The generation of people born between 1995 and 2015 has drawn worldwide attention. Generation Z has distinctly [1] different characteristics from Millennials (also known as Generation Y), born between 1980 and 1994, and Generation X, born between 1965 and 1979.
Members of Generation Z spent their childhood and adolescence in the digital age where information is generated and shared through smartphones. Therefore, Generation Z is accustomed to customized recommendations based on big data and machine learning, image/video-based global social media networks, and instant communication. While Millennials are used to acquiring text-based information from a small number of influential media outlets, Generation Z does so from mostly images and videos shared by numerous individuals in real time via smartphones. Similarly, Millennials are familiar with message exchanges via phone calls and emails, while Generation Z communicate their feelings and gestures through apps and video calls.
As a result, Generation Z demonstrates several distinct tendencies. First, Generation Z learns from various individuals and understands the world from their own perspectives, rather than following a particular ideology or framework. For example, they tend to accept the existence of a variety of genders in the world beyond the male-female binary.
Generation Z also tends to buy different brands that suit them by looking at reviews and experiencing products for themselves instead of showing brand loyalty; therefore, they prefer smaller boutiques over shopping malls. In addition, they consider reviews over advertisements, influencers over celebrities, and meaning over cost-effectiveness.
Rather than planning and persevering [2] with grand goals for the future, Generation Z focuses on living a fun and meaningful life from a realistic perspective by pursuing smaller but guaranteed sources of joy.
How do you define Generation Z?