The Gen Z Paradox: Why This Generation's Real Priorities Surprise Marketers
What does Gen Z really want? Global research reveals their top priorities—sleep, health, and connection, and what this means for brands.
What we continue to hear about Gen Z from conversations is that what excites them is largely tied to digital; TikTok trends, viral moments, and the constant chase for novelty. It's a reasonable assumption but our insight tells a different story.
When we surveyed 5700+ Gen Z consumers across North America through IMI Pulse©, and their answers were remarkably grounded. Not flashy or disruptive. Just human.
Their top aspirations read like a balanced wellness manifesto
Here's what 14–29-year-olds told us excites them most about life:
Have a good night's sleep
Be healthy
Improve physical health
Enjoy life
Get 7–9 hours of sleep
More time with friends
Feel good about myself
More time with family
Sleep appears twice in the top five. Health dominates. Relationships round out the picture. This is a generation exhausted by digital overstimulation, and truly craving the basics, much like what previous generations had experienced.
What drives purchase excitement
Here's where it gets strategically interesting. The purchase drivers generating the most excitement are also aligned with the simpler things – not necessarily digital. While these can show up sometimes in a digital form, both analog and digital needs to be balanced.
The brand makes me feel good (46% excitement)
Brand helps motivate me
Product helped create memories
Feeling good. Motivation. Memories. These are emotional and practical drivers, not trend-driven ones.
Meanwhile, what doesn't move the needle? "Saw on Instagram" ranks #51. "Saw on Snapchat" falls to #90. Social media exposure ranks far below emotional connection.
The implication is clear: your message to Gen Z matters more than the medium. How are you making them feel good? How are you helping motivate them? How are you helping create memories?
The opportunity for brands
Excitement is a leading indicator. What captures Gen Z enthusiasm today predicts their behaviour tomorrow and what excites them isn't what many marketing strategies are built around.
They want to feel good, not just see content. They want brands that help them become who they're trying to be: healthier, better rested, more connected to the people who matter.
Brands building around emotional connection and genuine support for these aspirations are building something more durable than those chasing platform trends alone.
Gen Z isn't complicated. The real opportunity lies in tapping into what truly matters, focusing first on the message, then finding the right medium to deliver it.
Follow IMI this year for more on each of these topics to help you uncover opportunity, set your strategy, intercept and engage to fuel brand growth.
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