How Gen-Z is different from millennials 

The online bully rally is just one example of why BrandLoyalty has built a connected collective of Gen-Z’ers across the globe. We’re continuously looking at future generations’ objections, needs and wishes to translate into pragmatic solutions, ready to be implemented tomorrow. 

According to the Gen-Z’ers in Europe, millennials are dominated by the addiction to the instant gratification of being seen and liked online. As a result, they are mostly known as luxury horses for whom physical appearance plays a more critical role than ever before. No surprise that social media, especially Instagram, is vital for designing their life: millennials look for ‘likeminded’ based on how they dress and what public places they go.

Sarah (20-years-old) in Amsterdam compares this with pillarisation, the separation of society into (extremist) groups based on religion and associated political beliefs. In her city, she witnesses distinctive pillars within the millennial generation. At the same time, she experiences her own generation as more open-minded, non-labeled, authentic, and genuine to others across ‘groups.’ On top of that, Layla (23-years-old) in London is convinced that technology is simply a tool used to manipulate millennials into the toxic individualistic generation it is today.

Gen-Z’ers in Europe identifies themselves as being more collective compared to the toxic individualism of millennials. So, it’s essential to consider this generation’s need for community, belonging, and purpose.  

In Tokyo, Generation Z believes that millennials care more about free time than about working hard. Whenever Hiroki (24-years-old) asks his older friends about what they find essential in a new job, everyone mentions salary. However, according to Hiroki, even though millennials aim to earn a fortune, they don't know how to spend it. This ties back to the high rate of loneliness in Japan. In the absence of immediate social networks and friendship groups, Tokyo's unaccompanied youth often turns to the impersonal anonymity of the online world. They use technology for everything and get all information via their phone.  

Through the eyes of our Japanese Gen-Z'ers, the distinction between millennials and themselves is not as high compared to the rest of the Gen-Z community. Therefore, understanding how a social and societal problem such as loneliness dominates today's youth's everyday needs and wishes creates a sense of context in which we design our loyalty solutions. Furthermore, it provides us with the opportunity to understand a local trend (and problem) from a local perspective and thus create experiences that fit and grab them by the heart.  

Understanding how Gen-Z differentiates themselves from millennials is just the beginning. Last month, our Gen-Z community was involved in tackling strategic business topics. And currently, they are tracking their healthy habits for multiple consecutive days to help us understand what health means to them and how this translates into their everyday life. So, throughout the year, we learn from them about highly relevant topics to our core business. 

So, how does it work?
Our research experts have created an online place where a group of Gen-Z’ers is all collectively connected. It is a diverse group of youngsters unified by the shared values of their generations. They are based in Amsterdam, London, Moscow, Shanghai, and Tokyo. The setup is a qualitative research structure that captures and forecasts the young and Gen-Z mindset. 

Although Generation Z is seen as the most connected and globalized group of people, for whom online and offline experiences tie seamlessly together, we should never forget to consider how their culture and immediate context influences their mindset, values, and their motivational drivers to be who they appear to be in today’s world of retail.