Parents know their children are not the same as they were a few decades back. Generation Z was born between 1997-2012 and has a completely different outlook on life. According to the Census Bureau, in 2020, Generation Z made up around 20% of the entire US population.
They are known to be social, digitally savvy, and highly creative. They even have a distinctive voice in pop culture that is completely different from any other generation. Let us explore the key features of this millennial generation.
Key Takeaways
- Generation Z is technologically literate and is a strong influencer of the movement of trends on the internet.
- This audience focuses heavily on social cultures and advocates the cause of greater representation and inclusion in pop culture.
- They prefer streaming services like Netflix and videos under 60 seconds on TikTok.
- Gen Z actively participates in creating viral content on TikTok, including dancing challenges and everyday fashion.
- Maintenance of minuscule and ever-changing micro-trends in pop culture as a result
Who is Gen Z, and How Do They Differ from Millennials?
It is important to explore the issue of Gen Z characteristics as it will explain how they shape the trends in pop culture. Millennials were the last generation to be born with the internet, and Gen Z is the youngest generation who have all the smartphones and social media in their lives since they were kids. The typical digital life that has been a norm for the Gen Z has woven in attitudes and behaviors that set them apart from the Millennials.
Digital Natives from Day One
Gen Z was born into a world of technology, the Internet and smartphones. Technology, convenience and accessibility is part of their lives since childhood. Even though Millennials became the core users of social media, it was Gen Z that has been raised with technology, apps and social media as part of their ecosystems.
Because of this, they are fast learners of the digital world, of new trends and the newest platforms. While Gen Y went through the transition from a physical world to virtual one, Gen Z grows with the physical world integrated with augmented reality tools which makes them very adapt to the online world.
A Socially Conscious and Pragmatic Generation
Millennials have often been seen as idealistic and self-centred to some extent, while Gen Z seems to be more focused on the practical side with a sense of social awareness. With the climate crisis, social and racial justice, and inclusivity at the forefront of conversations, this generation has formed strong opinions about such matters at a young age.
Hence, young people tend to engage and care more about these issues as well as demanding for a change. Such a high level of awareness influence their pop culture preferences: content, brands and even personalities that support their world views. They do not see entertainment from a social responsibility standpoint but those two often exist together.
A Thirst for Authenticity and Transparency
Genz thinks of its core values as authentic. The Millenials, on the other hand, aligned with the aspirational policies of the platform’s main selling point: The “Insta” aesthetics, leaving behind Gen Z, which leans more toward unfiltered and more real self-expression.
The millennials preferred influencers and brands that showcased a softened or curated persona, but this does not appear to be how The Genz approaches social media influencers.
This desire heading towards more authenticity has shifted the paradigm of the pop culture’s production and consumption. It has shifted toward more authentic, honest, and relatable content. What has been the change is that Gen Z businesses must operate.
How Gen Z Shapes Pop Culture Today
As Gen Z continues to dominate social media platforms, their culture has begun to develop further trends within the mainstream media, and how pop culture is utilized has altered as well. It is Gen Z that influences the pop culture. For entertainment and self expression, Gen Z uses TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat.
TikTok as the Cultural Epicenter
TikTok is not new to trends and claims to be the trendiest among others quite easily! The platform comprises short videos that Gen Z can relate to and rapidly create or share. Within the platform, we see dance imitations, beauty tutorials popularizing ordinary users into influencers, and their micro-trends across them:
Amplifying Micro-Trends
1- Fashion Revolutions
- Y2K Revival: Early 2000’s trends, including low-rising jeans, butterfly clips and halter tops.
- Cottagecore Aesthetic: The character wears floral dresses, soft colours and retro/vintage outfits that give off a fairytale touch.
- E-Girl and E-Boy Styles: People in this culture are influenced by anime and emo and dress in shades of black, multiple chains and decorated face makeup.
2- Music Trends
- Revival of Retro Hits: A return of fame for older songs, especially those from the ’70s, ’80s or the ’90s, and the songs can be mostly seen on TikTok as challenges (for instance, Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams”).
- Sea Shanties: Global users suddenly make viral music that sings in collaboration, mostly via video together, where sea shanty, the only Hawaiian genre fun netizens, spreads over.
- Bedroom Pop: Young bedroom pop songwriters are able to make their songs become hits.
3- Lifestyle and Wellness Fads
- Skin Care Routines: Everyday routines catered towards a particular skin concern, for instance, The Ordinary or Jardins De Lylie, are being shared online and gaining attention at a rapid pace.
- Manifestation: Showing gratitude through vibration, repeating words with faith, creating a dream board, and writing goals normally become part of a collective trend when a group is focused on self-development.
