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Gen Zers are on a path to take the lead on most platforms, while millennials remain a stable digital population and other generations pick up new habits.

Why it matters: As media consumption habits shift, advertisers need to follow audiences where they鈥檙e most likely to engage. Podcasts maintain high penetration among key demographics like millennials and Gen Z, who represent the primary sources of digital buyer growth.

The news: Most consumers split their media consumption across podcasts, gaming, music listening, connected TVs (CTVs), and social media. However, streaming services still reign supreme, per Deloitte鈥檚 2025 Digital Media Trends report.

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.

Gen Zers provide a pivotal opportunity for banks as at least 4 million of them will open accounts each year through 2026.

Marketing to Gen Z requires a different approach than marketing to millennials. Abercrombie & Fitch learned this the hard way as its millennial playbook became outdated for younger shoppers, earning it the title of 鈥渕ost hated retail brand鈥� in the US in 2016 by the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

Gen Zers continue to overtake millennials in several prominent digital activities and platforms, including social commerce, podcasts, and Instagram.

These new minutes are likely coming from time previously spent on traditional media, rather than from consumers carving out any new time for media consumption. Click here to view our full forecast for US average time spent per day with digital media. Adults have doubled their time spent with digital media over the past 10 years, but that kind of growth won鈥檛 happen again.