The most analysed generation feels the least understood: fewer than 30% of Gen Z say brands get them, global study finds
Gen Z is the most analysed generation in history and the most commercially significant, predicted to control US$9 trillion in spending by 2034. Yet fewer than 30% believe brands truly understand them, according to the inaugural Gen Z Pulse, a new annual study from Ogilvy Consulting and consumer insights platform Ideally.
Gen Z Pulse surveyed more than 2,000 Gen Z respondents aged 18-28 across Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom. Its conclusion: Gen Z is not confused, hypocritical or impossible to read. They are navigating contradictions created by modern life, in which employers, institutions and communities offer fewer default paths than any generation before them has faced.
The study maps four tensions that shape how Gen Z actually lives: Function (optimisation vs indulgence), Control (independence vs guidance), Identity (individual identity vs collective connection) and Presence (social natives vs skin hunger). The tensions are universal. How each market moves through them is not.
The US pushes through. The UK adapts. Australia goes alone.
American Gen Z resolve pressure through productivity. British Gen Z lean on trusted guidance and self-care. Australians back themselves. They are the most likely to decide alone, the most ambivalent about digital connection, and more interested in recognition than reassurance.
What Gen Z Pulse found in Australia
Brands missing the mark. Despite being one of the most analysed generations in history, fewer than 30% of Gen Z believe brands truly understand them. Fewer still say brands share their values.
The most autonomous market. 25% of Australian Gen Z want to make important decisions entirely on their own, ahead of the US (21%) and the UK (17%). Only 7% rarely seek guidance at all. They curate support; they don't refuse it.
Digital fatigue is setting in. 31% say AI tools make them feel less connected to others, the highest of any market. Australia is the only market where AI is a net negative for connection.
In-person is essential. 55% say digital connection helps but in-person time is essential, and 21% say digital connection feels incomplete, the highest of the three markets.
Sleep is what being young costs in 2026. In every market, sleep is the first thing sacrificed when life gets full (around 21%), and work or school the last (5-6%). In Australia, social time goes next.
The support they want most is emotional. 45% of Australian Gen Z want support with mental health and emotional wellbeing, the highest of the three markets, followed by physical health (39%).
Recognition matters. Australians index highest on wanting recognition and status within a brand community (18%, vs 15% in the US and 13% in the UK).
The 2026 motto: enjoy the moment. Around 15% of Australian respondents want to slow down, stress less and live in the present. Among Australian men, self-growth narrowly outranks enjoyment.
For Australian brands, the implication is practical. Where American Gen Z need permission to pause and British Gen Z want trusted social infrastructure, Australian Gen Z reward brands that respect autonomy while offering genuine, opt-in connection.
Research fielded on the Ideally platform in April 2026 with nationally representative Gen Z samples aged 18-28: Australia n=508, United States n=1,053, United Kingdom n=509. All data weighted, with significance testing at 95% confidence.
About Ideally: Ideally is the consumer insights platform purpose-built for innovation and creativity. It replaces months-long, six-figure research projects with real consumer feedback in under 24 hours, combining overnight testing, category intelligence and an AI co-pilot grounded in what real people actually say. Founded in New Zealand in 2023, Ideally is used by 250+ brands and agencies across the US, UK and APAC, including Treasury Wine Estates, Burger King, Google and Rémy Cointreau. Ideally has teams in Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne and New York.
About Ogilvy: Ogilvy has been creating impact for brands through iconic, culture-changing, value-driving ideas since the company was founded by David Ogilvy more than 75 years ago. It builds on that rich legacy through Borderless Creativity—innovating at the intersections of its advertising, public relations, relationship design, consulting, and health capabilities with experts collaborating seamlessly across more than 120 offices spanning 90 countries. Ogilvy currently ranks as the #1 global agency network for creative excellence and effectiveness by WARC, signifying its ability to deliver creative solutions that drive unreasonable impact for clients and communities. Ogilvy is a WPP company (NYSE: WPP).
