Millennials, Generation Z Greatly Differ

Evans on Marketing

8 years ago

Who Are Millennials and Gen Z?

As this post discusses, Millennials, Generation Z differ greatly.

Millennials represent the largest U.S. population group. And that makes them attractive for business. According to Pew Research: “They have topped Baby Boomers. Now, Millennials, ages 18-34 in 2015, number 75+ million.” Marketers appeal to millennials through brands (led by Apple). And firms know multicultural millennials are important.

In contrast, Generation Z is younger. As Wikipedia reports: “Generation Z refers to those born after Millennials. There is no exact range of birth dates. And some sources start Gen Z at the mid or late 1990s. Or from the mid 2000s to today.”

Millennials, Generation Z Greatly Differ: So Should Marketing

Yes, the age gap may be narrow. Yet, Millennials and Gen Z differ in attitudes and behavior.

Thus, consider eight differences identified by Ryan Jenkins, writing for Inc.:

“Realistic vs Optimistic. 77% of Gen Z expect to work harder than prior generations. Yet, Millennials became optimistic. They grew up during prosperity and opportunity.”
“Independent vs. Collaborative. 71% of Gen Z believe if you want it done right, do it yourself.’ In contrast, Millennials would opt for more collaboration.”
“Digital Natives vs Digital Pioneers. 40% of Gen Z say working Wi-Fi is more important to them than working bathrooms. Millennials were pioneers in the digital age.”
“Private vs Public. 70% of Gen Z would rather share personal data with their pet than their boss. As digital pioneers, Millennials used social media to express thoughts, opinions, and life events.”
“Face-to-Face vs Digital-Only. 74% of Gen Z prefer to communicate face-to-face. Millennials pioneered many digital communication tools that are less personable.“
“On-Demand Learning vs Formally Educated. 77% of Gen Z say there are other ways to get a good education than going to college. And Millennials question if their large student debt was worth it.”
“Role-Hopping vs Job-Hopping. 75% of Gen Z would like multiple roles within one place of employment. Millennials have little patience for stagnation, especially with their careers.”
“Global Citizen vs Global Spectator. 58% of adults worldwide ages 35+ agree. ‘Kids today have more in common with global peers than with adults at home.’ Millennials were the first global generation. They shared similar traits and values across borders. And they viewed global events in real-time. However, Gen Z interacts with global peers more than any other generation.”