Generation Z, Formats and Online Trends: The Unpredictable Hodgepodge

To the rhythm of Quédate by Quevedo, Millennials and Boomers try to put themselves in the shoes of Generation Z, which includes those born between 1994 and 2010, and who have come into the world with an app in hand, but (spoiler): it's complicated. These youngsters have had access to the Internet from a young age, and whether we like it or not, it has influenced their way of expressing themselves and seeing the world. This is why Youtube has recently published a report based on surveys conducted with young people from over 10 countries, attempting to better understand this generation of creators and consumers, and the trends they follow and promote. Let's break it down and see what we learn from Gen Z!

Pop Culture and Virality

When we talk about pop culture or popular culture, we refer to the set of events and social phenomena that mark an era and are part of the collective imagination of different contemporary generations. It includes all kinds of manifestations and elements: art, current events, daily life customs, publications, movies, series, fashion... Basically everything you know, and Conchi, your neighbor on the first floor, and her son, who is on Erasmus in Prague, also know.

Many times we overlook Generation Z when planning our marketing strategies. “They are not our target” or “They are not our priority” are two phrases you have surely used at some point or have been told by your own client. But Generation Z could be your audience of the near future or the most imminent present (because they also influence their families' decisions). We need to pay attention to them now!

Iratxe Álvarez Amor, Head of content at Runroom

Pop culture is constantly evolving, and thanks to the Internet, in recent years it has adopted a pace and movement similar to that of the Dragon Khan. Currently, viral videos and everything that flies at the speed of a click on social media are likely to become part of popular culture, and so it is for those of us starting to go gray, but according to Youtube's report, 65% of respondents value content that they create or that responds to their tastes more than what is truly relevant to the majority of the public. So we have the first clue:Generation Z likes personalization and doesn't get carried away by what becomes viral, in fact, 55% say they consume content that doesn't interest anyone else they know.

Main Trends Among Generation Z

After analyzing hundreds of trends, Youtube highlights the following as the main ones in the new pop culture for young people:

1. Creativity and Community

Considering that 61% of respondents consider themselves big fans of something, it's understood that fan communities and people who share common tastes and interests form a trend in themselves. Years ago, fans of something or someone didn't have true prominence, but were perceived as a consequence of the success or popularity of what they were passionate about. Currently, fans have taken the lead and generate content directed at their niche, their community. We can say there are “professional fans” who are a source of inspiration for others.

In the end, all this content generated around a concept, a lifestyle, or an artist, is what a good follower has at their disposal in every search, turning Youtube, and other video platforms, into the lenses through which an important part of current pop culture is interpreted.

2. Creativity and Multiformat

If we expected to discover the great format that dazzles Generation Z in the report, I'm sorry, but we're facing an epic fail. This generation doesn't commit to anyone. It's true that thanks to platforms like TikTok, short videos are experiencing a great boom and new creators and new audiences are emerging, as 59% of respondents use this type of app, but that doesn't mean long formats disappear, on the contrary, they hold on tight and, against all odds, remain on the map.

The new way of consuming videos among young people is usually like this: first, they watch the short format video with the headlines, with the highlights, and if they're interested, they go for the long version to delve deeper. Evidently, many people stay only with the short version, which is why these pieces must be conceived as a final product in themselves with a clear and transmittable concept, considering that they will be consumed out of context.

It's believed that Generation Z only wants easy and quick-to-consume content, that they are not capable of seeing beyond a TikTok or a reel. Nothing could be further from the truth. They spend their time on Youtube; they get involved in more closed communities like Twitch; they are part of the podcast phenomenon. It's likely we have that wrong impression because not all brands are able to generate the content that interests them, and they seek it from their favorite creators.

Iratxe Álvarez Amor, Head of content at Runroom.

And if it was already clear that this generation is eclectic, we confirm it upon discovering that 53% are attracted to online horror content, because yes, it seems that young people see and understand this type of content differently.

Daily routine videos, of people cleaning, tidying up, or performing some task that on screen can be relaxing or satisfying for those who watch, have also become widespread. Of course, there is a wide range of guided meditations and audios for all tastes. The interesting thing about this type of content is that the audience tends to be quite loyal, as confirmed by 69% of respondents, who say they watch those contents and channels more than once because they found them comforting.

Another perspective with an emotional touch that also appears among the data shared by Youtube is nostalgia. Yes, Generation Z, when they get sentimental and miss the good times of the past, turns to their favorite videos and hits play for a cathartic session. I must say that nostalgia is not an exclusive theme of this generation, but in recent years society in general has nostalgia on the surface, it's in fashion. Hence the return to other eras in the fashion world, for example, which constantly recovers trends, even shoulder pads (hello?), or on screen, with acclaimed series like Stranger Things that excites all the children of the 70s and 80s, or the rise of series like Aquí no hay quien viva, which airs on loop, or series that return like Los hombres de Paco and UPA Dance.

In Conclusion

With all the results of the report conducted by Youtube to understand the trends of Gen Z well analyzed, we can say the following:

• That communities of different kinds and their dialogue on the Internet are a constant source of content, and that content personalization is very relevant.
• That current creators are hybrid creators who move between different formats and platforms, and that content is consumed in a very anarchic way. There is room for short videos, but also for those that last hours and allow for in-depth exploration of topics.
• That content responds to the audience's needs, even when they seek emotional well-being, calm, and introspection.

And with all this learned about Generation Z, their trends, and their influence on current pop culture, the older ones have two options: join in and be “young oldies,” or pull nostalgia saying that VHS times were always better.

3. Empathetic Creativity

Of the three, this is perhaps the most striking trend, mainly because previous generations know what life without the Internet is like and having to look up landline numbers in a huge directory, so we have prioritized the practicality that the network of networks has brought. However, today's young people also use different platforms, and mainly Youtube, to consume content that is satisfying on a psychological and emotional level, in fact, 83% of respondents say they have searched for content to relax, and 90% say some video helped them feel better and made them feel like they were somewhere else.

Besides professionals who openly talk about mental health, emotions, and personal management and work, many people explain their life and experiences through videos. These are the well-known Story times that have become so popular in recent years, and that serve to know other realities, or on the contrary, to see that there are more people living or feeling the same.

Another type of content that has experienced a huge growth is ASMR, Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, which are videos with whispers or soft sounds that can generate a different psychological and physical response in each person; they can relax, induce sleep, and/or cause a slight tingling in the neck. The creators of this type of videos have multiplied, as have their videos, which combine sounds touching different objects, making relaxing movements in front of the camera, and representing roleplays in which the viewer can “experience” a massage or facial cleansing session firsthand.