Gen Z is creating new rules of engagement

Gen Z is rewriting the digital playbook, setting new standards for content discovery, engagement, and consumption. This generation is social-first, always on, and hyper-connected, and the details are outlined in Gen Z Culture Decoded, a new research report that I co-led with Mary Ann Halford of Halford Media Advisory.

Our study revealed that 71% of Gen Z consumers turn to social platforms and YouTube as their primary discovery hubs. This deeply impacts their entertainment choices across TV shows, sports, podcasts, and more.

At a time when capturing attention and loyalty is more complex than ever, Mary Ann and I designed this study hoping to understand Gen Z better ourselves and to provide a roadmap for brands, creators, and advertisers looking to connect with this influential demographic. We surveyed 2,000 U.S.-based Gen Z respondents (ages 16-27) in a study conducted by Toluna in December 2024 and January 2025, with key input from QuickPlay and Swerve Sports executives.

Key takeaways from Gen Z Culture Decoded

• Social media dominates: At least 74% of Gen Z consumers engage with social media at any time of day.
• Hyper-connectivity defines behavior: On average, Gen Z participates in seven different digital activities daily, with the number rising to eight in the early evening.
• Viewing habits shift throughout the day:
  • Video consumption increases steadily, peaking in the evening.
  • Sports and gaming peak in the evening.
  • Music, audiobooks, and podcasts see higher engagement in the afternoon and evening.
  • Radio and news updates are most popular in the morning.
• Comedy is king: Across entertainment platforms, comedy emerges as the #1 genre, influencing both content creation and advertising.
• Short-form and vertical video formats are ascendant:
  • 81% of Gen Z video viewers said they watch videos in vertical format weekly.
  • 79% of Gen Z users indicated that a "shorts" feature would increase their engagement with a streaming service.

What this means for the future of digital engagement

We found that, for marketers, advertisers, and media strategists, winning Gen Z's attention requires a multi-platform, video-driven, and socially integrated approach.

Our research points to opportunities for media companies to engage audiences on their own platforms with formats adapted from social platform norms, such as vertical video and short-form video with text on screen. The platforms of these media companies - from Hulu to Peacock to Netflix - currently primarily focus on long-form and horizontal video.

Our partners weigh in

Gen Z Culture Decoded aimed to provide a roadmap for connection and relevance. We and our research partners knew that Gen Z habits and preferences would differ from older generations. It is clear that breaking through to this savvy and surprising generation will require unprecedented levels of agility and investment in new skills and tools.

Halford said the research shows a clear pathway for streamers to reclaim engagement lost to social platforms: "While social media and YouTube are the starting points for Gen Z content discovery, their consumption patterns are complex and sometimes surprising. The demand for integrated short-form content experiences is undeniable."

Quickplay Co-Founder and CBO Paul Pastor said it confirmed what he has seen among the Gen Z demographic: "Gen Z demands short-form, engaging content across all platforms, and it's where and how they discover new content. They are a hyper-connected generation that expects content to be readily available, personalized, and easily digestible."

Understanding how Gen Z's attitudes and behaviours differ from other generations is essential, said Jasen Holness, EVP Commercial Strategy, Toluna. "This research provides a practical blueprint."

A deep dive into Gen Z's digital universe

Gen Z Culture Decoded covered over 60 key questions, exploring topics such as: content discovery, YouTube consumption trends, news consumption, advertising preferences and more. We explored how Gen Z is reshaping media engagement and connection by examining cultural interests, habits, and preferences, looking for deeper understanding of what meaningful interactions look like.

We all know that Gen Z has a digital first mindset. However, they consume content differently than other digital first audience groups, and it is critical to understand how these different consumption habits impact brand perception, trust and loyalty. With the insights from this study, we hope to enable media leaders, brands and advertisers to better find Gen Z and to satisfy their expectations now and as they grow into adulthood.

audiences, consumer behavior, Gen Z, streaming video