Aura beauty; cherry code; pickle fix. These, alongside more established micro-trends like the fisherman aesthetic, are just some of the rising lexicon highlighted by the latest Pinterest Predicts report. The biggest adopters of internet trends, Gen Z continues to prove elusive for many brands looking to tap into the next generation of shoppers. Yet Pinterest cites Gen Z as one of its most engaged audiences, accounting for over over 40 per cent of Pinterest’s global monthly active users. This behaviour is evidenced by the fact that Gen saves nearly 2.5 times more pins compared to other age groups on the platform. During Cannes Lions, Vogue Business and Pinterest hosted a private lunch for fashion leaders to delve into the consumption habits of Gen Z, as well as its attitude towards brands and shopping more broadly, which is closer aligned to that of its predecessors than some may think.
Set amid the Pinterest Manifestival, the beach-front experience hosted by the digital platform on the French Riviera, the event was moderated by Vogue Business head of advisory and custom insights Anusha Couttigane. The discussion included Sara Pollack, global head of consumer marketing at Pinterest; Julie Bramham, managing director of Diageo’s luxury portfolio; Damon Berger, head of consumer digital engagement at Gap Inc; and Leanne Fremar, chief brand officer at JPMorgan Chase. It was an eclectic cross-section of industry voices, bringing unique perspectives on both early signals of shopper desire and real-time insights into evolving behaviours.
Pinterest’s Pollack kicked off the conversation by sharing recent insights from Pinterest Predicts, highlighting the aspirational behaviour of Gen Z consumers, which range from vision boards for their perfect homes to collages for their dream weddings. “They’re planning their weddings and some of them aren’t even in relationships; they plan outfits for trips they haven’t even booked yet. The data reveals the truth about desire for this generation,” she said. While some of these are longer term trends, the data points to where Gen Zs will be spending their money over the coming year, with 66 per cent of weekly Gen Z Pinterest users saying Pinterest is one of the first services they turn to to shop or browse. Pollack highlighted travel as a key spending pot, while reinforcing how “incredibly savvy and well informed” they are when it comes to research before making high-ticket purchases.
Fremar agreed, referencing JP Morgan Chase data that indicates how cautious this group is. “They’re very debt and risk-averse, they often want to save rather than spend on credit cards,” Fremar said. This debunks the belief that Gen Z is less financially literate than prior generations. Fermar added that simplified credit products, such as pay-in-three, are better understood by Gen Z shoppers, and engagement with them has opened up access to luxury goods in ways that were not previously possible. That noted, she said digital is everything: “This is perhaps the first generation that grew up with cell phones from birth. They have always had online banking. They’re used to instant transactions with services like Venmo, so they really demand very efficient digital financial services.”
Gap’s Berger and Diageo’s Bramham led the conversation on brand reinvention for successive generations. Berger said Gap, which beat analyst estimates in its latest earnings, thrives on its authenticity to culture. “We had an amazing campaign with Jungle’s ‘Back on 74’ track, with the dance elements, and that’s reflected in our campaign with Parker Posey, which nods to the dance lifestyle and culture of the brand, but it’s also familiar,” he said. “We have Gen Z shoppers who’ve never seen our iconic ads from the 1980s, but it evokes the same feelings, because that freedom of movement is always part of the narrative. That closeness to culture and the expectation that we will always be a part of that cultural conversation is part of the brand’s DNA, it’s what builds trust.”
While Gap’s consistency has created a sense of timelessness, Bramham discussed how spirit brands within the Diageo portfolio have had to transform their strategies to meet the needs of current shoppers. “We’ve had brands like Johnnie Walker that have really worked on creating luxurious experiences that educate younger consumers about the provenance of the brand,” Bramham said. “A lot of the work has been around experience. The Johnnie Walker experience in Edinburgh, for example, has tastings, it has immersive tours and really showcases the Scottish history and heritage of the brand. It’s memorable. It’s completely different to how you would view the brand in a store.”
Bramham also spoke about the experiences that Don Julio has created, from pop-up retail boutiques to a virtual reality activation with Apple Vision Pro. Couttigane added that these experiences can completely transform the perception of a brand between generations. “It can really premiumise the perception of a brand when you experience it through luxury travel, or a curated tasting, versus older generations who experienced the brand as a bottle on a supermarket shelf,” said Couttigane. Bramham explained how many Gen Z shoppers are drinking more moderately, while cultivating an interest in prestige spirits as collectible assets and investments. This reinforced Fremar and Pollack’s previous argument: Gen Z are a lot more financially astute than we give them credit for.
Despite the caution exhibited by this generation, Pollack shared that attitudes among Pinterests’ younger users indicates a higher level of positivity: “Our users tell us that Pinterest is the most positive corner of the internet, free from the negativity and comparison culture found on many other platforms. But they’re also intentional - they’re often in planning mode, not just idly consuming content.” When asked how to cultivate long-term loyalty from Gen Z shoppers, Pollack concluded with a demystifying statement: “It’s about attention, not awareness. This generation is bombarded with so much content and so many messages. In a world where they’re constantly scrolling, you only have a few seconds to make your impact, so think about what you can do in those vital few seconds that will pop — be timely and relevant.”
