Retailers face an atypical holiday season. Instead of the usual end-of-year boom, 2025 is expected to bring a rare deceleration in holiday sales growth.
Gen X consumers will spend $15.2 trillion worldwide this year, the highest of any generation, according to NielsenIQ.
The news: A recent YouGov study highlighted shifting media consumption habits—and Gen Z is leading the way. Half of Gen Zers make purchases based on social media ads compared with 41% of overall consumers. Gen Z is one of the leaders in time spent with social media, with 28% spending at least 5 hours on social platforms on the average weekday. Our take: As Gen Z proves itself as one of the most valuable demographics for advertisers, brands must tailor strategies to channels and formats that are most likely to connect with these growth drivers.
The advertising industry’s age and experience mix is shifting fast. In the US, entry-level roles are shrinking as automation replaces routine tasks, while in Australia, “juniorisation” favors younger, digitally fluent hires over seasoned veterans. Agencies face a balancing act—bringing in Gen Z talent to master AI-driven tools and authentically shape campaigns, while retaining senior expertise crucial for strategy, oversight, and client trust. Without a robust entry-level pipeline today, the industry risks a future shortage of homegrown leaders just as marketing grows more complex.
The news: Sixty-four percent of Gen Z and 65% of millennial homebuyers say their financial well-being will depend on their ability to refinance to a lower interest rate in the future, per Truework’s “The State of Homebuying in America” report. But if rates don’t significantly drop over the next few years, these customers’ mortgages could be at risk of defaulting. Our take: Financial institutions (FIs) can step in to help young homeowners navigate their mortgages while they await rate changes. FIs can start by offering automated refinance alerts, enhancing digital transparency and providing a homeownership/homebuying educational hub.
The news: YouTube is facing user backlash after rolling out its AI-powered age-verification system in the US. Many users are furious, per TechRadar, citing concerns about “mass surveillance and data control.” The age-verification AI estimates a user’s age based on viewing patterns, search history, and account age. If it flags a user as under 18, YouTube automatically applies teen safety restrictions like disabling personalized ads, limiting content availability, and turning on digital well-being tools. Our take: Disabling personalized advertising for flagged accounts will disrupt retargeting models and reduce audience reach. Marketers focused on Gen Zers on YouTube should prepare for reduced targeting precision and to shift toward context-driven campaigns or diversify across other platforms.
Roughly two-thirds (64%) of Gen Z consumers have cut spending in the past year due to higher living costs, according to an April Ipsos survey for Bank of America.Uncertainty is beginning to shape Gen Z’s purchasing decisions. Brands will need to work harder to earn their dollars—possibly by appealing to the generation’s tendency to shop for emotional relief.
The findings: Bank of America’s report “A Window to Gen Z’s Financial Health” looks at some of the biggest financial stressors that Gen Zers face. 36% say their income doesn’t cover the cost of their basic needs. The survey also reveals the efforts Gen Zers have made in the last year to still meet their financial goals. 51% put money in savings. 24% paid off debt. 25% put money into retirement accounts. 41% started shopping at more-affordable grocery stores. Our take: Banks can effectively engage with Gen Z by offering products and services that acknowledge the desire for short-term gratification and long-term financial stability.
The news: A Snapchat, WPP Media, and Lumen study unveiled key insights on the growth of attention-based metrics as key indicators of ad success. Even 5% more attention can double brand perception. Attention was 8 times more effective than view-through rates for predicting brand recall and 4 times more effective at determining brand favorability. Our take: Snap is looking to be a leader in a metric that advertisers are increasingly paying attention to—but on the back of a lukewarm quarter, can Snap’s emphasis on attention help it bounce back?
The news: Gen Z is reshaping how consumers shop, spend, and stay well—without ever leaving their screens. US Gen Zers record 425 digital actions a month—40.3% more than Gen Xers and 141.5% more than baby boomers, per PYMNTS Intelligence. Our take: Brands should partner with carefully chosen SMEs to expand reach. High social video subscriber counts won’t bring the best ROI if creators aren’t well-versed in what they’re promoting. They should also ensure websites and checkout processes are frictionless. Gen Z wants quick, effortless experiences. Brands that provide those have the best chance to win them over, and other generations will follow their lead.
