Gen Z’s Love for Nostalgia Continues
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Welcome to Morning Consult’s new newsletter on young consumers: We’ll put the headlines you’re reading about Gen Alpha, Gen Z and millennials into context with our high frequency survey data to help you better understand exactly how they’re spending their time — and their dollars.
Today, let’s talk about Gen Z’s love of nostalgia. Plus, a look at young people’s support for diversity initiatives amid headlines about DEI rollbacks.
📼 Gen Z’s love for nostalgia continues 📼
Have you heard that Gen Zers are now into cassette tapes? Every time older consumers think they’ve got something they can now get rid of forever, Gen Z brings it back to life.
So hang on to your cassette decks because Gen Z’s embrace of vintage items only looks to be growing. According to Morning Consult Intelligence, the shares of Gen Zers who agree with the sentiment that they prefer “classic and timeless over trendy” has grown by 15 points in the last three years.
Gen Z’s gravitation towards timeless is part of a trend Morning Consult has long covered: From the resuscitation of Abercrombie, last year’s blockbuster Barbie summer, to young people’s love of nostalgia content, a yearning for both experiences and products of the past dominates Gen Z (and to a lesser extent, millennial) culture today.
And what’s more timeless than dolls from the 50s and cassettes of the 60s?
In the same vein, this trend also intersects perfectly with Gen Z’s burgeoning love affair with so-called “dumb tech,” which has seen a surge in usage over the last year. They, alongside millennials, lead the way in interest, driven likely by increasing fatigue with interconnectedness on their mobile devices.
▶️ For more on how Gen Z shops, read our analysis here.
▶️ For Pro subscribers who want to understand how Gen Z engages with social media, entertainment and technology, download our report here.
📊 Gen Z to corporations: Don't diminish DEI 📊
In recent years, corporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs have become a target of conservative politicians, organizations and media pundits — all of whom have made a key issue out of deprioritizing the practice. And in recent months, many large brands, including perennial Gen Z favorites like Google and Meta, have done just that. However, new Morning Consult research suggests these moves are unpopular among young consumers.
Pluralities of Gen Z adults oppose companies doing things like decreasing the influence of DEI programs or ending them entirely. What’s more, the share of Gen Z adults who said they support such rollback efforts was at least 12 percentage points lower than that of all U.S. adults in each tested case.
Three in 5 Gen Zers (60%) also believe that DEI programs are either “very” or “somewhat” important to the success of most businesses, further highlighting their view of the practice as legitimate and necessary. Brands that walkback existing DEI commitments may risk sacrificing long-term favorability among this coveted cohort — especially considering that the topic has proven so enduring.
▶️ For more on how Americans are thinking about DEI rollbacks, read our analysis here.
▶️ For Pro subscribers who want to understand how other corporate actions, like ESG investing, are being perceived by consumers ahead of the 2024 election, download our most recent report on the intersection of brands and politics..
What Else We’re Reading
- The dramatic turnaround in millennials’ finances. (Wall Street Journal)
- The Great Detachment is looming for employees, experts warn — especially for Gen Z. (Business Insider)
- How Chuck E. Cheese is remaking itself for Gen Alpha. (AdWeek)
- Brands love influencers (until politics get involved). (The New York Times)
Coming Up
8/26 Report: The State of Travel. A deep dive into the evolving consumer behaviors in the travel sector and what they mean for the future of the industry.
8/28 Report: Gen Z Men and Women. An examination into the young generation's demographics, psychographics and consumption habits by gender.
Amy He leads Industry Analysis at Morning Consult. Prior to joining Morning Consult, Amy served as the executive editor at eMarketer, and was a China reporter for many years. She graduated from New York University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and East Asian studies. For speaking opportunities and booking requests, please email [email protected].
Ellyn Briggs is a brands analyst on the Industry Intelligence team, where she conducts research, authors analyst notes and advises brand and marketing leaders on how to apply insights to make better business decisions. Prior to joining Morning Consult, Ellyn worked as a market researcher and brand strategist in both agency and in-house settings. She graduated from American University with a bachelor’s degree in finance. For speaking opportunities and booking requests, please email [email protected].