WHAT GEN Z WANTS: BRANDS, SOCIAL IMPACT (METHODOLOGY)

In mid-October to late October 2023, DoSomething Strategic conducted part one of our study targeting individuals aged 13-25. The primary goal of this research was to identify if and where young people felt brands should enhance their commitment to social impact and employee engagement. To achieve this, the survey focused on uncovering cause areas that young people wished to see brands take a stance on.

DoSomething Strategic made a concerted effort to encompass a wide range of cause areas and issues that are important to young people. The survey questions offered clear definitions for each answer to ensure that respondents shared a consistent baseline understanding of each cause area. 

The data collection phase included not only responses to the main questions but also the gathering of demographic data. Information on age, race, ethnicity, and political affiliations of respondents was collected to provide a comprehensive understanding of the participant pool.

In February and March of 2024, we conducted part two of the study to survey working professionals on questions mirroring those we asked young people. However, while young people were asked to respond to their expectations and sentiments of brands at large, these professionals were asked for their opinions on their company’s brand.

PARTICIPANTS

1308 completed part one of the survey. 135 were excluded who were not between the ages of 13 and 25. 1173 were included in the final analysis. Participants were randomly selected for $50 gift card giveaways as a thank you for their responses. 

Gender distribution showed a predominant representation of girls or women at 67%, boys or men at 21%, and the remaining 12% identifying as non-binary, transgender, or choosing not to disclose. In terms of race and ethnicity, the distribution was as follows: 40% White or Caucasian, 16% Hispanic or Latiné, 16% Black or African American, 15% Asian or Pacific Islander, 1% Native American or Alaskan Native, and the remaining 12% identifying as biracial or preferring not to answer. Regarding age demographics, 49% fell within the 13-17 range, 40% were aged 18-21, and 11% were between 22-25.

133 professionals completed part two of the survey. 6 were excluded for being duplicate entries for a total of 127 included in the final analysis. They were recruited through DSS’ newsletter, social media and individual outreach. Participants were not compensated for their entries, however, they were allowed access to view part one of the report.

DSS did not collect demographic information on gender, race or ethnicity. When asked what type of organization professionals worked for, the top responses were corporate (39%), nonprofit (31%), social enterprise (11%) and other (10%). Of the roles, the top respondents were executives leaders (34%), marketing & communications (27%), social impact & CSR (16%), programming (7%), and HR / people & culture (7%). Generationally, respondents included Millennials (41%), Gen X (40%), Baby Boomers (9%), Gen Z (8%), and Silent Generation (1%).

ANALYSIS

Data was analyzed by the DoSomething Discovery Lab. Exploratory and descriptive analysis of quantitative data was conducted with Jamovi, an open statistical software platform. Means and percentages are presented for quantitative responses. T-tests were conducted to compare responses of young people and professionals. Additionally, one-way ANOVAs were conducted to explore between group differences based on age, gender identity and racial/ethnic identity with a significance threshold of p ≤ 0.01.