In the US, Gen Z’s spending power is about $360 billion today (Vogue Business). According to Bain & Company, this could translate into as much as 30% of luxury sales by 2030.
Their influence goes beyond their wallets. They shape the buying decisions of parents, siblings, and even peers in the workplace. That’s why understanding how they consume media isn’t just a “Gen Z strategy” but a blueprint for where consumer behavior is heading.
Why should you have Gen Z-specific marketing strategies?
The habits they’re setting now in how they browse, shop, and interact with content are shaping the playbook the rest of the market will follow.
- They’re true digital natives — born into smartphones, streaming, and social media algorithms.
- They adopt and abandon platforms quickly — TikTok’s rise is proof. It hit 1 billion monthly active users in just five years. (Source: Guinness World Records).
- They drive culture in real time — trends that start with them often influence older audiences too.
- Their share is rising fast — by 2030, Gen Z will make up almost 30% of the global workforce.
How do they consume media across platforms?
They don’t “log in” to one platform and stay there. Instead, Gen Z treats media like a playlist — switching channels based on mood, curiosity, or the kind of interaction they’re looking for.
A morning scroll might start with TikTok for quick-hit entertainment, jump to YouTube for a niche tutorial, shift to Twitch to watch a favorite gamer live, and wind down with an Amazon Prime binge or Netflix comfort show. The same person who laughs at a 10-second meme on Instagram in the afternoon could easily spend 45 minutes that evening listening to a podcast on Spotify.
For advertisers, this fluidity is both a challenge and an opportunity.
The old “let’s zero in on this one-channel” strategy simply doesn’t match how this audience behaves online. You can’t expect one Meta ad campaign to carry your digital campaign and facilitate your business revenue. You need presence across the places they spend time with intent, with creative & messaging tailored for each moment.
That could mean TikTok TopView or Reels ads for quick attention grabs, YouTube TrueView and podcast host-read ads for deeper storytelling, Twitch display ads or sponsored stream takeovers for live, real-time engagement, and in-game rewarded video ads that offer immersive, opt-in brand experiences.
Each format is proven to resonate with Gen Z’s content habits, helping your message fit naturally into the environment rather than disrupt it.
By matching the ad messaging to the environment and context, you meet Gen Z in their moment without feeling out of place.
Where does Gen Z discover new products?
Product discovery for this generation is a fluid, multi-environment experience that blends entertainment, community, and commerce.
It often starts with social-first inspiration — a TikTok “Get Ready With Me” video, an Instagram Reel unboxing, or a YouTube creator sharing an honest review. In these spaces, recommendations feel more like advice from a friend than a sales pitch.
From there, they move to trusted e-commerce platforms to check prices, scan ratings, read reviews, and validate whether a product lives up to the hype. For Gen Z, a product without solid online proof points might as well not exist.
They also discover brands in unexpected live contexts — a Twitch streamer using a gadget mid-game, or a casual mention during a live Q&A. These moments feel authentic because they’re woven into content they’ve already chosen to watch.
CTV and streaming platforms like Prime Video, Hulu, or ad-supported Netflix create high-engagement windows where well-placed ads can cut through, especially when tailored to the mood of the show or movie they’re watching.
For advertisers, the takeaway is simple but crucial: product discovery is no longer a single touchpoint.
It’s a journey that might start with a Twitch mention, move into an Amazon search, and end with a TikTok review that finally seals the deal. Your campaigns should be built to travel that journey with them.
How does Gen Z feel about personalization?
They’ve been living with algorithmic curation for as long as they can remember, so naturally, they expect brands to keep up.
A well-timed ad for sneakers right after they’ve been browsing styles feels relevant. The same ad chasing them from app to app for weeks?
That’s crossing the line from “you get me” to “you’re watching me.”
For digital marketers, the sweet spot is making personalization feel like part of the moment rather than a sales tactic. That starts with letting campaigns go through their learning phase, gathering data on how different segments respond, what triggers engagement, and where drop-offs happen. The insights from this stage are key to understanding audience intent and refining targeting.
When you know not just who they are, but where they are — physically, mentally, and contextually — you can serve ads that blend seamlessly into their current experience, whether that’s a CTV binge, a Twitch stream, or a TikTok scroll. These are the ads they’ll welcome instead of skipping.
So how can advertisers win?
Start by using Amazon DSP to unify targeting across Amazon OTT, Twitch, CTV, and premium publisher inventory, ensuring consistent audience reach without siloed buys. Layer in first-party audience segments and let campaigns run through their learning phase to capture real intent signals before scaling spend.
Lean in on short-form video ads (TikTok, Reels, Twitch mid-rolls) for upper-funnel awareness, pair them with longer in-stream or interactive video formats (YouTube TrueView, CTV interactive overlays) for consideration, and close the loop with retargeting ads served via programmatic display or shoppable video units.
When each ad placement is chosen with purpose — awareness, consideration, or conversion — and sequenced through a single programmatic strategy, you’re not just showing up where Gen Z is. You’re building a campaign that learns, optimizes, and delivers results across every touchpoint.
