Baby Boomers

Purchase Journey
Gen X

Millennials

Across Generations Gen Z

00%¹ Indices refer to relative position

of source for each generation

Brand Discovery
The top five sources each generation uses to discover new brands and products

43% 2 44% 1
27% 4 38% 3
40% 1 38% 2 26% 5
30% 4
33% 3
27% 5
36% 1 34% 2 34% 3
30% 4 28% 5
34% 2 33% 3 36% 1 29% 4
28% 5

AD AD

Search engines Ads seen on TV Ads seen online Word-of-mouth Brand websites TV shows/films Comments on social

Clear relationship between age and the importance of ads online versus word-of-mouth recommendations.

Research
The top five online sources each generation uses to look for more information about brands, products and services

61% 1

56% 1 27% 5
41% 2
38% 3 39% 3
39% 2 33% 4
52% 1 48% 2 36% 4
31% 5
36% 3 33% 4 32% 5
49% 2 52% 1
32% 4 29% 5 35% 3

Search engines Social network Consumer review Brand websites Mobile apps Price comparison sites

Consumer reviews more important for product research than brand sites for every generation.

Purchase Drivers
The top five online features that most increase each generation’s likelihood of buying a product

71% 1

49% 2
61% 1
46% 2 38% 4 41% 3
33% 5
55% 1 35% 4 36% 3
44% 2 32% 5
36% 3 33% 4 32% 5
56% 1 45% 2
36% 3 34% 4 34% 5

Free delivery Coupons/discounts Customer reviews Easy returns policy Easy checkout process Next-day delivery

Free delivery more highly rated as a purchase driver among older generations,
although universally viewed upon favorably.

Advocacy
The top five features that most motivates each generation to promote their favorite brand online

50% 1
48% 2
50% 1
35% 4 40% 3 25% 5
45% 2
34% 4 31% 5
49% 1 35% 3
42% 2
34% 4 36% 3
32% 5
49% 1 39% 3
43% 2 35% 4 32% 5

High quality products Rewards Relevant to interests Great customer service Love for brand

Role reversal in importance between love for the brand (Gen Z and millennials) and
great customer service (Gen X and baby boomers) for motivating brand advocacy.

GENERATIONAL PROFILES

Indexes are against the average internet user. Data regarding most popular social networks excludes China.

Gen Z Millennials Gen X Baby Boomers

16-21 YO 22-35 YO 36-54 YO 55-64 YO

TOP ATTITUDE*: TOP ATTITUDE*: TOP ATTITUDE*: TOP ATTITUDE*:

I would like to work and live I find that I am easily swayed by other Family is the most important thing I am indifferent to what is popular
abroad (59%, Index 1.22) people's opinion (40%, Index 1.14) in my life (81%, Index 1.02) right now (47%, Index 1.04)

FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE
INTEREST SPORT MUSIC GENRE INTEREST SPORT MUSIC GENRE INTEREST SPORT MUSIC GENRE INTEREST SPORT MUSIC GENRE

Music Soccer Hip-Hop Music Swimming 90’s Music Music Swimming 80’s Music News Swimming 80’s Music
68% 34% 35% 62% 35% 38% 56% 29% 48% 63% 23% 56%

...just under 1.4x more likely to ...a fifth say they discover new brands ...23% use product comparison ...A third use price comparison
discover new brands and products and products via updates on brands’ websites to discover new brands websites to research products or
through vlogs (18% do). social media pages (Index 1.14) and products. services (Index 1.20).

...only 14% more likely to say that the ...a quarter wants brands to provide ...15% less likely to want their favorite ...34% more likely to want their favorite
option to use a ‘buy’ button on a innovative new products. brands to provide entertaining content. brands to keep them up to date with
social network would motivate them the latest news and products.
to buy a product.

...35% more likely to have played a ...a fifth would be motivated to promote ...A quarter want their favorite brands ...4 in 10 would be motivated to
branded game in the last month, and their favorite brand online if they had to help simplify and organize their advocate for their favorite brand
26% more likely to have downloaded a access to exclusive content or services. daily life. online when they’ve received great
branded app. customer service.

TOP VISITED NETWORK TOP VISITED NETWORK TOP VISITED NETWORK TOP VISITED NETWORK

MONTHLY MORE THAN MONTHLY MORE THAN MONTHLY MORE THAN MONTHLY MORE THAN
DAILY DAILY DAILY DAILY

89% 49% 87% 44% 84% 40% 74% 31%

1.5x more likely to have visited 28% more likely to have visited Half visit Facebook on at 7 in 10 have visited Facebook in
Snapchat in the past month. Slack in the past month. least a daily basis. the past month.

This infographic draws insights from GlobalWebIndex’s Q4 2018 wave of research across 45 countries, which had a global sample size of 138,962 internet users aged 16-64. This includes 18,331 Gen Zers, 52,871 millennials, 50,393 Gen Xers and 17,367 baby boomers.
*Top attitude is the most distinctive attitude compared to the global average.

www.globalwebindex.com | @globalwebindex