Gen Z & The Creator Economy: Commerce Is Downstream of Culture

By Alex Brussell, Investor

It's easy to underestimate the creator economy, especially if you aren't Gen Z. That's because older generations have lived in a culture that's been changed by information technology rather than defined by it.

Unlike even Millennials, Gen Zs have never known life without the personalization and instant access afforded by the internet. As a result, even the most niche subcultures have flourished with playlists, newsfeeds, and products tailor-made for their unique interests. Since commerce is downstream of culture, it's only natural that Gen Z's work and consumption habits are also disaggregating, with individuals — creators — becoming the brands themselves.

50%: Percentage of Gen Z respondents who?purchased from a creator?in the past year; more than?double that of other generations.?

This generational rift is evidenced by Forerunner's most recent consumer survey, which suggests that Gen Z consumers are more than twice as likely to purchase goods and services from creators compared with older generations. Remarkably, showing fandom?— an?expression of?identity?—?was an even stronger purchasing driver than product need among the 50% of Gen Z consumers who bought from a creator in the past year.

When considering any evolution in commerce, it's critical to remember that cultural change always comes first. The creator economy isn't just another fad that's been manufactured to capture Gen Z's wallets; it's the natural consequence of the niche going mainstream.

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