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Younger Americans care more about brand, but not all categories are made the same

Across sectors, those under 55 agree that brands understand them, speak their language, show up at the right time and that they try to buy brands that align with their personal values, according to the Ipsos Consumer Tracker

The Ipsos Consumer Tracker, fielded on Ipsos' Omnibus platform, asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.

Chart showing that younger people are more likely to think that tech brands understand them


Why we asked about brand understanding: Some brands just don’t seem all that into us. But some brands really get us. Does it matter what kinds of brands? Does it matter who "us" is?  

What we found: Younger people generally care more about brands than older folks. Note we’re deliberately not saying this is a Gen Z thing, because it feels more like a life stage thing than a generation thing. That seems especially clear as the fall-off really happens with the 55+ people. The 18 to 34 and 35 to 54 cohorts are pretty similar, in most cases. 

We polled on four product categories: grocery and CPG; clothing and fashion; automotive; and electronics and tech. Across sectors, those under 55 agree that brands understand them, speak their language, show up at the right time and that they try to buy brands that align with their personal values. 

All of that is generally more true of CPG and fashion than auto, with electronics there in the middle. 

But the kicker is that the statement most agree with for each category and age range was still “I just buy brands for price, convenience and functionality.” 

Chart showing that younger people are more likely to think that CPG brands understand themChart showing that younger people are more likely to think that clothing brands understand themChart showing that younger people are more likely to think that automotive brands understand them

More insights from this wave of the Ipsos Consumer Tracker:

When pressed for cash, Americans cut back, postpone and trade down

There’s no consensus on Americans’ use of AI at work

Amidst economic concern, U.S. consumers reshape food shopping habits

The Ipsos Care-o-Meter: What does America know about vs. what does America care about?

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