6 Key Differences Between Marketing to Millennials and Gen Z

Millennials and Gen Z shouldn't be grouped together when targeting younger demographics. Although they have grown up in similar circumstances with the internet, their social media use differs. Millennials are 87% likely to use Facebook weekly, while only 36% of Generation Z are. Generation Z are 63% likely to use TikTok weekly, whereas Millennials aged 30-49 are only 44% likely to do so.

Spending habits also differ among these digital natives. McKinsey's ConsumerWise survey found that 59% of Generation Z planned to spend money on items they wanted at the beginning of 2025, compared with 53% of Millennials. This is still much higher than in past generations. Here are some differences in marketing to millennials and Gen Z to keep in mind when targeting each generation.

Generation Z Leans Into Relatable Creators More Than Millennials Do

Both generations follow influencers, but they respond to them differently.

• Purchase influence: Pew Research Center found that younger social media users, especially those under 30, are considerably more likely than older users to say they've bought something after seeing an influencer promote it.
• Account preferences: Statista's global survey data on social accounts followed and purchased from by age shows younger cohorts engaging more heavily with smaller, niche creator accounts than older users do.

When millennials were growing up, there were influencers, but they were more like what we think of as celebrities advertising products. Once Gen Z became aware of this, they started to drift away from these types of influencers. Here are some key points to note about Gen Z:

• More relatable than celebrity-type influencers
• They have a niche
• Can bash their brand if they don’t agree with something

Having your followers be relevant to your target customer is important. You can have an influencer with fewer followers than a more mainstream one, but they may appeal more to your customers. This goes hand in hand with being more relatable to your target customer.

Online Shopping Habits among Gen Z and Millennials

Online shopping has taken over all generations. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales, e-commerce now makes up 16.4% of US retail sales in the third quarter of 2025. This number is increasing at a higher rate than overall retail sales for that period. Each generation approaches purchasing an item differently.

The Pew Research Center conducted a survey of U.S. adults and found that about 76% have purchased something through their phones. All generations shop online on their phones; it's just that they differ in what they do day to day. One difference in the shopping habits noted in the Pew Research Center study is that younger generations who use social media are more likely to buy things from creators they follow. This aligns with the generation Gen Z belongs to. Millennials are used to buying things online because that's how they grew up shopping. Looking up prices on websites and reading reviews from other customers on those websites.

How Gen Z's Diet Differs from Millennials' in Digital Platforms

Gen Z and millennials are constantly using digital media; they just use it differently. A study found that across all social media they tracked, Gen Z used them at higher rates than those in the 30-49 age bracket, who are often considered millennials. So instead of sticking to one or two social media platforms, Gen Z tends to spread themselves out across many.

Not only do they spread themselves out, but they also tend to watch shorter videos and switch more frequently, a pattern often linked to a shorter Gen Z attention span than that of older users. Whether that be on their phones, jumping around different social media or other types of content, the habit points to attention spread thin across constant novelty. Millennials, by contrast, will also use search engines and watch shows on streaming services, sticking with longer-form content for stretches at a time, a behavior that suggests a comparatively steadier Millennial attention span. This leads us to the conclusion that both generations will sit on their phones for long periods, just looking at different types of content.

Why Authenticity Isn't Optional When Marketing to Gen Z

Generations will always care about authentic content. However, for Generation Z, it's almost become a necessity. While millennials will still fall for some of these tactics, Generation Z is starting to avoid them and appreciate brands that can speak to them on a more personal level and don't seem like they're trying too hard to sell something.

Duolingo's TikTok account is a great example of this. Tiktok published a case study on the company stating that their Tiktok outreach gained 38 million unique viewers and had over 90 million views. It increased their follower count by over 1,400% and exceeded the average click-through rate by 39% in the education category. All of this is done by posting content that isn't very professional at all. Posting memes, using humor from their mascot and replying to users with funny messages. Things that wouldn't gain any attention from previous generations.

Millennials Want Rewards; Gen Z Wants Freedom on Their Own Terms

It's important to note that both generations still show loyalty just in different ways.

Millennials have also been shown to participate in loyalty programs. Deloitte research states that 78% are enrolled in at least one program, and 65% of those participate each month. They love a good points program, and it's something we were taught from a young age.

Gen Z has also shown signs of loyalty. Deloitte found that 89% are willing to share their information to receive more personalized offers. And 51% will spend more with a company if they feel the offer is customized to them. Gen Z values more:

• Being able to interact with the community
• The brand's mission
• Easy navigation on the website/app

…rather than points alone. So it's not saying that Gen Z aren't loyal to brands, it's just that they may value other things more than a punch card.

Millennials vs. Gen Z Marketing: 6 Key Differences at a Glance

Every difference covered above points to the same underlying truth: these two generations may sit side by side on the age spectrum, but they respond to fundamentally different marketing approaches. Here's a quick reference summarizing where they diverge.

Treating these two audiences as one "young adult" segment means optimizing for neither. The most effective strategies build separate approaches for each, grounded in how they actually behave rather than just their age.

To Wrap Up

Millennials and Gen Z share digital fluency, but little else in their marketing responses. Millennials favor established platforms, structured rewards, and search-driven research. Gen Z prioritizes authenticity, social discovery, and flexible engagement. Treating them as one audience wastes budget on messaging that resonates with neither.

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