376. YPulse. Social Marketing Preferences.
21 August 2025
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This episode features Tori D’Amico, Managing Content Editor at YPulse, the leading authority on Gen Z, millennial, and now Gen Alpha opinions and behaviors. Drawing from YPulse’s latest trend reports on celebrities & influencers and social & mobile marketing, Tori shares fresh insights into how young consumers want to be marketed to, and how they feel about the public figures influencing their purchases.
With data from thousands of 13–39-year-olds across North America and Western Europe, YPulse’s findings shed light on evolving digital habits, platform preferences, and the growing trust in online creators.
Key points discussed:
Engagement on the rise: Teens and young adults are interacting with branded content more than last year—following accounts, watching Stories, commenting, and tuning in to live streams.
Social commerce leaders: TikTok dominates for shopping interest, especially among Gen Z, with YouTube and Facebook still strong in certain segments.
Short-form wins—but not too short: Content under one minute performs best, yet YouTube remains the top platform where young people pay attention to ads.
Authenticity matters: User-generated content from relatable consumers is highly persuasive; humor and brand personality help planned campaigns resonate.
Influencer impact: 62% of 13–39-year-olds have purchased something because an online celebrity mentioned it—often without a direct sales pitch.
Category insights: Fashion leads purchases from influencer recommendations, followed closely by food and drinks due to accessibility and instant gratification.
Identity-driven differences: Young people of color are more tuned into YouTube and Instagram ads; LGBTQ+ youth are heavily influenced in their media consumption; college students show strong purchase intent from influencers.
Trust in creators is growing: YouTubers top the list of most trusted public figures, outranking athletes, actors, and other celebrities.
Tori D’Amico is the Managing Content Editor at YPulse, where she collaborates on articles, newsletters, and reports on Gen Z and Millennial data, across North America and Western Europe, that share everything a brand needs to know about young consumers. On the Gen Z / Millennial cusp herself, Tori brings her personal experiences growing up in the age of social media culture and background in journalism together to deliver meaningful consumer insights. Outside of work, Tori is the co-host of the podcast Ex-Tumblr Girls, which explores media, fandom, and teenage girlhood in the context of the prolific 2010’s blogging platform.
YPulse is the leading authority on Millennials and Gen Z: tweens, teens, college students and young adults. We provide strategic insight to companies and organizations via our subscription-based syndicated research content as well as our custom research and consulting services. Staffed with a cross-functional team of researchers, marketers, writers, and technologists, we give our clients a 360-degree view of what it’s like to be a Millennial or Gen Z in America today.
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