KEY FINDINGS
Insights for 2025
Where art thou?
Where art thou?
INTRODUCTION
Key themes for 2024 and beyond
Where art thou?
Where art thou?
KEY FINDINGS
Key themes for 2024 and beyond
KEY FINDINGS
Key themes for 2025 and beyond
In this year’s report
For this 2025 edition, we’ve taken a fresh look at the demographic dynamics happening around the world.
One message rings out loud and clear: fertility rates are falling even faster than expected. While most countries’ populations are still growing, the momentum behind today’s demographic realities is irreversible.
This brings with it an imperative for businesses. What does the prospect of fewer - and older - consumers, customers or subscribers mean for us? As our analysis on ageing shows, older people in high to middle income countries are living longer, more active lives and often have money to spend, even as they grapple with today’s economic challenges. Are we truly in touch with who they are and what makes them tick?
We also point our spotlight on a generational group that is not talked about so much these days: Generation X. As our investigation shows, they yield a good degree of power in the family and in the boardroom and are very much the quietly powerful generation we shouldn't ignore.
To round up our analysis this year, we’ve been assembling the latest evidence on Gen Z, including where young men and women diverge – and converge. We’ve also been exploring their online lives: where and how do they spend their time, and what does it tell us about their future lives?
Generational analysis is vulnerable to biases, misperceptions and cultural stereotypes
We can do better! Discipline is required to distinguish true generational differences from lifecycle effects that all age cohorts experience, and indeed from period effects that impact all age cohorts at the same time. Local context is also important: ‘Western’ labels do not always travel well. We should not assume that they meaningfully capture the attitudes and beliefs of similarly aged cohorts in all countries.
Gen Z is not one homogenous group
One of the most striking polling findings in recent years is the significant gap in attitudes between Gen Z men and women when it comes to social issues like gender or equality. In certain countries, this gap is beginning to be reflected in voting patterns, with young men playing a key role in the rise of populist parties – while young women become even more progressive. This gap is also reflected in online behaviour, with a fragmented media landscape offering extra opportunities for young men and women to divide even further.
Don’t neglect the quietly powerful Gen X
Despite being economically powerful and poised to dominate even more leadership roles across politics and business - as well as in the family - Gen X is often overlooked in media stories and research projects. While less fashionable than Gen Z, they hold more consumer power. Are organisations missing out on opportunities here?
Older people’s views and aspirations are evolving
Once considered resistant to technological and societal change, older generations are increasingly tech-literate and often progressive in their views. A new generation of 'yold' people (the young-old) are emerging who are looking to stay empowered as they age. Marketing strategies should adapt to address their nuanced consumer needs and their contribution to societal dynamics.
