Zillennials

Zillennials playing Nintendo DS together in a park, 2006

Zillennials, or Zennials, is a social cohort encompassing people born on the cusp of, or during the latter years of the Millennial generation and the early years of Generation Z. Their adjacency between the two generations and limited age set has led to their characterization as a "micro-generation". They are generally the children of younger Baby Boomers and Generation X. Estimates of the U.S. population in this cohort range from 30 million to 48 million.

In early childhood during the September 11 terrorist attacks, they were the first cohort to experience adolescence in a post-9/11 world. The majority of this cohort came of age during the 2010s, with the U.K. Brexit referendum and U.S. presidential election of 2016, COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020–2021 George Floyd protests being key formative events. Zillennials experienced the sudden global Digital Revolution of the late 2000s and 2010s, navigating mobile LTE internet, cell phones, mobile devices and smartphones.

Zillennials code-switch between generations, have high levels of digital literacy, and are more likely to self-identify into a minority group. Zillennials are less wealthy but more economically secure than Generation Z, commanding relatively high spending power in the U.S. economy, especially when compared to millennials. They have high brand loyalty, low price sensitivity, and stable purchasing patterns.

Etymology

The term Zillennial is a portmanteau of "Generation Z" and "Millennial". A similar portmanteau, Zennial, is also used. Other names that have been proposed for these cuspers include the Snapchat Generation by authors Ubl, Walden, and Arbit, and MinionZ by Smit. GenZennials was used to reference the micro-generation by Ketchum.

Birth date and age range

According to the Pew Research Center, "generational cutoff points aren’t an exact science". The think tank classifies a standard generation as "[typically between] 15 to 18 years" with "great diversity of thought, experience and behavior within generations." Zillennials are those born on the cusp of, or near the end of the Millennial generation and the beginning of Generation Z.

The exact date range of this micro-generation is not specifically defined. Avery Hartmans, writing for Business Insider citing a study on U.S. consumers, defines a Zillennial as anyone born between 1990 and 2000. Authors Hannah Ubl, Lisa Walden, and Debra Arbit define the cuspers as those born between 1992 and 1998, as does Mary Everett, writing for PopSugar and Vogue. A WGSN case study on the cohort similarly notes this date range. Ketchum defines GenZennials as those born from 1992 to 2000. Boston University sociologist Deborah Carr defines Zillennials as those born "roughly" between 1992 and 2002. Others have defined Zillennials as those born from 1993 to 1998, including Deon Smit (HR Future), Maisy Farren (Vice), Lindsay Dogson (Business Insider Mexico), Britannica, and MetLife. Fullscreen defines the cusp group as those born from approximately 1993 to 1999 in their research. Likewise, authors Fons Trompenaars and Peter Woolliams use the years 1993 to 1999 as Zennials. Author Mary Donahue defines the cuspers as those born from 1995 to 2000.

Characteristics

Zillennials are influenced by traits of both the preceding Millennial generation and subsequent Generation Z, often sharing strong, polarizing connectivity to one adjoining generation over the other. Members of this micro-generation consider the "fluid" nature of their age grade unsettling with potential to "tarnish their status and input in the workplace [via ageism]", according to a WGSN case study. The case study found that some zillennials preferred to be seen as millennials in the workplace, as they are seen as more professional, while younger zillennials believed they were "too young" for the characterization. Due to rapid demographic change during the 2010s social scientists believe that a second micro-generation could lie between the millennial generation and Generation Z, according to author Tim Elmore.

Arts and culture

The advent of "Zillennialcore" to describe the cultural backdrop of this micro-generation references music, media, and fashion. Members of this cohort often code-switch, "[aging] up when speaking to [millennials] and [aging] down when speaking to younger relatives." They are seen as "cultural tastemakers", particularly in youth subcultures for both younger millennials and older members of Generation Z. Their creative content is marked by an emphasis on authenticity, relatability, and social consciousness, rejecting curated programming typical of the millennial generation. They have substantial control over internet meme culture, donning the moniker "meme lords".

