Gen Z and Millennial Marketing Statistics

Marketing to Gen Z and Millennials is a bit like trying to impress a housecat—exhausting, unpredictable, and likely to end in rejection if you try too hard. These generations have rewritten the rules of engagement, leaving brands scrambling to keep up. Gen Z, for instance, actually enjoys social media ads, a statement that would make their Baby Boomer grandparents clutch their pearls and wonder what’s gone wrong with society. Meanwhile, Millennials are leading the charge in online shopping, with 53% making digital purchases compared to Gen X (28%) and Baby Boomers (10%), who presumably still prefer the thrilling, high-stakes experience of calling in a catalog order.

To win their favor, brands must master the holy trinity of modern marketing: personalization, authenticity, and digital-first experiences. This means fewer soulless ad campaigns and more user-generated content (UGC), which 60% of consumers believe is the most authentic form of brand messaging—because why trust a corporation when you can take advice from a 22-year-old reviewing face serums in their car? Meanwhile, nearly half of Gen Z and Millennials say they actually trust podcast advertising, proving that if a smooth-voiced host casually recommends an overpriced weighted blanket, they will buy it.

Then there’s the question of how they spend their money. Millennials are busy hoarding electronics, while Gen Z is embracing mobile payment solutions like it’s a competitive sport, set to outpace Millennials in usage by 2027. And both groups have decided that luxury goods are more important than traditional financial milestones, meaning the average 26-year-old is more likely to own a $1,500 handbag than a mortgage.

In this article, we dive into the latest Gen Z and Millennial marketing statistics—covering their spending habits, media obsessions, and what, if anything, actually holds their attention. Because if brands want to survive, they’ll need to accept that this isn’t business as usual—it’s business in the age of short attention spans, relentless TikTok trends, and the unshakable belief that a viral recommendation is worth more than a decade of brand loyalty.

1. Social Media Ad Engagement: A late 2023 study found that the share of U.S. Gen Zers finding social media ads entertaining surpasses all preceding generations. statista.com
2. Return-to-Office Policies: Approximately 64% of Gen Zs and 66% of Millennials report working for organizations that have recently implemented return-to-office policies. deloitte.com
3. Spending on Electronics: 25% of Millennials plan to spend more on electronic products like games, software, and phones, compared to 19% of Gen Z and Gen X, and 13% of Baby Boomers. porchgroupmedia.com
4. Online Purchasing Habits: Up to 53% of Millennials make purchases online, in contrast to 28% of Gen X and 10% of Baby Boomers. appliedpsychologydegree.usc.edu
5. Holiday Spending Increase: In a recent holiday season, U.S. shoppers were expected to increase their spending by 7% from the previous year, averaging $2,100 on gifts and non-essentials, with Millennials and Gen Z anticipated to be the major spenders. voguebusiness.com
6. Social Media Shopping Trends: A survey revealed that 42% of Americans are most likely to make purchases on Saturdays, with specific generational trends such as Gen X shopping to cope with “Sunday Scaries” and Gen Z for “Monday blues.” nypost.com
7. Luxury Spending Priorities: Younger generations in Australia, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, are increasingly prioritizing luxury goods over traditional financial goals like home ownership, contributing to a record $6.2 billion in luxury retail sales. theaustralian.com.au
8. Fast Food Perception: Fast food companies are facing challenges with Gen Z consumers, who do not perceive fast food as a good value compared to older generations, leading to a lesser likelihood of purchasing fast food. businessinsider.com
9. Compulsive Buying Influences: Technological advancements and targeted marketing have contributed to compulsive buying behaviors, particularly among younger generations, with retailers using sophisticated data and techniques to make shopping more compelling. barrons.com
10. User-Generated Content Influence: 86% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding which brands to support, and 60% believe user-generated content is the most authentic and influential when making purchasing decisions. en.wikipedia.org
11. Proximity Mobile Payments Adoption: Nearly 20 million Gen Zers are projected to adopt proximity mobile payments by 2027, surpassing Millennial users. emarketer.com
12. Brand Advertisement Exposure: 80% of Gen Zs feel they encounter more brand advertisements than any other generation, compared to 73% of Millennials. analyzify.com
13. Trust in Algorithms: Half of the Gen Z population trusts algorithms to accurately deliver content and products they desire. analyzify.com
14. Style Inspiration Sources: 77% of U.S. Gen Zs and 79% of Millennials look for style inspiration monthly, with nearly half using social media for this purpose. analyzify.com
15. Podcast Advertising Engagement: Nearly 50% of Gen Zs and Millennials show greater interest in ads and products endorsed by their favorite podcasters. analyzify.com
16. Economic Outlook: Only 28% of North American Gen Zers are optimistic about the future of the economy, compared to 40% of Millennials. nielseniq.com
17. Workplace Expectations: Both Gen Z and Millennials regard fair pay as the number one responsibility of companies, with Millennials emphasizing pay as a dealbreaker when considering leaving a job. nielseniq.com
18. Creativity and Curiosity Values: Gen Z values creativity and curiosity more than older consumers, leveraging digital tools to find inspiration. nielseniq.com
19. Loneliness Experiences: A quarter of Gen Zers report feeling lonely in the past month, seven percentage points above the global average. nielseniq.com
20. Virtual vs. In-Person Interactions: Gen Z is less likely to agree that virtual interactions can be as good as being there in person, indicating a preference for face-to-face experiences. nielseniq.com
21. Influence of Social Media Ads: A late 2023 study found that the share of U.S. Gen Zers finding social media ads entertaining surpasses all preceding generations. statista.com
22. Return-to-Office Policy Impact: Approximately 64% of Gen Zs and 66% of Millennials report working for organizations that have recently implemented return-to-office policies. deloitte.com
23. Electronic Product Spending: 25% of Millennials plan to spend more on electronic products like games, software, and phones, compared to 19% of Gen Z and Gen X, and 13% of Baby Boomers. porchgroupmedia.com
24. Online Shopping Preferences: Up to 53% of Millennials make purchases online, in contrast to 28% of Gen X and 10% of Baby Boomers.

To successfully market to Gen Z and Millennials, brands must accept a few harsh truths: traditional advertising is dead, authenticity is currency, and if your website takes longer than three seconds to load, they will abandon you without a second thought. These generations live online, where their shopping habits, style choices, and opinions on oat milk are shaped by social media and user-generated content—meaning that the fate of your brand may rest in the hands of an 18-year-old TikToker who just discovered your product in a PR package.

As these consumers continue dictating market trends with the unwavering confidence of someone who has never written a check, businesses must adapt accordingly. Targeted ads? Absolutely. Influencer collaborations? Non-negotiable. A mobile-first shopping experience? If it’s not seamless, you might as well be selling goods out of the trunk of your car. Gen Z prefers social media ads that feel less like ads and more like a mildly entertaining distraction, while Millennials—ever the responsible-yet-impulsive shoppers—are leading the charge in online purchases. Brands that study these digital behaviors like a final exam will come out on top.

But beyond just selling things, brands hoping to matter must align with the values that keep these generations engaged: creativity, convenience, and transparency. If you can master that, you won’t just attract customers—you’ll earn loyal followers who will passionately defend you in a Twitter thread, recommend you in a group chat, and possibly tattoo your logo on their body if the vibe is right.

Written by: Tony Zayas, Chief Revenue Officer

In my role as Chief Revenue Officer at Insivia, I am at the forefront of driving transformation and results for SaaS and technology companies. I lead strategic marketing and business development initiatives, helping businesses overcome plateaus and achieve significant growth. My journey has led me to collaborate with leading businesses and apply my knowledge to revolutionize industries.