Brands are rolling out plenty of red-white-and-blue this Fourth of July. But if marketers are hoping to win over young consumers with patriotic plays, they might be disappointed in the results. Gen Zers are largely ambivalent to overt displays of flag-waving, according to a new Ad Age-Harris Poll.
The poll found that 36% of Gen Z respondents are neither more nor less likely to buy from a brand that uses patriotism in their advertising, and 32% percent would be less inclined. Only 12% responded that they were “much more likely” to shop with a brand that spoke about patriotism in their commercials. This stands in contrast to 39% of millennials who feel more positively towards brands who celebrate the U.S. in their advertisements, as well as 49% of Gen Xers, 50% of Boomers, and 42% of Silent Generation respondents.
(Gen Z refers to people who are now between the ages of 9-24, but the poll limited the surveys to people who are at least 18 years old.)
"On the whole, we see that Americans value themes like family, equality and localism that tie into the Fourth of July holiday," said Harris Poll CEO Will Johnson. "That said, we’re seeing an emerging trend among Gen Z consumers, who are less likely to buy from brands that embrace these values—so it’s key for brands to segment messages to their core audiences, especially around holidays like Fourth of July.”