Fuse, LLC surveyed 1,000 members of the Gen Z about social activism to compare against data from 2018 and 2015. In 2015, we first studied teens' views on cause marketing and the role it plays in communicating with young consumers. We revisited the topic again in 2018 to compare the results. With the recent and dramatic shift in everyday life – and the need that brands will have to re-engage teens in the coming months – we have looked at the role of teen activism once again.
Top 5 Concerns of Today's Teens
Ranked in order, the top 5 concerns of teens have shifted significantly over the last two years, with mental health topping the list in 2020, followed by disease and famine (neither of which were noted as teen concerns in our previous studies.) These results are unsurprising, with as many as 1 in 5 young people suffering from mental illness even before enduring the social isolation and changes brought on by COVID-19. From a cause marketing perspective, companies like NBCUniversal, Adobe, and Google have been ahead of the curve in their recognition of the importance of mental health to teens – and it's now more likely that other brands will begin to support mental health causes.
- Mental Health
- Disease & Famine
- The Environment
- Jobs & Unemployment
- Education
By comparison, the top 5 key concerns of teens in 2018 were
- Education
- Jobs & Unemployment
- Prejudice & Racism
- The Environment
- Terrorism