Zer adults deem social media ads informative. Again, that result exceeds their predecessors as well as other media such as TV, mobile apps, and games. Moreover, in-game and in-app advertising annoys Gen Z the most, with at least 40 percent of respondents from that age group selecting those formats as the most irritating. Only 30 percent dislike social media ads.Socials may have the upper hand as ad platforms, but content streaming – particularly video and, to a lesser extent, audio – tops U.S. Gen Z's ranking of daily consumed media as of 2023. Over 40 percent streamed video and music every day, while only 30 percent watched linear TV and 20 percent listened to traditional radio. The intersection between video content and social app usage among Gen Zers in the U.S. is even more emblematic of this audience's media habits. YouTube ranked first in 2023, adopted by more than nine out of 10 Gen Z members, followed by Instagram and TikTok. Moreover, including some of their vocabulary does not hurt. During a 2024 survey, 60 percent of U.S. Gen Zers felt neutral about brands using Generation Z's or Alpha's slang terms, but nearly 20 percent said that made them more likely to view the advertiser positively. Perhaps unsurprisingly, among older consumers, that share fell below 15 percent.
