Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- Who are the “iGeneration”?
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- Figure 1: Births in the US (millions), Mintel generational cut-offs, 1930-2015
- The issues
- Millennial lifestyle trends continue with iGens
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- Figure 2: Plans for the future, tween/teen iGens, March 2017
- Looking back, grades didn’t matter that much
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- Figure 3: Factors for success, tween/teen and adult iGens, March 2017
- Adult iGens may struggle to make offline connections
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- Figure 4: iGen attitudes toward friendship, tween/teen and adult iGens, March 2017
- The opportunities
- iGens’ youth keeps them in touch with pop culture
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- Figure 5: Generational perspectives, adult iGens, March 2017
- YouTube gets high marks from iGens
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- Figure 6: Perceptions of media channels, teen iGens, March 2017
- Figure 7: Perceptions of media channels, adult iGens, March 2017
- Adult iGens are sophisticated social users
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- Figure 8: iGen attitudes toward social media, teen and adult iGens, March 2017
- What it means
Who Are iGens? – What You Need to Know
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- iGens have a different set of influences
- iGeneration is a relatively small cohort
- Younger generations skew multicultural
- Marriage, family, and homeownership will occur later in life
iGen Influences
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- Great Recession shapes iGen economic outlook
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- Figure 9: GDP change from previous period and consumption expenditures, Q1 2007-Q4 2016
- iGens – digital and mobile natives
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- Figure 10: Launch dates of influential tech companies and products related to iGen birth years
- The news that never stops
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- Figure 11: Perceptions of media channels – Mobile apps for news, adult iGens, March 2017
- iGens think globally
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- Figure 12: Teen iGen perceptions of adulthood – International travel, by demographics, March 2017
The iGeneration by the Numbers
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- iGeneration population to remain stable
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- Figure 13: Population share, by generation, 2012-22
- Diversity grows with younger generations
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- Figure 14: Generations, by race and Hispanic origin, 2017
- Teen births at a record low
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- Figure 15: Birth rates per 1,000 females, by age, 1990-2014
- As they expect, iGens will likely marry later in life
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- Figure 16: Median age at first marriage, by gender, 2006-16
- Homeownership may also occur later in life
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- Figure 17: Homeownership rate, by age of householder, 2016
- iGens raised in small households
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- Figure 18: Average number of own children per family (for families with children under 18), 2015
- Shift in living arrangements for iGeneration
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- Figure 19: Living arrangements of children under 18 years old, 1970-2016
Key Trends – What You Need to Know
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- Tween/teen brands don’t underestimate their audience
- iGens may be a more conservative generation
- Pepsi’s protest ad gets protested
- iGens escape retailers’ grasp
- Streaming music gains steam
- Big name partnerships constrain YouTube self-expression
What’s Working?
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- Wise-up for the teen audience
- Give iGens something to talk about
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- Figure 20: Coca-Cola – Brotherly Love, TV ad, March 2016
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- Figure 21: Dove – Real Beauty Productions #RealBeauty, March 2017
- Figure 22: Secret Deodorant – Pitch, January 2017
- Drinking and drug use down among teens
- Making games a share-able experience
What’s Struggling?
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- Retailers consider how to attract a younger audience
- “Mean girl” attitude doesn’t work with iGens
- Pepsi ad elicits a collective groan from the internet
- Paid social ads may not be the right approach
What’s Next?
