#gen-z

#gen-z

Lea Veloso, 26, has an ever-growing ick list. If he spits on the ground, can't cook, lies about his height, identifies as apolitical or doesn't travel enough. If he's weird about other men wearing makeup (like, K-pop idols), says he wants a slightly autistic woman, has no skincare routine or only likes songs that got famous on TikTok. It's an ick if he doesn't call his parents, sniffs every five seconds, is an unsuccessful DJ or is embarrassed to do karaoke.

For years, Europe's big cities-Paris, Berlin, Barcelona-were the dream destinations for young people seeking opportunity, culture, and nightlife. But recently, a surprising shift has begun. More and more Gen Z Europeans are turning away from these bustling hubs and relocating to smaller, quieter towns often dismissed as "boring." This trend isn't about rejecting excitement altogether. Instead, it reflects a generational desire for balance: affordable living, community connection, and sustainability.

"I hate giving flowers because of how it makes me feel," Safe Elghorab admits while putting together a flower arrangement with his friends. His friends see this admission as an opening to unpack Safe's honest take. "How does it make you feel? Let's talk about it!" "Just always ask why," another friend, Chui, recommends, and soon, the men are unpacking why Safe "hates" giving flowers. "Why does it make you feel vulnerable?"

At many gas stations across the Midwest and South, Gen Zers have discovered "heavy" options on soda-fountain machines, where the syrup-to-water ratio is boosted for extra sweetness and flavor. The drinks are intentionally made stronger to withstand dilution from melting ice, allowing the soda to taste like it typically does as the ice melts. The hack appeals to those who purchase a single, large drink and keep adding ice and water throughout the day, effectively extending the life-and value-of each purchase.

As the year has continued to be a guessing game of who will reign supreme amid an uncertain market, Generation Z research and strategy firm DCDX's latest report looks at the top 50 "magnetic brands" of 2025. The company defines such brands as those that have the "power to attract conversation, measured through organic user-generated content (UGC)." It looks at "brand magnetism" measurements by how much the brand is talked about and how often it is talked about online.

You spy a dishy stranger across a bar. The attraction is instant. The urges are strong. What do you do? I assume that I'm being honeytrapped by a government organisation, because that would never happen to me. No, you take them back to yours. Or you would, except that you're gen Z, and as such you still live with your parents. Ah yes, nothing kills ardour like trying to sneak upstairs to a single bed in your childhood bedroom while your parents watch Newsnight.

Snap Inc. (SNAP), the parent of Snapchat, came under pressure last week after Guggenheim analysts struck a cautious tone following their review of Q3 user growth. The stock has fallen 24% year-to-date, in stark contrast to Meta Platforms (META), which has climbed over 30%. I believe the market's skepticism is justified, as Snap still lacks clear, defensible competitive advantages to drive sustained growth and monetization.

Picture this: A 22-year-old scrolls through TikTok, sees a viral "butter board" video, and within hours, they're recreating it at home. By week's end, they're searching for restaurants serving their own take on the trend. This isn't just casual browsing: it's the new reality of how an entire generation discovers, experiences, and shares food. Recent data reveals a staggering truth: 84% of Gen Z actively try social media food trends, fundamentally reshaping how restaurants must approach marketing, menu development, and customer engagement.

Well, the latter might be common among the workforce's youngest members, as a number of recruiters have been pointing out a generational gap in phone etiquette. "I just found out that Gen Z don't answer the phone when they answer the phone," one recruiter explained in a recent TikTok post, now with more than 1 million views. "I think it's so weird, it's so awkward."

Inflation is stubborn, unemployment is rising and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has even confirmed that Gen Z grads just can't get a break right now. But the youngest generation of workers already know that. In fact, they're so anxious about the state of the economy right now that they can't even sleep. So what are they doing about it? They're, perhaps counterintuitively, bed rotting and watching TV.