- Plant Parenthood: Young millennials develop an urge to subscribe to trendy “how to care for” vintage houseplants and plants that bloom rarely because of the aesthetics of the photo and video.
Social Media and Self-Expression
Generation Z payments are in use but not just as entertainment millions of dollars. This generation is actively participating in general activism. There is a tendency to encircle support that is targeted at the gay, black, or mental protection communities through their trolls.
Gen Z and Social Justice: A Generation Committed to Change
It isn’t news to anyone that Gen Z focuses on more than just entertainment in pop culture; they make an effort to impact society as well. This generation is not just aware of the challenges, but they are also taking actions for positive change in the world.
Gen Z calls for inclusion in all parts of pop culture. They anticipate that varying brands, films, and content on the media will be representative of our multicultural society and consider different viewpoints and identities.
Gen Z have also taken a stance against social injustices through active participation in Black Lives Matter, or climate change campaigns. Their activism tends to be through social networks where they speak out, share information and events, and mobilizing funds.
There is a growing understanding among corporations that Gen Z would not engage with brands that do not meet their standard. Their advocacy for social change and global needs has led most brands to practice better business conduct and be more purposeful for Gen Z.
What’s Popular with Gen Z Right Now? Entertainment and Trends
When it comes to entertainment, Gen Z is not like other generations. It is evident that they have a preference for digital entertainment rather than more traditional formats; streaming services, social networks, and participatory media are the most common forms of entertainment for them.
Streaming Services and Original Content
Generation Z tends to like unique and original entertainment and prefers to use streaming platforms to access this content. Below is a shortlist of the most popular platforms for them:
1- Netflix
- Provides various original shows, films and documentaries.
- It has created a resonance with them for the varied storylines that focus on societal challenges such as 13 reasons why, sex education, and stranger things.
2- Hulu
- Offers exclusive shows and next-day streams of trending TV.
- Shows like The Handmaid’s Tale, Pen15, and Only Murders in the Building have an audience with Gen Z.
3- Disney+
- Has classic Disney tales and original Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar content that engages the Gen Z audience.
- Titles that have received positive attention include The Mandalorian, WandaVision, and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
4- YouTube
- Perfect for micro-videos, educational clips and influencer-related entertainment.
- They watch YouTubers as well as vlogs and genre-specific videos such as gaming, beauty videos, and DIY clips for hours on end.
5- TikTok
- It offers brief and entertaining videos, including comedies and dances, activism, and all sorts of education.
- It promises to have one of the best machine learning techniques which mean that users will see content specific to their interests and it is bound to become addictive.
6- Amazon Prime Video
- It provides users with numerous original series and films and the ability to watch the most popular television shows and movies.
- Some of Gen Z’s favourites are The Boys, Invincible, and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel.
Gaming as a Cultural Phenomenon and Social Hub
For Gen Z, gaming is more than just a hobby; it’s a cultural activity and a social idea. Games like Fortnite, Minecraft, and Among Us are not just gaming titles; they are platforms where gamers can socialize, create, and connect with people who are in the same place, albeit virtually.
These types of games also serve as social media where members of Generation Z are able to interact with each other and friends across the world on a real-time basis. The reasons for the success of these games are that they resonate with Gen Z in the manner that they are targeted at allowing the user to be creative, form bonds and interact with people spontaneously.
Interactive and Immersive Experiences: Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Beyond
There is a notable shift in focus amongst Gen Z to seeking entertainment that offers more than just passive watching. The current generation is open to adopting Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) based content assets.
With the advancement of modern technology, there have also been new ways of engaging the audience, such as video gaming, which involves VR or augmented applications that help users see virtual outfits or 3D objects. Gen Z is fascinated by the idea of such technology that immerses them into both a digital and a reality realm. They love entertainment that offers them the option to play an active role in the plot, such as interactive stories, role-playing games, or online events
The Impact of Pop Culture on Society Through the Lens of Gen Z
Gen Z has singlehandedly changed the fashion and beauty scene with their belief of self expression and body positivity. They have been relentless in restructuring the objectives of the Industry, forcing it to focus more on representation.
It comes as no surprise to think their values are reflected in the content they consume. Narratives that evoke feelings of understanding, tolerance, and perseverance are often what they seek. Their pressure has made media houses to be informative and useful not just entertaining.
There is a frequent trend among Generation Z’s purchasing habits and their morality. Younger generations are are widening their approach to brands, becoming able to consider not only the products offered but also the consciousness of the companies.
