Professional Documents
Culture Documents
EYE OPENING
FACTS ABOUT
GENERATION Z
CURATED YOUTH INSIGHTS +
SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT TIPS
A 2015 FORBES STUDY ESTIMATED
GENERATION Z MADE UP ABOUT
25% OF THE U.S. POPULATION.
WHO IS GEN Z?
Members of Generation Z are currently 18 years and younger with
a birth year between 2001 and 2025.
‘‘
ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT U.S. CENSUS ESTIMATES,
GEN Z IS ABOUT 20 MILLION STRONG AND PROJECTED TO HIT
23 MILLION BY 2020. IN ADDITION, OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC
RESEARCH ESTIMATES THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST
DIVERSE GROUPS IN UNITED STATES HISTORY.
COMMON GENERATION Z
ATTRIBUTES
WHO I AM PERSONALITY
Gen Z has always had the Gen Z expects to pick and use Gen Z learns best through Brand awareness and Gen Z
ability to multi-task and various types of media and observation, collaboration, customer acquisition takes
handle multiple streams create a personalized “mash- intrinsic motivation, and from place only when situated
of information and juggle up” of content. Students also self-organizing social systems in a social and authentic
both short and long term use social media as a way comprised of peers. This can context.
information and/or to express their identity and take place in either a virtual
learning goals. creativity through creation of (messaging, virtual reality) or
user-generated content. in-person environment.
GEN Z ADAPTIVE SURVIVAL
STRATEGIES
Gen Z’s came of age in an economic downturn, seeing their Millennial siblings
struggling with huge student loan debt and living through a cascade of social
media amplified tragedies like Hurricane Sandy, terror attacks, and mass
shootings like Sandy Hook.
For them, life has always been a 24/7 hybrid social media reality show and as
a result they have consciously or unconsciously developed “adaptive survival
strategies” for navigating their always connected world.
GEN Z ADAPTIVE SURVIVAL
STRATEGIES (CONTINUED)
LIFE-PREPPING
These pragmatic youth are natural preparers in the face of an unpredictable
world – whether planning for physical safety in light of violence, or prepping
for their futures in a more uncertain economic climate.
Accustomed to high school intruder drills, they are always in “exit strategy”
mode, with over a third agreeing they “plot out escape plans when in public
places”, because of events like Sandy Hook.
Although half are scared of violence at school, they seem to have adopted
a practical “Keep Calm and Carry On” mentality.
GEN Z ADAPTIVE SURVIVAL
STRATEGIES (CONTINUED)
MONO-TASKING
Gen Z are consciously taking time to self-soothe, (a classic coping mechanism
from hyper-stimulation) disconnect, de-stress, de-stimulate, and control inputs.
8 in 10 Gen Z agree that “Sometimes I just need to unplug and enjoy the
simple things.”
82% agree “when I’m stressed or overwhelmed, I like to stop and just do
one thing at a time.”
57% like to take a break from technology to make things with their hands.
54% of 14 - 17 year old girls say baking makes them feel less anxious.
GEN Z ADAPTIVE SURVIVAL
STRATEGIES (CONTINUED)
HYPER-FILTERING
This is the first generation of “digital latchkey kids.” Though increasingly
physically protected by parents, digital behavior is not as closely monitored.
But like the Gen X Latchkey Kids who created their own rules and regimes
while parents worked, youth today are surprisingly filtering out what’s
overwhelming to them online: avoiding certain Youtube videos or sites that
they think are gross, inappropriate, or disturbing.
They’re slimming down their social networks and finding niche/private places
to share in a controlled environment, whether it’s Snapchat or a locked
Instagram feed.
NOTHING IS MORE CENTRAL TO
GEN Z THAN A MOBILE DEVICE.
Mobile devices are the gateway to communication (via texting),
socialization (through apps like Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter & Tumblr)
and staying in touch with family/friends (through messaging apps).
GEN Z MOBILE TRENDS
We asked 300 Youthvine tweens what device they use as their primary
connection to the Internet, 77% reported using both websites and mobile
apps, 19% reported using only mobile apps, and (4%) reported using
desktop computers as their primary connection.
Nearly all of the tweens surveyed have access to a mobile device (smart-
phone, tablet) with the majority owning an iOS device (43%), followed by
Android (15%), and Windows (6%).
GEN Z TECHNOLOGY
TRENDS (CONTINUED)
Tweens move seamlessly between mobile devices and PCs, 41% cited
using only mobile devices.
42% self-report spending at least 2 hours a day using social media, 35%
report 1 hour a day, and 15% who spend 5 hours a day on social sites.
Most of their online time is spent consuming and sharing media through
social media apps: 61% report using messaging apps (including texting and
SMS) as a primary form of communication and sharing among friends.
Tweens said they were MORE likely to use YouTube (26%), Instagram
(24%), Snapchat (20%), and Vine (14%) during the 2014-2015 school year.
TWEENS &
MESSAGING APPS
Nearly all of tween cell phone owners use text messaging — either directly
through their mobile phones or through an app or a website.
Keep It Short
When communicating with Gen Z on social
media or online, use text that is short, sweet
and to the point. This generation is used to
communicating in 140 characters or less.
Their attention span is limited, so you better
hurry up and share your message.
FIVE ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR
CONNECTING WITH GEN Z
Come Together
Tweens have had the total sum of world
knowledge a Google search away. This
has empowered them with opinions and an
expectation that you’ll include them in the
conversation. Ignore them at your own risk.