A newly released report by Culture Bureau, a Los Angeles-based consumer behavior, foresight, and cultural intelligence consultancy, delves into the unique consumer behaviors and preferences of Gen Z parents. Conducted by Dig Insights on behalf of Culture Bureau, the survey included over 5,300 Millennial and Gen Z parents across the U.S. and Canada, aged 20 to 40, and 1,000 individuals without kids aged 20 to 27.
The study reveals that nearly one in ten parents in the U.S. are Gen Z, and nearly one in five births annually are to Gen Z mothers. Notably, Gen Z is poised to become the majority of first-time parents.
The report categorizes the survey findings into five major classifications that define this cohort: radical traditionalists, going for broke, brands beware, fund it, don’t fake it, and finding fairy godmother figures.
Gen Z parents hold traditional dreams for the future. Sixty-five percent of Gen Z parents surveyed believe that small towns are the best place to raise their children, compared to big cities. Additionally, 54 percent of Gen Z respondents view home ownership as a sign of good parenting. Financially, Gen Z is wealthier than Millennials and Boomers at the same life stage, with 6,000 Gen Z executives and 1,000 Gen Z politicians currently in the workforce.
Despite their relative wealth, Gen Z parents are still stressed about money but prioritize purchasing what they perceive as the best. Other significant sources of stress include their children’s education and health. The report suggests that Gen Z parents’ financial stress is more connected to their anxiety about the state of the world than to job market or housing concerns.
Even though money is a stressor, Gen Z parents refuse to compromise on their purchases. Fifty-eight percent of Gen Z parents agree with the statement, “I buy brands I think are best and don’t worry much about price,” compared to 43 percent of Millennial parents. Moreover, 52 percent of Gen Z parents are willing to pay more for brands that take a political or social stand they agree with, as opposed to 35 percent of Millennial parents.
Brand loyalty among Gen Z remains a challenge for companies. Forty percent of Gen Z parents are willing to pay more and try a new product if they believe it’s better than what’s currently available in the market.
As high-earning Gen Z parents, 44 percent of respondents believe that “store brands are just as good as brand names.” The top categories for Gen Z purchasing store brands include food (70 percent), housecleaning (67 percent), personal care (65 percent), and vitamins and medicine (65 percent). These numbers increase for high-earners making more than $100,000: 79 percent buy store-brand house cleaning supplies, 76 percent buy store-brand food, 75 percent buy store-brand personal care, and 74 percent buy vitamins and medicine.
Another key finding from the report is that Gen Z is looking for brands to be more than superficial allies. Sixty-seven percent of Gen Z parents agree with the statement, “It’s important to know what political and social issues a brand supports before I buy,” and 75 percent of Gen Z parents believe that brands should “support financially” and not let backlash change their political and social stances.
With Gen Z parents often being the first and only parents within their friend group, many are turning to outside help for parenting needs. Gen Z dads, in particular, are twice as likely to rely on the social media platform TikTok for brand and product recommendations compared to Gen Z men without children. Other top sources for recommendations include Amazon and YouTube.
The report’s authors note that the survey findings of this new generation of parents are challenging conventions and embracing contradictions.
If you’re a small business geared towards parents, you may be wondering how to reach your target audience. Parents, like other demographics, turn to social media for product recommendations, tutorials, advice, and more. As a business, you want to be where your audience is, so let’s take a look at what social media platforms parents are on based on the stats.
According to one study, U.S. mothers aged 18 to 39 years are more likely to use Facebook and less likely to use Snapchat, Twitter, TikTok, and Reddit than women aged 18 to 39 years who are not parents. Based on the same study, mothers are also more likely to use Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and TikTok, while fathers are more likely to use Twitter and Reddit.
If you’re marketing to parents, and particularly mothers, Facebook may be a good place to start, followed by other platforms like Instagram. However, not all parents flock to the same social media platforms, and their habits can differ. For example, if you’re marketing to both fathers and mothers, you may want to be present on a few select platforms.
If you’re marketing to Millennial parents, 86 percent of Millennial dads turn to YouTube for guidance. According to Google, 72 percent of Millennial parents use YouTube to make better purchases for their child. This stat shows that it could be beneficial for your brand to be on YouTube, but it won’t be the right fit for every brand, especially since it’s a video-based platform. If your content can include how-to’s and advice, YouTube could work for your business.
There’s no denying that TikTok has been a major player in the social media sphere and has grown rapidly. According to research, only one-quarter of U.S. parents reported using TikTok. However, the use of TikTok among parents is higher among women and younger parents. Globally, 60 percent of all TikTok users are Gen Z (currently 11-26 years old), while 52.8 percent of content creators on the app are aged 18-24. If your demographic includes young and/or new parents, particularly mothers, TikTok may be worth considering.
Based on the stats above, there are a few platforms that stand out, such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and even TikTok (for younger mothers in particular). It’s important to remember that these stats may not represent all parents in all markets, but it’s a great starting point. Choosing the right social media platforms for your business requires careful consideration and further research. Make sure you know exactly who your target is (i.e., moms, dads, or both), think of your goals, your resources/bandwidth, and more. Don’t forget to check out your competitors as well—looking at what platforms they’re on can help give you a better idea of where your audience is and how they engage with brands, which can help guide you.
Source: Culture Bureau, Dig Insights
