On Wednesday, the Innovation Group, the futurism unit of J. Walter Thompson Intelligence, released its latest report, Generation Z – Brazil, offering an in-depth look at a generation of Brazilians whose lives have been marked by the country’s spectacular economic rise in recent years, as well as its persisting social inequality.
Brazil’s Generation Z (those born between the mid-1990s and early 2000s) have grown up in one of the most auspicious times in their nation’s history, and this experience has shaped their outlooks, aspirations and spending habits. They are the first generation that has come of age surrounded by the pervasive influence of international brands from fashion to technology to personal care, and prosperity. Yet, after a period that saw a rising middle class and expanding wealth, stalling development has left Brazil’s Generation Z consumers facing significant political turmoil, environmental challenges and economic uncertainty for the first time in their lives.
“Brazil’s Generation Z is coming into its own at a pivotal time in Brazilian history,” said Lucie Greene, Worldwide Director of the Innovation Group. “They combine tech savvy with cultural sophistication, and while they are relentlessly optimistic about their personal prospects, they’re also deeply cynical about their government and worry about the direction their country is taking. Brands hoping to reach them should take note of this dual mentality.”
The report features over 50 pages of analysis and brand examples across technology, retail, education and more. It also features an original survey of 503 Brazilians aged 12-19.
The Innovation Group conducted quantitative studies using SONAR™. A total of 503 individuals aged 12-19 were surveyed in Brazil in July 2015. Results were also segmented by region. The study is complemented by case study interviews with Gen Zers in Brazil’s Southeast, South and Northeast.
View the summary from the report here and below.
- Free to be: 86% of respondents believe they can become whoever they want to be and 83% agree everyone has the opportunity to move up in social class.
- Brazilian teens hold more liberal attitudes on racial issues. 59% say they participate in online or offline events to fight racial discrimination, compared to 45% in the US and 46% in the UK.
- 3 out of 4 Brazil Gen Zers agreed, “Gender doesn’t define a person as much as it used to.”
- Brazil’s Gen Zers are ambitious about their role in the future: 78% agree, “It’s up to my generation to change the world.”
- Brazilian teens feel that making healthy choices is trendy: 80% of Brazilian teens, compared with 69% in the U.S., say healthy eating is trendy.
- Beauty categories continue to soar despite economic woes, especially among cosmetics-hungry gen Z. Over half (52%) of teen girls surveyed said beauty products are a regular purchase.
- Half of Gen Zers watch more than two hours of YouTube content each day.
- Brazil is the fourth largest smartphone market in the world—smartphones along with internet access, consumer technology and social networks are transforming the Brazil Gen Z outlook.
The full report is available for download at JWTIntelligence.com.