By investing $100 every month from the ages of 25 to 65 into the likes of a Roth individual retirement account (IRA), Gen Z could retire as millionaires. "With a 12% annual average rate of return-the markets can do that for you-you'd have a million dollars," she explains. Depositing a monthly investment of $100 into an account with a 12% yield would net someone approximately $1,188,342 in 40 years' time.

The attitude that you bring to the office-and to your employees, your peers, and the people you serve alongside every day-is what ultimately will determine a lot of your success,

For Gen Z, that's especially true. What was once just a device for making calls and sending texts has evolved into a full-blown extension of our hands, a constant companion that keeps us connected to friends, trends, and an endless stream of content. But what if all that screen time could do more than entertain? What if your phone, the very thing that parents and teachers might chide you for using too much, could actually become a money-making machine?

As a certified Young Person (for now, that is...I'm hanging on by a freakin' thread), I'll admit that a bunch of the trends my generation comes up with don't make sense. And although us youngins are so unaware of how cheugy our current fascinations will become in just a few years, older generations seem to have a bit more foresight.

Fiber supplements brand BelliWelli took a risk with its cringey TikToks, including deeply uncomfortable celebrity interactions, and it paid off. The approach netted the brand 1B+ views and grew revenue 405% between 2023 and 2024. Food brand Natural Heaven promoted the launch of its products at NYC's Fairway Markets by sending two employees dressed as boxes of pasta and rice prancing down the store's aisles. Blueland - a sustainable cleaning company whose CEO regularly films herself pulling stunts like cleaning toilets at Costco (one of the brand's retailers) - did $200m+ in sales last year, up 40% YoY.

Despite their reputation as digital natives, Gen Z is pretty poor when it comes to cybersecurity practices. Analysis from consumer insights platform GWI found that while many in this demographic have grown up online, only three-in-ten have made a habit of regularly changing their passwords compared to 42% of Baby Boomers. They're also the generation least likely to keep software and devices up to date, with only 43% bothering. Gen Z was found lacking in other basic cyber hygiene practices, the study noted.

Until very recently, it looked like the teens of the 2020s were behaving very differently. In 2023, more than a fifth of Gen Zers were sober and only one in 10 had tried a Class A drug, with many turning away from drink and drug-induced depravity in favour of healthier, more wholesome activities like gym dates and ' grandma crafts'. But a new IWSR survey, released in June, indicates that famously sensible ' generation clean ' are back on the booze.

In mid-August, social media started buzzing with posts about "The Great Lock In." As the name suggests, it's built around the Gen Z slang for fully committing or hyperfocusing on a task, goal, or activity. From now until the end of the year, the idea is to "lock in" and to get your life in order and your goals checked off before 2026.

Amber Shion was born with a remarkable and ultra-creative genius, a distinctive DNA that allows her to craft musical and lyrical compositions that transcend the boundaries of conventional wisdom. Her exceptional human instincts empower her to engineer sounds that capture the essence of people's innermost desires, ardent passions, profound fears, and relentless ambitions. Growing up in a vibrant cultural landscape, she was immersed in diverse artistic influences that shaped her artistic vision.

From chronic struggles with burnout to a pragmatic, even skeptical take on how to lead their careers, the generation that entered the workforce during the age of quiet quitting has come to exemplify the quarter-life crisis. But what if this is the new norm, and the midlife crisis is going extinct the way other trappings of the 20th century have, like dial-up internet and Kodak film? What if Gen Z has giant, macroeconomically valid reasons for being plunged into a collective quarter-life crisis?

Nostalgia has become an inescapable feature of the 2020s. Whether it's the resurgence of Y2K fashion, old digital cameras or reruns of Friends, The Office or Gilmore Girls. Gen-Z are looking to teleport back to a more comfortable, less stressful past. And brands are looking to capitalize on the demand for retro fashion, products and experiences. But what makes nostalgia so powerful? What are the benefits and watchouts of nostalgia marketing?