Gen Z

Born 1997–2012, Gen Z are digital natives, socially minded and a rebellious force to be reckoned with.

Youth Culture in 2025

From immersive experiences to creator-driven content and innovative storytelling, pop culture and media innovators are reshaping how audiences engage with entertainment

Big Ideas

Kidult Craze

Adults are gravitating towards playful, non-digital items such as plush toys, collectables and nostalgic characters to reconnect with and heal their inner child

Macro Trends

The Future of Sports Fandom

By embracing new technologies, geographies and audiences, sport is becoming bigger than ever and offering valuable lessons on nurturing a new era of fandom

Macro Trends

Gen Z Now and Next

Gen Z are entering adulthood burdened by global challenges, yet lack the tools or role models to drive the change they envision, leaving them paralysed by paradox

Micro Trends

Safe Hate Spaces

A new wave of content creators is normalising complaining by sharing petty grievances and creating safe havens for connection

Big Ideas

Five Disruptors Welcoming Women into Web3

As the Alternet evolves, Web3 innovators are leaning into Betterverse values to create a more inclusive digital landscape for women creators and in...

Viewpoints

Why the Lingerie Sector must Evolve for Gen Z

Once considered aspirational, sculpted bodies clad in skimpy lingerie no longer cut it for Generation Z. How can brands shift the narrative and win...

Lingerie : Underwear : Generation Z

Big Ideas

Five Brands Pouring Wit into Wine Branding

A new generation of winemakers are challenging the sector’s stuffiness with unconventional branding and personalities that align with younger drink...

Drink : Food : Design

Viewpoints

Youth Culture is entering its Flat Age Future

TikTok trends were once thought of as the epitome of youth culture. Now, senior creators and retirement hobbies are blurring the lines between old ...

Social Media : Youth : TikTok

Big Ideas

Why Brands are Next-Gen Career Advisers

A new wave of workplace advisers are emerging to help Gen Z and Alpha navigate and shape the future of work and yet-to-exist job roles.

Youth : Media & Entertainment : Workplace

Viewpoints

Why Africa is the next hub for youth retail

What does it mean to be young and African today? The co-founder of modern African lifestyle platform Dola, Yannick Do, unpacks the vast opportuniti...

Youth : Media & Entertainment : Lifestyle

Big Ideas

Meet Tomorrow’s Alternative Investors

With traditional systems of monetary value and exchange under threat, four emerging investment communities are ushering in a new dawn for alternati...

Finance : Society : Youth

Viewpoints

How to remix the wellness model for Gen Z

Stephen Mai, the founder of Woo, a next-gen media brand merging content and retail, on how wellness can be reframed as feel-good culture.

Health : Wellness : Media

Markets

Gen Z Parenting Market

No longer the epitome of youth culture, members of Generation Z are having kids of their own, driving the parenting sector in unexpected new direct...

Gen Z : Fashion : Youth

Big Ideas

Five Generation Z-Founded Brands to Watch

Optimistic, ambitious and socially switched on, the first wave of Generation Z-founded brands are hitting the market. These are the disruptors to w...

Youth : Retail : Beauty

Viewpoints

How Alinea is powering an investment youthquake

The Generation Z CEOs of investment app Alinea explain how they are making finance accessible and responsible for young women, from traditional sto...

Finance : Media & Entertainment : Youth

Markets

Generation Z Luxury Market

Rigorous and savvy in their selection of brands, Generation Z’s research-led approach to luxury is set to redefine value and aspiration for the sec...

Luxury : Youth : Fashion

Markets

Gen Zalpha India Market

Amid India’s pandemic recovery, Gen Zalpha are navigating their journey to adolescence by building their own models of progress.

Youth : Education : Sustainability

Viewpoints

Wild Awake signals a future of Earth-centric learning

Offering immersive outdoor education for young people, Wild Awake wants to nurture a generation of learning focused on humans’ interdependency with...

Youth : Education : Sustainability

Design Directions

Pliable Playscapes

Inspired by Generation Zalpha’s productivity, an energetic and assertive visual language is emerging that reflects their can-do attitude and capaci...

Youth : Branding : Media

Behaviours

Emerging Youth: Vietnam

With more young people living in Vietnam than ever before, this generation are using the country as a canvas on which to project creativity and sel...

Vietnam : Youth : Emerging Youth

Micro Trends

Confessional Clubs

Generation Z are turning from identity-driven social media platforms to safe, anonymous and judgement-free spaces that are rooted in emotional hone...

Youth : Social Media : Society

Micro Trends

Crowdsourced Companions

Digital apps are reviving physical meetings, helping despondent members of Generation Z to expand their social groups in safe and meaningful ways.

Youth : Media : Digital

Macro Trends

The Zalpha Reckoning

A hybrid generation of Zalphas are entering brands’ consciousness. Wise beyond their years, these products of climate change are using their childh...

Youth : Media : Technology

Viewpoints

Gen Z are shaking up the elitist art world

The art world is on the cusp of major change. Here’s how Paul Hill, the 22-year-old founder of Strada, is empowering the next generation of artists...

Youth : Luxury : Art