Live Nation expects 2025 to be another record year for concertgoing, as global tours from superstars like Oasis, Coldplay, and Beyoncé fuel attendance and ticket sales. While it may seem counterintuitive for concert demand to be so strong even as other areas of discretionary spending, like travel and restaurant meals, falter, it’s clear that a sizable number of consumers view entertainment as a necessary splurge in an era of uncertainty. That could help give the US hospitality industry a much-needed boost as it grapples with declining international demand.
Almost half (49%) of US Gen Zers are much more likely to pay attention to ads that make them laugh or use music they like, per a June report from Edison Research and SiriusXM Media.
The news: We’ve seen TD Bank lean into comedy before to appeal to younger consumers and launch new products. It’s using a similar strategy to educate current and prospective customers about fractional investing services. Can it work? It’s a clever concept that has prompted consumers, who generally like the ad, to question the legality of using snippets of widely recognized logos, per Creative Bloq. The ad’s core strength is how it takes a complex financial concept—fractional investing—and makes it instantly understandable through a simple visual pun. This approach is highly effective in grabbing attention, especially from younger, digitally savvy audiences, who might find traditional financial ads unappealing.
The news: After facing early-career challenges from the Great Recession and then the pandemic, many millennials are now wealthier than previous generations were at the same age. But a significant number remain anxious about their financial future and worry that their wealth could disappear, per The Wall Street Journal. Why this matters for banks: Just as Gen Zers feel they need to earn a whopping $587,800 per year to achieve financial success, millennials may need a reality check from their banking providers so they can productively work toward their financial goals.
The news: More than one-third of Pinterest’s 570 million global users are men (30.4% in the US), driven largely by Gen Z, per the company’s first Pinterest Men’s Trend Report. Their searches—spanning fitness, grooming, parenting, and finance—upend stereotypes and signal new ad opportunities. Our take: Advertisers have an opportunity to plug into Pinterest’s male-centric expansion with the following strategies. Launch campaigns via the “Pinterest Man” hub and align creative with top categories (fitness, skincare, parenting). Partner with male creators to boost authenticity, engagement, and time spent. Use Pinterest’s gender-specific analytics and trend reports to optimize ad timing and targeting.
The gap between retail’s most and least digitized categories will grow even wider.
The news: The UK’s Online Safety Act triggered an immediate surge in virtual private network (VPN) downloads, reflecting public resistance to mandatory age checks, per Wired. Proton VPN reported a 1,400% spike in UK sign-ups after the law took effect, per PCMag, and NordVPN saw purchases jump 1,000%. Our take: Age-check laws, though designed to protect minors, are reshaping how all users interact with content—and how marketers can access these users. VPN adoption is both a privacy signal and a marketing blind spot. Brands that respect digital autonomy while adapting strategy will be best positioned to reach—and keep—their audience.
Cost of living is the top concern for global Gen Zers (39%) and millennials (42%), according to December 2024 data from Deloitte.
The news: Persistently high mortgage rates have forced many US consumers—especially younger, first-time homebuyers—to postpone their dream of owning a home. But adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) are making a comeback: Their share of all US mortgages has nearly doubled since 2017, reaching 30% in 2025. This could drive a boost in mortgage sales among these hopeful owners. Our take: Financial institutions (FIs) should proactively engage with prospective homebuyers, especially younger demographics, by leveraging digital-first educational content to demystify ARMs. Banks must clearly outline the potential for initial savings and the associated risks of fluctuating rates with interactive tools and accessible FAQ. To build trust and encourage engagement, FIs should offer online consultations with mortgage advisors to explain ARM structures (e.g., introductory periods, caps) in plain language. This in turn helps consumers understand if an ARM aligns with their short- to medium-term financial goals.
Fandom has partnered with Experian and Audigent to enhance its AI-driven Helix platform, integrating over 2,400 syndicated audience segments to deliver deeper fan insights. The move empowers marketers to combine third-party data with first-party fan behavior, unlocking targeting based on motivations, not just demographics. Early results show significant brand lift in awareness and purchase intent. This partnership marks Fandom’s evolution into a data-rich media platform, aiming to help advertisers tap into emotional fandom signals across CTV, mobile, and digital. Despite criticism over ad clutter, the platform’s scale and Gen Z reach position it as a leader in culture-driven targeting.