Economic activity

Their outlook on their economic prospects was shaped by the decade's period of instability such as the Great Recession of the late 2000s and the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2019 and continuing into the mid-2020s. Experiencing the effect of these crises on their parents, siblings, and others informed their outlook later on in life. Around 48% of American zillennials lived with their parents in 2023, which, coupled with their digital literacy and stable incomes, generates substantial spending power. An analysis by Morgan Stanley found that members of this cohort helped sustain the luxury good sector during periods of economic downturn. In 2023, fund manager Ken Costa in a book review via the Financial Times argued that the transfer of wealth valued at $100 trillion from Baby Boomers to younger generations, including zillennials, could restructure the global economy.

A report from Bank of America found in 2020 that zillennials carry outsized influence in financial markets due to their shifting consumer preferences away from "meat, alcohol and cars." Payment processing researcher PYMNTS conducted a study on this cohort of U.S. consumers in 2023. They are nearly identical to Generation Z when it comes to work habits, preferring similar levels of remote work, social connection, and app platform usage. Zillennials have higher brand loyalty and less price sensitivity than millennials, leading to more stable purchasing patterns.

Health

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted certain social markers for zillennials. They are less likely than Generation Z to use online pharmacies.

Personal values

According to CNN, zillennials are more aligned with Generation Z on social issues. A 2017 analysis by Ubl, Walden, and Arbit found that they were raised by "skeptical Xers and pragmatic Gen Jonesers" who, in turn, instilled in them a bias toward pragmatism over idealism. Diversity and independence are the traits used most often by the cohort to describe what will set their micro-generation apart. The study found the cohort to be more creative and more likely to self-identify into a minority group than other generational cohorts.

Abercrombie & Fitch noted a target demographic of 25 to 29 years olds as having "a bit of both Gen Z and millennial mentality" in 2022. They rebranded between 2020 and 2022 to capitalize around what they perceived to be the micro-generation's ethos: fulfillment and self-actualization. The brand identified Zillennials and their usage of TikTok as being a major cultural exporter.

Zillennials protesting against climate change in Washington, D.C., in 2015

Zillennials believe in global warming and efforts to mitigate climate change, with many identifying as eco-conscious.

Political activity

Patrice Peck, writing for Cosmopolitan, stated that zillennials were between the ages of 18 and 29 during the 2020 United States elections, and were the "key to ousting then-president Donald Trump and sending Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House." Glamour UK noted their general political outlook as more socialist than millennials. The U.K. Brexit referendum and U.S. presidential election, both occurring in 2016, are seen as key formative political events by zillennials, many of whom were not yet of voting age but who observed these events as they unfolded and were shaped by them.

Masked zillennial protesters in Philadelphia during the George Floyd protests in June 2020.

Zillennials actively participated in the 2020–2021 George Floyd protests which were the largest series of protests against police brutality in the United States (alongside international protests) since the Civil Rights Movement.

Social life

Zillennials are less likely than Generation Z to use digital means, such as text messaging and dating apps, to connect with a romantic partner. They are considered socially and emotionally intelligent. They are nostalgic for the 1990s and 2000s for the perceived allure of the 1990s U.S. economic boom and 2000s digital revolution, as is Generation Z.

Technology

USA Today described zillennials as being digital natives "steeped in internet culture" with high levels of digital literacy. Zillennials and Generation Z share nearly identical digital engagement levels, 58.8% compared to 63.2%, respectively. Zillennials are more likely to consume news via online channels and play video games on consoles than Generation Z. According to a study done by Fullscreen, while zillennials are comfortable with technology and social media, they acknowledge it as a "love-hate relationship" with both. A majority of this cohort believe that technology betters the world.

See also

• Generation Jones, Xennials, and generation gaps
• Generation Z in the United States
• List of Generation Z slang
• Post-90s generation in China

Further reading

• Napoli, Cassandra (22 May 2020). Zennials: The In-Between Generation. WGSN.