What’s next for Gen Z?

What 2024 voting patterns tell us about Gen Z as consumers and trendsetters.

Jan 09, 2025

a woman standing in front of a blue wall — Photo by Isi Parente on Unsplash

There’s a lot to learn about young Americans – and their appetite across industries – by looking at how and why they voted in 2024. The election may have come and gone, and we’re just weeks out from President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. But early youth voting data and trends from last year’s political showdown could be an omen for what Gen Z’s craving from brands, employers, and tech platforms in 2025 – and beyond.

Here are my top takeaways to keep in mind:

Nostalgic for the past, even if it’s one they never experienced

Perhaps the most telling part of my listening sessions with young people over the past few years was when I would ask the participants who their dream politician is. They rarely ever listed young or up-and-coming names like those that are floated for 2028 contenders. Instead, they went back in time, and focused on former President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and yes – Donald Trump, who feeds their nostalgia by promising to ‘Make America Great Again.’

Across party lines – from a fixation with trad-wife (and trad-life) culture, to feeling like the American Dream is a relic of a bygone era amid the crushing cost of higher education and rising home prices – young people are desperate to go back to the past, to a time period they believe to have been better, safer, kinder, and more prosperous than the one we are currently living in.

Takeaway: Don’t shy away from the elephant in the room. Lean into it. Address today’s biggest problems instead of sugar coating them. Then you can pivot to talk about the future and your products or ideas for solutions.

Desperate for authenticity

Young people smell B.S. from a mile away and will read through poor intentions. If you’re doing a podcast or an influencer collab just for the sake of doing it, they’ll scroll away immediately – and could hold it against you. And scripted or overly produced content is outdated.

Takeaway: Let your spokespeople speak off the cuff, tell personal stories, and get to know the people they’re engaging with! Only say yes to an opportunity if it fits with the brand or individual’s personality. If the principal acts like they don’t know who the influencer or host is in the interview – that’s a red flag.

Itching for community

The loneliness epidemic is top of mind for today’s youngest Americans. At a focus group in Philadelphia with young men about a month before the election, participants described a palpable sense of frustration with dating apps and relationships that feel transactional online. They longed for a time when it was feasible to meet someone in person, or to go up to someone at a bar without coming off as creepy. This yearning for community and connection permeates all aspects of young people’s culture.

Takeaway: Anyone looking to connect with young audiences should create opportunities for in-person engagement to meet them. If you’re a brand, hold a pop-up. If you’re a politician, hold an in-person town hall or visit a college campus. Give Gen Z a space to come together and experience you in real life.

Don’t be fooled, they want a minute-long clip

There’s a lot of buzz about podcasts – and for good reason. The format allows individuals, brands, and personalities to connect with an audience in what feels like an intimate, personal setting. For example, Trump sitting in the room with Joe Rogan and across the couch from Andrew Schulz feels real and unfiltered. However, the majority of young people are seeing the clips of the podcast on social media – not watching or listening to full episodes. Many young people I spoke with last fall didn’t even realize the Trump x Rogan show was 3 hours long!

Takeaway: Brands and campaigns looking to leverage podcasts must optimize how Gen Z interacts with the content. Tap into the podcast for clippable moments and ensure spokespeople speak in pithy, viral-ready soundbites. This isn’t about the episode, it’s about the highlight reel.

Accustomed to instant-gratification

In a listening session at Delaware State University in 2022, a group of young women were pressed over why they had yet to receive loan forgiveness, given that President Joe Biden had said he would cancel their student loans. For a generation that’s grown up online, can order food and have it delivered within 10 minds, can call an Uber within 2 minutes, and gets likes minutes after posting an Instagram, the slow-burn of politics is agonizing. While these expectations might be problematic, they’re pervasive.

Takeaway: Gen Z’s impatience – and their disillusionment when promises aren’t fulfilled instantly – is a reality of our current culture. You can argue this is a flaw, but it’s still a deeply ingrained reality that brands, employers, and political leaders can’t afford to ignore. There’s a massive opportunity for those who can act decisively and deliver tangible, quick results. Leaders and brands who fail to meet these expectations risk backlash, or even irrelevance, but those who move quickly, communicate clearly, and level with Gen Z about what’s possible and when, will win trust and loyalty with a skeptical consumer.

Know your audience, especially when it comes to gender

Young men and women are very different consumers and their for-you/explore pages are poles apart. Beyond a political gender divide (young men backed Trump by 14 points, while young women backed Vice President Kamala Harris by 18), in conversations with young people last fall they described different perspectives on education, dating, and workplace culture. While young women have been uplifted by liberal movements and causes in recent years and appreciate social spaces dedicated to celebrating their womanhood, young men, particularly young white men, describe feeling blamed simply for being a man.

Takeaway: Think strategically about who you’re trying to reach and market directly to them using the messengers and platforms that resonate most. Beyond that – there’s opportunity for those who focus on young men and welcome them into their conversations and campaigns. That’s not to say that we should forget about young women (of course not!). But at a time when young men describe feeling left out of national conversations, those who target them directly are likely to be heard.

Renting and home ownership are top of mind

Before the election, it was nearly impossible to have a conversation with young people without housing coming up as a major concern. For many of today’s youngest citizens, the dream of home ownership feels increasingly out of reach due to rising inflation and soaring house prices. Even with some wage growth, the cost of rent and utility costs are rising, too. This puts a burden on young people who don’t yet have deep savings – and who may need to share living spaces with multiple roommates, family members, or even move in prematurely with significant others to afford basic housing.

Takeaway: The housing crisis isn’t just an economic issue - it’s reshaping culture, relationships, and consumer habits.

Lean into hustle culture and the gig economy

Young generations are embracing hustle culture and the gig economy, seeking multiple streams of revenue beyond traditional 9-to-5 jobs. This entrepreneurial mindset drives them to view themselves as brands, emphasizing individuality and self-marketing. They’re not just looking for a paycheck; they want roles that align with their values, creativity, and long-term aspirations.

Takeaway: To attract and retain young talent, employers need to adapt to this mindset. Instead of slotting them as a cog in a wheel offer opportunities that value their ideas and allow them to see how their contributions shape the bigger picture. Recognize their individuality, even at the entry level, and foster a sense of agency and collaboration.