Infographic summary
52% of Gen Z in the US feel uncertain about the future. The global issues that Gen Z would like to tackle are racism (48%), poverty (32%), the economic crisis (29%), global warming & climate change (28%), health problems and virus outbreaks (26%), suppression and abuse of women (21%), LGBTQI+ rights (18%), and terrorism (18%). Breaking gender stereotypes is another theme that is significantly more present in the daily lives of Gen Z. 54% believe there are still too many gender stereotypes, 49% recognize that gender identity can change over time, and 48% know someone who prefers to be addressed with gender neutral pronouns.
Social media makes it easy for Gen Z to use the collective power of their clicks to fight injustice. In fact, 29% follow accounts about social justice on social media, 26% voice their opinion about social issues on social media, and 15% participate in (online) protests.
So, what does this mean for brands? Gen Z challenges brands to demonstrate their ongoing social impact. Brands that try to jump on the bandwagon with one-off actions, risk being called out for green-washing or rainbow washing.