What Brands Can Expect from Generation Alpha
In a new report, Generation Alpha—children born after 2010—identified all people being treated fairly no matter what they look like as one of the top issues they care about in today’s world.
In fact, across the board, the report revealed Generation Alpha cares more about all issues than their Millennial and Baby Boomer parents did when they were kids, or even than they do now.
These are the key findings from research commissioned by Hotwire, a global communications agency, in part three of an ongoing global investigation into Generation Alpha. This latest report focuses on Generation Alpha as the most diverse generation yet, talking directly to the kids to see if this increased diversity impacts their views. Comparing this to their Millennial parents and Baby Boomer grandparents, the report forecasts what this could mean for the future in terms of jobs, roles at home, as well as what Generation Alpha will expect from brands.
Hotwire’s findings on how Generation Alpha views the world and the issues they care most about come as the 2020 U.S. Census is expected to show that the nation is now the most racially and ethnically diverse it has ever been. Projections reveal that across the U.S. there will be no one group that holds over 50 percent of the population by 2045, and Generation Alpha is leading this change.
Hotwire’s research into Generation Alpha’s upbringing in a diverse world has led them to be a much more varied group. Their myriad views are being driven by Generation Alpha having more choice than ever before—from ice cream flavors to future occupations. But, this increased choice actually seems to be breaking down differences with Generation Alpha no longer conforming to clear lines between demographic groups of gender, ethnicity or religion.
In particular, Millennials and Baby Boomers are far more likely than Generation Alpha to group into different viewpoints across gender. For example, just two-thirds (66%) of Millennial and Baby Boomer men say that it’s very important for boys and girls to be treated fairly, compared to over 80 percent of their female counterparts. Among Generation Alpha though, the difference between genders is much smaller—79 percent for Generation Alpha boys to 86 percent for girls. Such gender balance can also be seen in how “Dad” is appearing as what kids want to be when they grow up among Generation Alpha, compared to zero responses for this from Millennial and Baby Boomers.
The study also revealed Generation Alpha already holds strong opinions on some of the biggest issues facing the world today. When asked what they attribute most importance to, Generation Alpha identifies “keeping children safe at school” (97%), “making sure everyone has enough food to eat” (97%), that “boys and girls are treated fairly” (94%) and “taking care of the environment” (95%). Despite their youth, this reveals Generation Alpha’s opinions are already as strongly formed as those of Millennials and Baby Boomers in later life, foreshadowing that as those in Generation Alpha come of age, their opinions will be even more strongly formed than the generations that came before them.
“Generation Alpha brings with it a strong set of opinions about the world we live in today. For brands to build relationships with this group, they’ll need to embrace diversity and recognize it will take much more than a ‘one size fits all’ approach,” said Laura Macdonald, executive vice president and head of Consumer North America at Hotwire. “Starting to adapt now and getting really granular in defining who your Generation Alpha audience is and what opinions they hold—while at the same time recognizing you might isolate other people in the process who don’t hold the same worldviews—will be crucial to future proofing yourself for the new wave of consumers to come.”
“Today’s brands need to take Generation Alpha seriously,” said Barret Roberts, vice president and head of Industry CPG at Pandora. “Understanding who they are and what they respond to will put companies ahead of the curve not only for the future, but also in the impact that Generation Alpha is already having on their families. Being able to connect correctly with the consumer of the future, will turn these customers into brand advocates. And that’s just the start. Generation Alpha has grown up with all-pervasive technology and so expects more from brands in how they utilize this to engage in two-way conversation with them.”
To read the full report of Understanding Generation Alpha: The Most Diverse Generation Yet, please click here.
