Hello everyone and welcome to our newsletter on all things Gen Z.

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Last weekend we partnered with the brilliant My Life My Say - a campaigning organisation which aims to increase awareness of the importance of democracy in the UK, with many lessons for the US as well.

With elections ahead in both countries, many millions of younger people will be voting for the first time - and demanding change. Across the world 40 countries with a total population of 3.2bn people will be going to the polls - that’s 41% of the world’s population. India, South Africa, Indonesia, Mexico, South Sudan, Pakistan, Venezuela . . . all have elections. 

As autocratic rulers wield ever-greater influence (and do take a few minutes to read this sobering report on how global democracy is withering), democratic literacy among the next generation of voters is vital. 

At the event on Saturday, 700 people revealed how they are using new techniques to influence debate and create change. If traditional content creators fail to understand this new world of activism, they risk being left behind.

Importantly, My Life My Say - like TNM - is non-partisan and speakers at the event in east London came from the two main UK parties , Labour and the Conservatives, as well as non-political organisations arguing for more sustainable fashion and controls on junk food advertising.

One key ask for many young people is “stop telling me what to think and help me understand the issues and make up my own mind”.

Less shouting and heat, more light,

New traditions

Embedded is a brilliant Substack newsletter on all things internet culture, and in this recent edition, Kate Lindsay muses on how it feels to forge new Christmas traditions as a young adult (especially when the season feels built on nostalgia). She finds joy in acknowledging her digital traditions - from digital fireplaces, the vlogmas tradition (YouTubers sharing videos in the advent period) and digital advent calendars. As Gen Z (and younger Millennials) grow up, so too will their traditions, and we think that’s a lovely thing.

Spotify Wrapped

Wednesday was one of the biggest days of the year on the internet: Spotify Wrapped day. That is, the day Spotify users find out the data on their listening habits on the year just gone. The big news is around Taylor Swift, of course, who was the most-played artist globally, achieving 26.1 billion streams on Spotify alone since 1 January. Casey Lewis from After School got exclusive access to Gen Z’s top songs on Spotify… how many do you know? 

Top Global Songs Listened To By Gen Z

1. “Kill Bill” by SZA

2. “I Wanna Be Yours” by Arctic Monkeys

3. “Die For You” by The Weeknd with Ariana Grande

4. “Creepin’” by 21 Savage, Metro Boomin, The Weeknd

5. “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus

6. “Seven (feat. Latto)” by Jung Kook

7. “Ella Baila Sola” by Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma

8. “Starboy” by The Weeknd, Daft Punk

9. “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift

10. “As It Was” by Harry Styles

Coaching is the future

Here at Get to Know Towers, we love a solutions-focused piece when it comes to intergenerational issues. That’s why we picked out this piece rom Raconteur, which makes the case for investing in your Gen Z employees/colleagues via coaching. Although coaching has traditionally been reserved for senior execs, it’s actually a cost effective way of supporting Gen Zers and upskilling them. Read on to find out how to do it successfully.

F1 is having a moment…but differently

Instagram, Depop and Vinted are flooded with racing jackets. Last week, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were photographed in full Ferrari swag at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. And Lewis Hamilton remains a hero for many young people - not just for his sporting brilliance and his style, but also because of his mixed-black heritage and his willingness to campaign on issues around race. The Gen Z revival of F1 might look a little different, certainly compared with earlier generations. Between the Netflix show Drive to Survive, which highlights the mental impact of the sport, and 25-year-old champion Max Verstappen advocating for alcohol-free booze, the culture around the sport is shifting and young people are helping shape the future they want to see.

And finally…

66%

Of Gen Zers plan to take on debts to smooth the costs of the holiday season - with a third citing travel as the reason. Many Gen Z Americans with student debt can’t afford to travel home in December due to their loan payments.

How can we help?

In my many travels and conversations, I’m increasingly talking to CEOs, executives and civil society leaders wanting to better understand the next generation of consumers and the next generation of employees. Gen Z is putting pressure on us all to transform in fascinating ways, and many of us are asking questions about how to cater for younger workers and future proof our organisations.

If this sounds like you, we’d be keen to have a chat and see if TNM can help. From our own content production to work we have done, for example, with The Oliver Wyman Forum, we have a raft of insights and data which can support you. We work closely with a number of global organisations – helping with high-impact story-telling, digital media, internal communications, through to employee benefits, HR and working structures.

Email me direct and all of us at TNM look forward to speaking further.

Kamal Ahmed
Editor-in-Chief and Co-founder
The News Movement

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