The Role of TikTok in Gen Z’s Cultural Influence
Tik Tok has evolved from a social media app for fun to an important sociocultural tool that has broad impact in shaping Generation Z.
Content Creation and Viral Trends
TikTok’s design makes it easy for trends to circulate, and more often than not, Gen Z is the one producing and popularizing the content. Within a few hours of exposure, this application has print aesthetics (for example cottagecore, e-girl) into trends.
1- Fashion Aesthetics (e.g., Cottagecore, E-Girl, Dark Academia)
TikTok single-handedly popularized a number of fashion aesthetics. The Cottagecore trend emphasizes country life, floral prints and vintage dresses while e-girl styles incorporate basic punk and anime styles, heavy make-up, and layered accessories. Dark Academia, which focuses on scholarly and gothic aesthetics, has also gained its fair share of followers. Such aesthetics enable Gen Z to have fun trying out various looks and representing themselves through distinct styles.
2- Dance Challenges
Social media challenges in the form of dance routines and choreographies have become the hallmark of TikTok, usually stemming from a particular song. Above 20 million users participated in the challenge, and to this day, new participants replicate the Renegade, Savage love , And Blinding lights dances. These challenges also increase the viewership of particular songs and strengthen the relations between the users, as they engage in the recent dance trends.
3- DIY and Life Hacks
Tiktok is perhaps the best social media platform to go search for simple yet effective & creative DIY projects or interesting life hacks. Gen Z users do not hold back and share everything from upcycled fashion pieces to homemade skincare with each other in easy, helpful tutorials that are also low-cost. Such hacks have gained a lot of traction and popularity as they are practical and fun to use when making eco-friendly choices.
4- “Glow-Up” Transformations
The “glow-up” trend allows users to display their improvements in whatever form life style changes, make up transformations or self growth.
Most of the time, such videos focus on automatic transitions showing the before and after, lots of music, and motivating captions. The trend aligns well with Generation Z’s thirst for self-betterment and allows them to show their self-improvement journey, which they often find to be exceptionally empowering.
5- Lip-syncing and Comedy Skits
As for TikTok, lip-syncing videos have almost become a signature of the platform, with users mimicking dialogue from films, series, and viral soundbites. These grow into funny videos where the users have added their own twist to the funny little parts. This trend purports the quick humour within the Gen Z population and their ability to mime and perform mixes in a way that stands out to other viewers on the app.
Music Discovery and Revival: The New Music Launchpad
The New Music Launchpad TikTok has indeed changed the way music is discovered and consumed by Gen Z. The new social media app has resurrected old classics and promoted a number of new songs, usually via dance or soundfueled challenges or trends.
Trends that are popular on Tiktok channels do not only receive popularity but often give way to new artists and songs. It has also become a common practice to dedicate a release to Tiktok, Songs such as Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road’ and Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’ have enjoyed a rebirth of sorts, courtesy of the platform. These examples further demonstrate how Tiktok has become an important platform in today’s music landscape.
Memes and Humor: A Unique Cultural Voice
TikTok’s comedic content seems to fit Gen Z’s exceptional standards because the platform has a fantastic opportunity to consume eye-catching and informative content. This specific video-sharing platform is perfect for those who love short and funny videos, skits, and memes because that’s what its audience loves.
There’s even an unprecedented type of humor that has developed, wherein people make tiered jokes as well as self-mocking and in-app mocking memes, which become popular in a few days. Those memes are very genre-based but fool the rest of Gen Z because of how relatable their content is – a cultural stimulation that brings the followers together.
Future of Pop Culture: What’s Next with Gen Z at the Helm?
Social movements or political turnouts currently have Gen Z’s name branded all over them, and as the focus group evolves, the culture around them is bound to. By the sheer strength of their leadership, the generation will likely be active in areas beyond pop culture and engage in activism involving change in societies and culture through politics.
With the way technology has been advancing, Gen Z will more likely demand a high degree of active engagement through media. More and more, the public will assimilate aspects of virtual reality or augmented reality and potentially many other types of immersive experiences with their everyday lives.
As this generation’s spending power continues to increase, brands need to strategically create products and campaigns that appeal to genz’s values. There are many brands that have placed much emphasis on ethical practices, diversity and sustainability, trends towards which are likely to blossom with this generation.
My Opinion
It is difficult to imagine the pop culture of this new generation without the influence of the Z population. This generation is shaping trends and is characterized by a unique digital mindset. In the authors opinion, the Z generation will continue to reshape the norms and values of society. Marketers for brands, entertainment and media firms as well as cultural institutions have to understand that this generation of kids has different ideals. These ideals have to be embraced for a company or any such organization to relevant in an ever shifting world.
