Gen Z FTW

Gen Z is a doozy.

The digital natives born between 1995-2010 are an unpredictable but intriguing group. They consume new media at a terrifying rate, yet they are savvier and more realistic than Millennials. Probably their most identifiable, and admirable, characteristic is their inherent ability to detect BS.

According to Goldman Sachs, Gen Zers are more conservative and prragmatic than Millennials…

• They are less likely to take abuse at work.

• They are more practical about money and the value of their labor.

• They are more likely to view the news with a skeptical eye.

They also happen to make up 32% of the world population—and will control 100% of the future—so we should probably pay close attention to them.

Their Apps

Gen Z loves apps just as much as Millennials… they just like better ones. A recent report from Zebra IQ identified Gen Z’s most used apps and channels. Besides the usual suspects—Twitch, reddit, Tik Tok, imgur—there were also a few surprises.

• NTWRK: The sneaker drop app for the StockX generation.

• Unfold. The ultimate aesthetic-booster for better storytelling on Instagram.

• Brat: Apparently the new MTV?

• Lomotif: Another Tik Tok for DIY music vids.

They’re also less narcissistic, and more about that action

While just as Instagram-obsessed as Millennials, Gen Z is less focused on self-expression and more focused on giving followers what they want.

• “It’s not about what you like, it’s about what your audience will like,” says the report.

Perhaps as a reaction against the “famous-for-no-reason” paradigm of the Millennials, they also put a premium on action, responsibility, and DIY success.

So how do you get through to Gen Z? It’s less about aesthetics and more about finding the purpose behind the aesthetics. Take Gen Z Billie Eilish’s new CK ad as an example.

“I never want the world to know everything about me,” she says. “I mean that’s why I wear big baggy clothes: nobody can have an opinion because they haven’t seen what’s underneath, you know?”