- TikTok remains teens’ most favored social media platform to date in 2023, though its favorability fell one percentage point from the autumn of 2022 with a 37% share, based on Piper Sandler’s Spring 2023 Taking Stock with Teens survey.
- Behind TikTok is Snap (27%) and Instagram (23%). TikTok has been the top rating social media app since spring 2022, when it deseated Snap. Thirty-one percent of teens spend their day by day video consumption on Netflix, followed by YouTube (28%), each falling one percentage point from last fall.
- Among spending priorities, food was top of the list for men (24%) and clothing was top of the list for women (28%). Nike remains the top brand for all teens for each apparel (33%) and footwear (61%), while Amazon is thought to be the top e-commerce site (57%).
While many findings in Piper Sandler’s latest Taking Stock With Teens survey indicate minimal movement in Gen Z consumer brand preferences from its fall 2022 findings, some shifts could allude to larger forces at play in the marketplace that would have implications down the road. In particular, the slight drop in favorability for TikTok in comparison with last fall could stem from growing data privacy concerns and ongoing federal scrutiny of the ByteDance app.
Still, it’s unlikely that use of TikTok by teens goes to plummet anytime soon, as indicated by its unshaken No. 1 status and ongoing support from marketers. Behind it, Snap and Instagram also proceed to carry regular in spots two and three, respectively, despite each facing headwinds of their very own and Snap being dethroned as front-runner last 12 months. Among other tech findings, weekly use of virtual reality devices was flat in comparison with fall 2022, though 29% of teens own a VR device, per the study, mirroring widespread struggles in the space.
Self-reported teen spend totals $2,419, up 2% YoY, with spend amongst upper income teen men rising 6% YoY and rising 1% YoY for teen women. Piper Sandler’s latest semi-annual report surveyed 5,690 teens across 47 U.S. states in February and March with a median age of 16.2 years.
The report tracks a slight uptick in preferences to favor off-price and secondhand shopping. On the flip side, the mass/dept/drug sector reached a recent low of 12%, indicating that younger consumers may increasingly favor sustainable shopping efforts and affordability as economic headwinds persist.
Among preferred e-commerce sites, Amazon took the lead, followed by Nike (6%), Shein (6%), Lululemon (3%) and Pacsun. Brands including Ugg, Crocs, Hey Dude and E.l.f. Cosmetics all posted YoY gains, while the core beauty wallet — cosmetics, skincare and fragrance — grew 19% YoY to $313 annual spend led by cosmetics, which posted 32% YoY growth. Among successful food brands, Chick-fil-A remained the No. 1 restaurant (13%) followed by Starbucks (12%) and Chipotle (7%).
Unsurprisingly, Gen Z continues to indicate signs of strong regards for social causes and the environment, more so than older counterparts, the survey noted. This 12 months, environmental concerns were the very best rating cause at 19%, followed by racial equity (9%), abortion and inflation, each earning a 6% share, and The Willow Project (4%).
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