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The greatest amount of growth will come from Gen Zers as they enter adulthood, but millennials are still a force to be reckoned with due to the sheer size of their user base.

Gen Zers are the most open to on-device AI capabilities, with only about one-third seeing no value in integration for smart home devices (34%) or smartphones (32%). Our take: A focus on opt-out options and AI tools for information access and creative use could help tech players attract wary consumers.

Pinterest maintains wide reach with millennials and Gen Z, the latter of which is a critical market for influencers. Its programmatic push could increase its appeal to advertisers as it vies for a bigger share of ad dollars in a crowded landscape. Its latest hire could help evolve Pinterest鈥檚 programmatic capabilities, translating to increased ad spend, lower-funnel growth, and measurable results.

Gen Zers (25%) and millennials (22%) most often see ads for medications, treatments, or doctors on social media platforms, per our survey. Weight loss drug ads are a prime example of this trend. Gen Zers see more GLP-1 medication ads on social media (55%) than on linear TV (48%). Consumers compare and evaluate healthcare products and services online鈥攚hen they can.

The problem with AI influencers: Google isn鈥檛 the first to experiment with AI influencers, though it does have the advantage of basing its AI personas off of real influencers who users are more likely to trust鈥攚hich could curb some issues others have found with the virtual influencer trend. 51% percent of Gen Z and millennials, 63% of Gen X and baby boomers, and 58% overall are unlikely to engage with content

Gen Z favors short-form vertical video: 64% prefer TikTok, 55% Instagram Reels/Stories, and 54% YouTube Shorts, per Toluna. YouTube has the most headroom for growth by being competitive on mobile and by pushing Shorts on connected TVs (CTVs). It鈥檚 already prioritizing Shorts on televisions.

The platform reaches key audiences like Gen Z that drive digital buyer growth more than platforms like Pinterest and Facebook. Even with higher prices resulting from this shift, the majority of US advertisers are unlikely to cut TikTok ad spending entirely unless forced to.

73% of US Gen Zers say they make online purchases from creators, compared with 66% of millennials and 59% of adult consumers overall, according to June 2024 data by LTK.

Key findings: BNPL has higher adoption rates among millennials, Gen Zers, and the financially vulnerable. These groups may financially benefit from BNPL giving them accessible lines of credit, predictable installment plans, and relative convenience.

Their parents are primarily millennials and Gen Zers. Gen Alpha鈥檚 product discovery primarily happens on digital. YouTube is the dominant platform where they discover new toys, far outpacing traditional TV and gaming platforms, according to a May 2024 Precise TV and Giraffe Insights survey.

Gen Zers are flocking to emerging payment methods, but card-based options, led by debit cards, remain supreme. Payment providers must align offerings with Gen Z鈥檚 preferences now as their spending power grows.

In fact, 63% of Gen Zers, and 65% of millennials said they鈥檇 consider a home that needs renovation, per a 2025 BMO survey. "This millennial and Gen Z audience coming into the housing market has the largest spending power, and really resonates with this idea of education and entertainment,鈥� said Lopez. 鈥淏eing able to educate some of these new homeowners or DIYers is a big moment for us.鈥�.

And 69.5% of Gen Zers and 53.1% of millennials who encounter health-related information on social media have followed the medical advice even if it contradicted their physician. Consumers are also acting on medical information they get from AI tools.

Gen Zers鈥� influence on banking will begin to emerge as more than 4 million of them per year become mobile bankers through 2026. Banks must adapt to provide the services these digital natives demand.

Meanwhile, Facebook is experiencing a slow decline in many Asia-Pacific markets, while Snapchat is growing more modestly, primarily among Gen Z users. Why it matters: For marketers focused on Asia-Pacific, Instagram鈥檚 upward trend signals a rebalancing of audience attention across short-form video apps. India remains a high-stakes arena.

Online fashion resale remains a fast-growing retail channel despite ongoing economic headwinds鈥攁nd Gen Z is the driving force. How can brands and retailers venturing into fashion resale find success amid pullbacks on discretionary spending?

The 鈥淭ikTok generation鈥� transcends Gen Z, according to our first forecast for time spent on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat broken down by age. We reveal what that means for these social platforms and how video advertisers can maximize their investments.

And reward-based video ads connect particularly well with younger consumers like Gen Z, one of Discord鈥檚 core audiences. The move could also benefit Discord by giving users exposure to its subscription offering, streamlining the path to purchase by converting free users into paid subscribers once Nitro perks expire.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss the social media platform that actually gets the most attention from Gen Z, why millennials are losing their native social app, the one boomers are adding to their smartphones the fastest, and more. Tune in to the discussion with host Marcus Johnson and our analyst Paola Flores-Marquez.

Gen Z (35%) and millennials (33%) report the most frustration with delivery delays and lack of communication. And across the board, 62% of consumers say they lose trust in a brand when quality drops or post-purchase experience falls short. Our take: For D2C brands, customer loyalty isn鈥檛 earned through clever marketing alone鈥攊t鈥檚 built (or broken) through the basic execution.

While Gen Zers still use traditional search engines, social media is becoming their gateway to content discovery. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of US Gen Zers find new media content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, per Toluna. The competition: Instagram has an opportunity to successfully move into the search space that鈥檚 dominated by Google, with other platforms closing in.