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- Social shopping attracts young consumers
- Music industry relies on streaming services to regain revenues
- Independent creators walk a fine line
- Colleges experiment with data to compete for new students
- McDonald’s reaches out to young employees through “snaplications”
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- iGens expect to delay marriage and family
- Adult iGens keep up with brands and trends
- Teen iGens concerned with grades; adult iGens consider people skills
- YouTube is the “must have” platform for teens and adults
- iGens’ top concerns include both local and global issues
- Adult iGens see the advantages/disadvantages of social media
- Social connection may elude adult iGens
Tween/teen iGeneration’s Plans for the Future
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- iGens intend to continue Millennial social trends
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- Figure 23: Plans for the future, tween/teen iGens, March 2017
- College is still an expectation for teens
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- Figure 24: Teens’ attitudes toward going to college versus being famous, October 2015 – November 2016
- Male teens focus on monetary success
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- Figure 25: Plans for the future – Select items, tween/teen iGens, by gender, March 2017
- The youngest iGens have the most traditional expectations
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- Figure 26: Plans for the future – Select items, tween/teen iGens, by age, March 2017
- Black iGens steer clear of marriage before 25
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- Figure 27: Plans for the future – Select items, tween/teen iGens, by race, March 2017
Adult iGen’s Generational Perspectives
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- iGens more on trend than past generations
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- Figure 28: Generational perspectives, adult iGens, March 2017
- Men and women are equally aware of branding
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- Figure 29: Generational perspectives – Select items, adult iGens, by gender, March 2017
- Hispanic iGens pride themselves on hard work
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- Figure 30: Generational perspectives – Select items, adult iGens, by Hispanic origin, March 2017
Factors for Success
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- Adult iGens reprioritize soft skills
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- Figure 31: Factors for success, tween/teen and adult iGens, March 2017
- Female iGens emphasize social skills
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- Figure 32: Factors for success – Select items, tween/teen and adult iGens, by gender, March 2017
- As iGens age, grades take a back seat
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- Figure 33: Factors for success – Select items, tween/teen and adult iGens, by age, March 2017
- Current events an important success factor for Black iGens
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- Figure 34: Factors for success – Select items, adult iGens, by race, March 2017
Perceptions of Media Channels
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- YouTube is an essential channel for teen iGens
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- Figure 35: Perceptions of media channels, tween/teen iGens, March 2017
- Methodology
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- Figure 36: Tween/Teen iGen perceptions of media channels, March 2017
- YouTube also tops the list for adult iGens
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- Figure 37: Perceptions of media channels, adult iGens, March 2017
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- Figure 38: Adult iGen perceptions of media channels, March 2017
- Snapchat usage diverges as male and female iGens age
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- Figure 39: Perceptions of media channels – Snapchat and podcasts, tween/teen and adult iGens, March 2017
- Instagram holds appeal for Black tweens/teens
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- Figure 40: Perceptions of media channels – Social channels, tween/teen iGens, by race, March 2017
- Blogs connect with adult audience
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- Figure 41: Perceptions of media channels – Blogs, tween/teen and adult iGens, March 2017
Big Picture Concerns for iGens
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- Concerns compound for adult iGens
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- Figure 42: iGen issues, tween/teen and adult iGens, March 2017
- As tweens/teens age, they become exposed to political issues
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- Figure 43: iGen issues – Select items, tween/teen and adult iGens, by age, March 2017
- Violence more likely to be a concern for male tweens/teens
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- Figure 44: iGen issues – Select items, tween/teen and adult iGens, by gender, March 2017
- Police violence is a heightened concern for Hispanics
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- Figure 45: iGen issues – Select items, adult iGens, by Hispanic origin, March 2017
iGens and Social Media
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- Pros and cons of social media more pronounced among older iGens
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- Figure 46: iGen attitudes toward social media, teen and adult iGens, March 2017
- Social media usage similar across male and female teens
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- Figure 47: iGen attitudes toward social media – select items, teen iGens, by gender, March 2017
- As iGens age, more gender differences materialize
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- Figure 48: iGen attitudes toward social media – Select items, adult iGens, by gender, March 2017
- Urban teens sophisticated social users
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- Figure 49: iGen attitudes toward social media, teen iGens, by area, March 2017
iGen Attitudes
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- Making friends a greater challenge for adults
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- Figure 50: iGen attitudes toward friendship, tween/teen and adult iGens, March 2017
- Adult iGens struggle to focus
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- Figure 51: iGen attitudes toward work and school, tween/teen and adult igens, March 2017
- Teen iGens still building leadership skills
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- Figure 52: iGen attitudes toward charity, tween/teen and adult iGens, March 2017
- Tween iGens appear the most optimistic
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- Figure 53: iGen optimism, tween/teen and adult iGens, by age, March 2017
- Low-income tweens/teens look for financial stability
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- Figure 54: iGen attitudes toward success, tween/teen iGens, by household income, March 2017
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations
Appendix – iGens by the Numbers
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- Figure 55: Population, by generation, 2012-22
- Figure 56: Median age at first marriage, by gender, 2006-16
- Figure 57: Homeownership rate, by age of householder, 2016
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- Figure 58: Birth rates, by age of mother, 1990-2014
- Figure 59: Average number of own children per family, 1970-2016
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