By Jonathan Baker As the new year begins, marketers should think about this new audience: Generation Alpha. Too early? History suggests otherwise. Just remember when Millennials were the consumer audience to be accommodated. Then, before we knew it, Generation Z took center stage. The Age of Generation Alpha Members of Generation Alpha (or Gen Alpha) were born between 2010 and 2025. This is the first fully 21st century demographic characterized as being ‘tech native,’ who will grow up in a world of screens, and have artificial intelligence (AI) and global connectivity at their disposal. Despite their youth, members of this generation are ‘emerging as a core customer group,’ to quote a report by e-Marketer. How so? Projections for Gen Alpha as Consumers The following points highlight the emerging presence of Gen Alpha as a consumer audience to be reckoned with. 1. The Parent-Child Connection Most members of this audience are children of Millennials. (Another nickname for these kids is ‘Mini-Millennials.’) Gen Alpha influences both the shopping habits and purchase decisions of their parents! Approximately 68 percent of Millennial parents tend to purchase online while 64 percent check out product reviews on social media. 2. Start Small Now for a Big Future Return Circling back to the question of whether Gen Alpha is too young, marketers must think about the future. As these children get older, so will their potential as a consumer audience. They are, after all, growing up in the digital age. Gen Alpha is already discovering brands online (and often before parents realize it). And they are discovering these brands now. 3. Three-Quarters of This Audience is Already Online Per e-Marketer, within the last two years, approximately 75 percent of Gen Alpha have had access to the Internet (mostly with parental supervision). Their platform of choice, unsurprisingly, is YouTube, where they have seen and recalled ads at a higher rate than those broadcast on linear television and video on demand. 4. High Marketing Potential via Online Gaming One factor that distinguishes Gen Alpha from previous consumers is their avid interest in digital gaming. This opens unique opportunities for brands to partner with gaming sites like Roblox and Minecraft, among others, to connect with this new audience. 5. Soon to Become Social Within the next one or two years, most members of the Gen Alpha audience will be age-eligible to use social media. This of course, depends on platform age limits, parental controls, and regional regulations. (Whether Australia’s ban on teenage social media usage will have a ripple effect that leads to America remains to be seen.) The graph below indicates that social media usage among Gen Alpha will grow will grow—very rapidly. (The e-Marketer report predicts that this audience’s activity on various platforms will double by 2029.) The huge influx of Gen Alpha members who will eventually take to social, however, raises an important responsibility for brands and marketers to follow, which, as argued by Australia, is safety. 6. Safety, First and Foremost The practice of ‘presenting the right brand to the right audience’ has a new meaning where marketing to Gen Alpha is concerned. The prioritization of age-appropriate branding content, complemented by clear information on age-verification measures when marketing to this young audience takes precedence over everything else. In Conclusion The introduction of the young Gen Alpha is an example of how audiences are always evolving. This means that brand messaging must evolve to keep up with new consumers. Looking to refresh your brand’s message in the new year? EGC Group can help. From strategic research to engaging social media campaigns, we can bring new life to your brand in 2026. Contact us to learn more.
