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The challenge: Consumers are increasingly skeptical of AI-generated marketing content, with 40% of Gen Zers and 42% of baby boomers saying that brands employing AI in their ads seem like scams. The opportunity: VSCO designed Canvas for ideation and collaboration with more human oversight, not just AI image generation, reducing the risk of low-quality output.

Gen Z adults are twice as likely (40%) as millennials and over four times more likely than baby boomers to stop buying from brands due to DEI pullbacks. Walmart reversed its DEI policies in November 2024, while Target announced it would scale back its DEI programs in January.

Younger consumers are particularly prone to switching, as 81% of Gen Zers and millennials changed brands in the past year鈥攕ignificantly more than Gen X (74%) and baby boomers (63%). High prices are the primary factor behind this shift, cited by 66% of respondents, well ahead of the second-largest issue, poor customer service (43%).

Baby boomers nearing retirement have noticed their investment accounts aren鈥檛 where they need to be. Young professionals with student loans are worried about job stability and how they鈥檒l make payments if they get laid off. Small-business owners facing higher costs due to tariffs are struggling with cash flow, which will make it harder to keep operations running smoothly.

By the numbers: Over 2 in 3 Gen Zers in committed relationships have carried out 鈥渇inancial infidelity,鈥� versus 54% of millennials, 33% of Gen Xers, and 30% of baby boomers. Of Gen Zers who live with their partners, 63% believe financial infidelity is at least 鈥渁s bad鈥� as other types of infidelity. But financial infidelity shouldn鈥檛 be confused with financial autonomy.

Nearly half of US consumers feel brands using AI-generated content in ads come across as fraudulent, with 40% of Gen Zers and 42% of baby boomers saying brands using AI in ads seem like scams. 60% of marketers using genAI content are concerned that AI content will harm brands through plagiarism, biases, and value misalignment, per Synthesia. Concerns over AI go beyond smaller creators like Blagojevic.

In comparison, only 15% Gen Xers and 13% of baby boomers have done so. Saving versus spending: Despite the risk of tighter budgets as general costs rise, there鈥檚 a behavioral gap for some shoppers between financial anxieties and continued spending on nonessential tech. 60% of consumers are adjusting or will adjust their budgets and 40% are cutting back on nonessential spending.

Almost three-quarters (72%) of Gen Z consumers have purchased an item directly from a social media platform, per Grin, compared with 65% of millennials, 60% of Gen X, and 46% of boomers. Roughly 2 in 5 (38%) Gen Zers make a social commerce purchase at least once a week, while 31% do so at least once a month.

Younger generations are more likely to state they will cancel these subscriptions within the next 12 months, with 23% of Gen Zers and 18% of millennials planning to cancel compared to 8% of baby boomers. Breaking it down: Younger generations like Gen Z and millennials have increasing spending power and represent the predominant sources of digital buyer growth.

Among baby boomers, only 34% would be willing to interact with a chatbot, and 61% wouldn鈥檛 try again after a bad experience.

And Gen Zers and millennials are almost twice as likely as Gen X and boomers to maximize their rewards potential by stacking credit card points with other loyalty programs, at 61% and 36%, respectively, per Amex. Our take: With these trends in mind, issuers can adjust their strategies to offer the greatest value to consumers as many start to pull back on nonessential spending.

The CDC identified Facebook鈥攖he most used social media platform among baby boomers鈥攁s a key channel for its Wild to Mild ads, which urged parents to get flu shots for themselves and their kids. Ads were also placed on other online channels and in radio spots.

For example, Gen Zers self-reported skipping out on medical visits at more than twice the rate of Baby boomers, according to a 2024 Assurance IQ and Wakefield Research survey cited by Business Insider. Cost concerns are a primary factor in missed appointments. 43% of Gen Zers don鈥檛 always trust their providers to make the right decision for them, per a recent Monigle report.

Gen Z is more likely to trust Google reviews than boomers, and consumers on the whole are more likely to trust a business with many online reviews than one with just a few. This was originally featured in the Retail Daily newsletter. For more retail insights, statistics, and trends, subscribe here.

That figure worsens among certain age groups: millennials (34%) and Gen X (31%) are most likely to lack emergency savings, while baby boomers (16%) are least likely. What this means for banks: Seventy-three percent of US consumers say inflation is preventing them from saving as much as they should鈥攁nd they likely won鈥檛 experience pricing relief anytime soon.

AI shopping penetration is higher for Gen Z than for millennials (45%), Gen Xers (32%), and baby boomers (22%), per Lily AI. Key stat: On TikTok, encouraging impulse buys often means choosing the right song.

comfortable鈥攁nd 45% are uncomfortable鈥攚ith brands using generative AI (genAI) to create imagery, according to a new report from YouGov. 55% of US consumers are uncomfortable with brands using genAI for creating social media posts, per YouGov's report. 18% of Gen Zers and millennials believe more personalized content experiences will be a benefit from the use of genAI in content creation, compared to 9% of Gen X and Baby

In 2024, the proportion of Gen Zers and millennials who said they need life insurance was 95%, versus 72% of Gen Xers and baby boomers, per Limra鈥檚 US 鈥�2024 Insurance Barometer Study.鈥�. The interest is there, but insurers must convert it into action.

Older consumers feel the most strongly, with 68% of baby boomers and 62% of Gen Xers saying lower fees could compel them to switch. The speed of transfers was the next most-cited factor in switching providers. It was the biggest overall driver for Gen Z remittance users, with 38% saying they would switch for faster transfers.

While boomers show the lowest adoption rates of any generation, they stand to benefit most from wearables' health-monitoring capabilities鈥攁s demonstrated by Apple's FDA-approved conversion of AirPods Pro 2 into hearing aids.

Baby boomers are more likely than other generations to cite convenience as a top factor, while millennials and Gen Zers prioritize delivery speed more than other age groups. Detailed product descriptions are most helpful for online purchase decisions, followed by high-quality images, video reviews or demos, and styling or usage recommendations.