5 Gen Z trends for brands to watch

As much of Gen Z heads back to the classroom, the age group is spearheading several social media trends tied to the start of the school year and the approach of autumn. Many Gen Zers are calling this season “Demure Fall” in the wake of the internet’s recent fixation on being “demure,” “cutesy” and “mindful.” For marketers looking to connect with Gen Zers—those born between 1997 and 2012—we’ve rounded up five of the buzziest trends currently captivating these consumers. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs ‘Underconsumption’ versus back-to-school hauls Gen Zers are currently caught in a tug-of-war between two conflicting TikTok trends: “underconsumption,” which rejects influencer culture and the pressure to constantly buy unnecessary products to keep up with trends, and a surge of videos flaunting giant piles of clothing, beauty products and school supplies purchased for the new school year. The “underconsumption” movement has largely maintained its TikTok momentum since gaining traction on the platform in July, with Gen Zers continuing to criticize overconsumption and share how they’re embracing “underconsumption core” in their own lifestyles. But at the same time, thousands of Gen Z high school and college students have shared videos of their “back-to-school hauls”—including one below totaling more than $10,000—featuring clothing, shoes, backpacks and other school supplies. The hashtag #BackToSchoolHaul has appeared in 28,000 TikTok videos in the past 30 days, with larger hauls generally attracting higher view counts. @urmom_sushi the most i’ve ever done for back to school, so grateful for everything <3 #fyp #viral #trending #trend #foryou #xybca #aesthetic #pinterest #tiktok #viralvideo #haul #haultok #hugehaul #shoppinghaul #backtoschool #backtoschool2024 #rude urmomsushi #backtoschoolhaul #outfitinspo #outfitideas #fall #autumn #stockholmstyle #coquette ♬ original sound - urmomsushi 🎀 These two clashing trends exemplify what youth culture agency Archrival refers to as the “Gen Z paradox: their values versus the allure of trendy, aesthetic-driven consumption.” Or, as one Gen Zer succinctly stated in the comments section of one back to school haul video, “I love watching rich people do rich things.” Read more: What marketers should know about ‘underconsumption’ The return of RushTok The annual surge of TikTok videos documenting the sorority recruitment process at colleges across the country is back in full force for the third summer in a row. Over the past 30 days, TikTok users have labeled roughly 435,000 videos with the hashtag #RushTok, an umbrella term for all TikTok content relating to sorority recruitment—from extravagant dance routines by current sorority sisters to put their respective organizations on the radar of potential new members, or PNMs, to a slew of “outfit of the day” videos from those PNMs. The over-the-top rush process at the University of Alabama, also known online as “Bama Rush,” remains the most popular subset of RushTok content on the platform, with the #BamaRush hashtag appearing on 468,000 TikTok videos over the past month. As in years past, Gen Zers are eagerly following the sorority recruitment process at dozens of U.S. universities through the lens of their peers, complimenting the outfits they’re wearing for the various days of rush and wishing luck to their favorite sorority hopefuls. Many brands have organically evolved into staples of RushTok “outfit of the day” videos, such as sneaker brand Golden Goose and luxury jewelry brands including David Yurman and Van Cleef. But others—including Poppi, Gymshark and Prime, the energy drink brand owned by influencers Logan Paul and KSI—are actively putting their products in front of the large Gen Z audience following RushTok through collaborations with sororities. @alphachiuofsc Falling crazy in love with MC ‘24!!! 🤍 Work Week Day 1 @Poppi #alphachiuofsc #alphachiomega #alphachi #axo #rushtok #rush #uofsc #sorority #sororityrecruitment #poppi #sororityrecruitment #workweek ♬ original sound - Oklahoma Pi Phi Also read: How brands are investing in college marketing Gearing up for a ‘Demure Fall’ Until recently, Gen Zers were reveling in the chaotic energy and messy aesthetic of the “Brat Summer” craze that emerged after the release of Charli XCX’s album “Brat.” But following the rapid rise of the “demure” trend earlier this month, many of them are now looking ahead to “Demure Fall.” The newer trend trades bold lime green outfits and dramatic makeup for a simpler, more neutral fashion style and a return to the “clean girl” makeup looks that have dominated TikTok over the past few years. Think Rory Gilmore of the series “Gilmore Girls,” who several Gen Zers are looking to as an embodiment of the ideal “Demure Fall” aesthetic. For those still struggling to grasp the nuances between “Brat Summer” and “Demure Fall,” dozens of social media users—as well as several brands, including Poppi, Bubble, deodorant brand Wild and Ipsy, a beauty membership service—have created lists, alignment charts and other graphics separating “bratty” behaviors, characteristics and styles from their “demure” counterparts. View this post on Instagram A post shared by IPSY (@ipsy) Halloween arrives early While some Gen Zers are slowly easing into “Demure Fall,” others are eagerly racing ahead into autumn due to their enthusiasm for all things Halloween. As early as Aug. 1, dozens of TikTok users began declaring the start of the Halloween season, filling their homes with pumpkins, ghosts and other spooky-slash-autumnal decor (including the viral “Lewis” character introduced by Target last year) and offering suggestions for Halloween costume ideas. Over 286,000 TikTok videos posted in the past 30 days have included the hashtag #Halloween. Also read: Home Depot puts paid media behind Halloween And as the holiday inches closer, Gen Z Halloween enthusiasts will likely drop significant sums on costumes, decor and other supplies—13-to-39-year-olds spent an average of $246 on the holiday in 2023, per youth market research firm YPulse. @emmasusas Replying to @karinne #halloweencostumeideas #halloween #2024 #costumeideas #iconicwomen #iconiccharacters #femalecharacters #halloweencostume #greenscreen ♬ original sound - Emma Susas An embrace of ‘hopecore’ While Gen Z may spend hours each day scrolling through social media, many also cite these platforms—and the negative content they often encounter—as a major source of anxiety and depression. That tension is fueling the rise of a category of uplifting and inspirational content referred to as “hopecore,” which can range from videos highlighting acts of kindness to clips of babies born with vision problems seeing the world through glasses for the first time. The #Hopecore hashtag has appeared on 80,000 videos in the past month, nearly all of which include some variation of “never skip a hopecore video” in their comments sections. Of course, TikTok being TikTok, some users have put a sarcastic spin on the trend by labeling negative or discouraging content with the #Hopecore hashtag. But the vast majority of “hopecore” videos offer genuinely optimistic perspectives on life, often with the help of some combination of uplifting music, motivational quotes and heartwarming videos of real people or fictional characters. @idealsidez hopecore 🥺❤️🩹✨ #hopecore #smilecore #wholesome ♬ Evergreen - Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners

5 Gen Z trends for brands to watch

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