Demographics

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching (a helpful reminder), and ahead of the romantic holiday, Sweethearts put out a collection of “situationship” hearts with “messages as blurry as your relationships.” The candies are targeted at Gen Zers in an aim to get buy-in from consumers who may not be head over heels for celebrating Valentine’s Day.

What Wednesday’s fiery Senate hearing means for social media: Tech CEOs apologized to parents and voiced support for legislation during a long, tense session.

Gen Alpha’s obsession with skincare is driving beauty sales: Younger shoppers are gravitating toward premium brands and spending more time browsing the aisles at Sephora.

Florida might pass the most restrictive social media bill yet: Under the legislation, all minors under 17 will be banned from social media use.

$5 billion in student debt forgiveness will impact more than 70,000 borrowers, opening up an opportunity for advising them on new financial strategies.

The beauty and cosmetics sector brought in $94.36 billion in consumer spending last year, claiming the title of the fastest-growing retail category in the US, per our The US Beauty Consumer report. With most consumers planning to boost their beauty budgets in 2024, the sector’s defiance against cautious spending habits is set to continue, driven by the enduring “lipstick effect,” the rise of dupes and Chinese-associated ecommerce giants, and more.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss the digital habits across generations: what baby boomers' top digital activity is, Gen X's approach to all things digital, and how much more time Gen Zers actually spend on social media over other generations. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Paola Flores-Marquez and vice president of research Jennifer Pearson.

75% of US adults ages 21 to 24 are at least somewhat likely to participate in dry January this year, according to CivicScience.

These self-aware young customers know that their mental health drives their financial behavior. They need help making better saving and spending decisions.

More than half of respondents said they use social platforms for messaging, making it one of the most popular activities. When it comes to Instagram and TikTok, however, the former has a more mature offering that’s been around longer, giving it a firm lead for now.

Gen Z, millennial shoppers love self-checkout: But everyone else is divided due to concerns over ease of use and theft.

Regulators won’t get Instagram to give up on teen users: The company is facing a conflict between a need to please regulators and a need to attract young users.

The 10-year-olds have taken over Sephora in search of their favorite skincare and beauty brands, catching the eyes (and ire) of many TikTokers. But this trend has implications beyond angering older consumers, highlighting the purchasing power behind Gen Alpha and social media’s role in product discovery. Here’s what brands can learn.

More ad channels don’t mean greater consumer trust: A Qualtrics report found that faith in brands had dipped to 2016 lows, with Gen Z less trusting.

Meta enhances teen safety on platforms: Amid FTC litigation, emphasizes stricter content controls.

Half of UK teens feel addicted to social media: Global concern prompts government actions for stricter regulations.

If it feels impossible to keep up with Gen Z slang, that’s because it is. TikTok has turbocharged an already fast-moving content cycle, so you’ve probably heard about trends that sound like gibberish. It’s tempting to give up on the spiraling influx of new language, but marketers need to understand at least some of the lexicon to avoid creating “cringe” content. Here are some terms marketers should know.

Gen Z spends the most time on social media. Gen Zers ages 18 to 24 spend more time on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat than any other age group, according to our forecast. These platforms become community spaces where they interact beyond simple messaging: They share memes and new interests, video chat, and collaborate on content.

Social media companies will answer to regulators about minors’ data: A Harvard study found that platforms made $11 billion from ads targeting minors.