Why target East Asian younger generation?

Gen Zers in APAC: Five consumer trends

Obviously, there are massive differences among the six surveyed countries in their population profile (aging Japan versus more youthful Indonesia), economics (Australia’s GDP per head is several times that of Thailand), and history and culture. In specific areas, China shows tendencies that set it apart. Nevertheless, we were able to come to five broad conclusions about APAC’s Gen Zers:

• They rely on social media but are thoughtful about how they engage with it.
• They want it all—and are used to getting it.
• They prefer brands that show their personality and uniqueness but that are also well known enough to be recognized.
• They are greatly influenced in their brand selection by video content.
• They want to be seen as environmentally conscious, but they often don’t want to pay for this.

However, Gen Zers are aware of the downsides of constant connection. In four of the six countries surveyed, they were more likely than millennials or Gen Xers to say people spend too much time on their phones and to believe that technology gets in the way of social relationships (Exhibit 2). In this regard, it’s interesting that Gen Zers trust family and friends more than any other source—and more than millennials or Gen Xers do. More than half of Gen Zers surveyed—including 75 percent of Japanese respondents—say they think people overshare, and 49 percent are concerned about the use of their personal data.

Because Gen Zers are young and less likely to be working full time, they generally have less money to spend than older cohorts do; that may be behind some of their deal-hunting behavior. But they aren’t willing to sacrifice quality for price. The percentage saying they would “prefer to buy higher-quality products which will last a lifetime” differs little between Generation Z and the other cohorts in most countries; 73 percent of both Gen Zers and millennials in China agree with this statement.

McKinsey & Company. 2022. What makes Gen Z in Asia different? | McKinsey. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/what-makes-asia-pacifics-generation-z-different. [Accessed 24 October 2022].