How to future-proof your brand for Gen Zalpha: Meet the parents

In 60 seconds...

• Gen Zalpha is a hybrid generation of Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and they're between 9-14-years-old
• It's never to early for marketers to capture Gen Zalpha's attention, with 52% of the generation already showing a preference for brands
• Gen Zalpahs use the power of pestering to convice their parents to buy something, with 66% oasking their parents/guardians to buy something if it’s from a brand they like

There’s a new generation on the block, and Gen Zers need to watch their backs. 

Introducing: Gen Zalpha. Generally under-researched, it’s typically difficult for brands to future-proof themselves and their marketing strategies thanks to a lack of understanding. 

And that’s where we come in. We’ve spoken to over 2,000 Zalphas from across the UK and USA between the ages of 9-14, as well as 2,000 of Zalpha’s parents born between 1990-2000. 

In our report, How to future-proof your brand for Gen Zalpha: Meet the parents, we uncover key pain points when it comes to engaging this young and influential generation and provide actionable takeaways. You can check out a teaser of what’s in store in this blog post. 

Who are Gen Zalpha?

A hybrid generation of Gen Z and Gen Alpha, Gen Zalpha are between 9-14-years-old. They’re digitally fluent and have grown up online, meaning that their ideas and inspiration come from across the world. In fact, 20% of Zalpha’s parents say 50-60% of their child’s free time is spent online. 

Gen Zalpha’s main interests include family, spending time with friends, and gaming, and 32% of them have access to media technology at home for approximately two-three hours a day. 

And for marketers, it’s never too early to capture their attention, with 52% of the generation already showing a preference for brands. Pion research revealed some of their favorites to be Adidas, Apple, Barbie, Disney, and Xbox. 

The online generation

Technology is second nature to Gen Zalpha - they’ve grown up with access to smartphones and social media, and influencer marketing is an everyday occurrence. 20% of Zalpha’s parents say 50-60% of their child’s free time is spent online. 

Of those Zalphas who have access to social media,* 17% have had access from 10 years old and 14% from less than 5 years old. The most popular social media platform for those who have access is TikTok, with 74% using this.

To stand out, brands need to understand Zalpha’s social media habits. In the report, we explore how brands can fight through the noise of the online world and capture their attention. 

Securing Gen Zalpha’s purchasing intent 

So how can brands tap into the spending power of Gen Zalpha if they don’t actually have any money? Pion research revealed Zalpha’s one key tactic: pestering their parents. 

The report reveals that 19% of Gen Zalpha’s parents believe that 50-60% of their household purchases are influenced by their child/children, and 66% of Zalphas ask their parents/guardians to buy something if it’s from a brand they like. 

How do Gen Zalpha’s parents involve their children in purchasing decisions?

• Looking at products online - 67% 
• Looking at products in store - 63% 
• Adding items to a wish list/basked - 31%
• Watching commercials (online or on TV) - 31% 
• Reading or watching product reviews - 25%

It’s clear that Zalpha holds an enormous amount of power when it comes to their parents’ spending. Despite this young generation not having any disposable income themselves, it’s still vital for brands to target them and tap into their powers of persuasion. 

And when it comes to futureproofing, brands need to be front and center of Zalpha’s minds so that when they are consulted (or are pestering!) ahead of any purchases, it’s you that first springs to mind. 

The full report is available now, where we deep dive into the key pain points when it comes to this influential generation and hear from Gen Zalpha experts. Understand Gen Zalpha and their spending, and uncover how you can secure their long-term loyalty. 

* Excluding YouTube