What brands can learn from Gen Z’s pursuit of happiness

Gen Z’s core characteristics have been mapped in many ways. But as someone born on the cusp of this cohort, what really stands out for me is the tumultuous nature of life lived by those in this generational group. Gen Zers are starting or leaving high school or college, beginning their first adult job, getting their first big promotion or even experiencing their first layoff. There’s a lot going on and lots to process. Unlike other generations, though, Gen Z is not afraid to admit that adulting is tough. In part, this is down to what we’ve been through at such a formative point in our life—a global pandemic, financial crisis, job uncertainty and political unrest. Ad Age Gen Z Contributor Column We welcome Gen Zers to submit fresh takes exploring Gen Z within the ad industry Learn more here Gen Zers are spending the least amount of time with each other, leading some to call Gen Z “the loneliest generation.” Fewer than a third of respondents under 30 said they had five or more close friends in a recent poll by Pew Research. It’s also, in part, down to something else: We are a more emotive and expressive group than those who are older. As a result, Gen Zers are seeking to self-comfort in a variety of ways. This means they have taken it upon themselves to capitalize on little wins wherever possible in order to make day-to-day life a little sweeter. When asked, 71% of Gen Zers said they “splurged” in Q3 2024—more than any other demographic—according to one recent study, reflecting our desire for a quick fix for feelings of uneasiness, anxiety or loneliness. Further, Gen Z is using social media to organize meetups in the hope of finding friends, sharing experiences and feeling less alone. Its members are actively transforming a widening range of events into an excuse for having fun too. Consider the rapid growth of Partiful, the app popular among Gen Zers for planning social events for anything from milestone moments to casual hangouts and everything in between. Events planned using Partiful have grown 1,000% year over year. Consider, too, the rise of unexpected reasons to have a party—the “just because” phenomenon, interest in which has prompted Etsy and Zazzle to stock premade invites on their sites. “Just because” party themes such as martinis & weenies, rhyme without reason and paint ‘n’ sip have fed much social comment and countless memes. TikTok, meanwhile, has helped power the “sweet little treat” trend among Gen Zers—where a reward is claimed to celebrate a little win or simply as a pick-me-up—to new heights. Allied with this is “dopamine décor”—curating your home to boost your mood and activate the release of dopamine, the feel-good chemical our bodies make—about which trending searches on Pinterest in this summer soared by 280%. Though the desire to celebrate little wins is driven by women, this is by no means female-exclusive. This is more about hanging out together and making connections—mindful, authentic socializing—than about alcohol-fueled party-partying. Think thoughtful interaction and intimate gatherings. See all of Ad Age’s 40 Under 40 honorees here Of all cohorts, Gen Z is more reliant on the instant gratification of a dopamine hit, given its finances at a time when all share ongoing concerns about the cost of living. Celebrating the little wins is very much about doing so in ways that don’t break the bank. All of which poses the important question: what does all this mean for brands? The overarching answer is that brands should understand better the tumultuous nature of Gen Z living, the importance of little wins and celebrating them and the distinctive nature of a Gen Z-style celebration. Opportunity lies in creating a justification for Gen Zers to celebrate, even when there isn’t an obvious reason, both with others and by themselves. But brand communication around the celebration of little wins needs to be speedy and reactive in today’s fast-moving attention economy to ensure messages remain relevant and compelling. Finally, any brand-instigated celebrations need to be both authentic to your brand’s heritage, sensitive to culture (to prevent any risk of appropriation) and wherever possible they should offer a unique perspective. Get this right, and Gen Z’s desire to celebrate little wins can be a win for brands, too. NextGen Marketing Summit Join us for a crash course on Gen Z, DTC marketing and the creator economy Register today

What brands can learn from Gen Z’s pursuit of happiness

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