“Authentic” means being completely real (95-percent authentic isn’t enough.) Consumers, especially Gen Zers, identify weaknesses immediately and will walk away from inauthentic brands. In a time of so much digital noise, brand storytelling is much more important than ever before.

Related to mental health, young people are exhausted by the internet’s constant connectivity and comparison. Whereas Millennials grew up performing online—curated Insta grids, LinkedIn job announcements (“Some exciting personal news!”), the rise of the personal brand—Gen Zs eschew performance for authenticity. It’s the shift from Kylie Jenner... See more

Even good things are bad. Take the cult of wellness. This was supposed to be a way to improve health in all of its dimensions, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. It hasn’t always turned out that way. Many people say wellness proves to be trying and diminishing. It’s become “you are not good enough” theater. One respondent captured the

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Self-optimization as status symbols: As you can see from the prevalence of Oura Rings, Hatch alarm clocks, Bala Bangles, self-tanning products, and elaborate skincare routines, Gen Z has internalized wellness culture as identity. These items are all functional, sure, but they also indicate to their peers that they’re the kind of person who “invests... See more