Neuroscience tells us that the brain’s prefrontal cortex isn’t fully developed until the age of 25, making the information received during adolescence critical to who an individual becomes. So what happens to today’s interconnected generations of young adults, overwhelmed with a constant stream of information from myriad sources?

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Once, young adult identity was steered by distinct cultural categories, led vehemently by politics, music, fashion and brands (think Mods, Hippies, Bikers, Ravers). Today, Gen Z and Alpha are defined less by specific subcultures, and more so in the crossovers in the Venn diagram of different genres. We call them the Kaleidoscope generation.

 

From algorithmic pockets of TikTok, to ‘cores’ and ‘aesthetics’, to the different eras of Taylor Swift, modern subcultures exist in micro-forms – no longer entire identities, but segments of an individual’s eclectically curated personal makeup. The role of brands has shifted too. Where subcultures were once clearly brand-coded (Vans = Skateboarder), today the parameters are less rigid. While consumers freely weave together diverse trends and sources, brands float across these newly created archetypes.

 

This has invited interesting cultural crossovers; brands, products, and artists are constantly being recontextualised and given new possibilities. You no longer are ‘a Gucci person’ or ‘an Adidas person’ – you can be both.

It went viral when Olivia Rodrigo performed with The Cure’s Robert Smith, Chappell Roan with Elton John. Young people are deconstructing the ‘old’ to enhance meaning for the ‘new’.

 

But as this opens opportunities for brands to reach a wider pool of consumers, it equally presents a new challenge: In a world where Gen Z and Alpha are constantly rewriting the rules, how can we tangibly define brand success?

 

Despite the temptation to flex to every passing trend to remain ‘in’ with the younger generations, brands need to offer consistency and psychological safety more than ever. Because growing up in a world where there is such hyperstimulation – of product, content, culture – has resulted in a discerning consumer group with their antennae sharply tuned to FAD or insincerity. That’s why, without even knowing, they can sense a lack of BS in long-standing figures (kudos, Robert Smith).

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This doesn’t mean that brands cannot evolve in their expressions.

Providing new ways to be interpreted is welcomed when anchored in intangible values – just check out Chanel’s latest runway. Brands with integrity are the ones that survive. Maintain conviction and consumers will engage with you in ways that are truly meaningful to them: ‘As long as I am clear on what’s being given to me, I can decide how it contributes to who I am as a person’.

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This is apparent in Nike’s evolution from ‘Just do it’ to ‘Why do it’. This shift taps into a deeper layer of self-expression, reflected in its communication of authentic stories of effort – of collaboration over competition.

It’s no surprise that Nike have managed to retain such a loyal following of 18-25-year-olds over 60 years of business.

 

So perhaps, rather than asking ‘how can we target Gen Z?’, brands need to question ‘how can we be the canvas for young adults shaping their identity and agency?