A LOI, specialized consultancy in influencer marketing, and InstitutoZ, from Trope, a Generation Z and Alpha consultancy, presented a new strategic approach for brands looking to authentically connect with Generation Z (born between 1996 and 2010) and Generation Alpha (born from 2010).
Combining consumer data, digital habits, and cultural perceptions, the presentation reveals that 2.62 billion people worldwide belong to Gen Z (UN, 2024), with 51 million in Brazil (IBGE, 2024; Unravelling the Habits of Generation Y in Brazil), with an estimated purchasing power of R$ 662 billion per year in the country alone (IBGE, FGV, and PNAD Contínua, 2025). As for Gen Alpha, with around 2 billion individuals globally (Consumidor Moderno, 2025), they are starting to show their consumption traits, digital behavior, and social influence.
According to Felipe Colaneri, co-founder of LOI, “brands need to stop treating young people as a single block and understand the multiple codes that shape their identity, from digital to physical”. One of the highlights of the study is the analysis of the “phygital” culture, which shows how the integration between online and offline experiences has become essential to generate a sense of belonging.
Another point raised is the role of the creator economy in the purchase decision: 80% of Gen Z has already consumed food recommended by influencers (Study ‘Who Influences Gen Z?’, 2025), and 66% participated in cultural events based on creators’ recommendations (Study ‘Who Influences Gen Z?’, 2025). The influence is spread out, 37% trust more in people with a small or medium follower base, while only 7% trust more in big influencers.
The research also reveals that over 50% of Gen Z spends more than seven hours a day connected (InstitutoZ & YOUPIX 2025), especially on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Not surprisingly, 60% of Brazilian companies report difficulty in communicating with this audience through traditional channels (Research: ‘What are the difficulties of Brazilian companies with Gen Z?’, 2025). And worse: 1 in 3 companies doesn’t even have a specific strategy to engage with Gen Z (Research: ‘What are the difficulties of Brazilian companies with Gen Z?’, 2025).
According to Luiz Menezes, founder of Trope and content creator with experience in projects for Meta, Disney, and Itaú, ‘brands need to stop trying to impact Gen Z and start involving them.’ The presentation also highlights cases like Carmed, Netflix, and Roblox, which knew how to adapt their language, channels, and collaborations to engage with the new generations in a legitimate way.
