Centennials at 21

Gen Z’s growing influence on spending and brand loyalty

Centennials, aka Gen Z, have already eclipsed Millennials as the global cohort driving trends and pushing industries forward, and they’ll soon be a core consumer group across a variety of categories. As the oldest of the generation turns 21 this year, Kantar’s latest report shows how critical it is for brands to keep pace with their values, beliefs and expectations to avoid being left behind.

Representing 35% of the global population, Centennials have become an economic powerhouse with a growing influence on spending and brand loyalty. Kantar reveals a generation that are:

Digitally dependent, yet conscious users of technology

• Centennials pick up their smartphones up to 30% more than over 21s and spend up to 35% longer on their devices during the day. Yet just over a third of global Centennials believe they use their phone too much.
• Centennials across France, UK and US are even more tied to their smartphones than the millennial cohort: on average Centennials spend 2.40 hours daily on their mobile device compared to an average of 2.12 hours by Millennials.
• Centennials are quick to move on if a brand experience doesn’t provide what they want or need; 62% will not use an app or website that is hard to navigate, and 63% say they’ve installed an ad blocker on their mobile phone or desktop.

Increasingly influential on family purchasing decisions

• Families are looking to their youngest members to gather product information, compare reviews and advise on the purchase process; up to three quarters of Centennials report influencing major family spending decisions.
• This trend is most prevalent when looking at purchasing decisions made across the food and beverage (77%), furniture (76%) and household goods sectors (73%).

Using social media differently from previous generations

• The way they use social sites differs from previous generations, with Facebook used by Centennials for on an average of 11 minutes per day, compared to Snapchat (30 minutes), Facebook Messenger (28 minutes) and Twitter (22 minutes).
• Online, Centennials are more likely to identify with their social media personas than other generations, with 61% admitting that the things they post say a lot/something about them, compared to 56% of Millennials.
• As Centennials age into young adulthood, they will reshape categories and upend industries. Understanding this generation’s values and motivations is key for brands as Centennials take the reins and drive global markets.