Zillennials (also known as Zennials) is the demographic cohort on the cusp of the millennial and Generation Z cohorts. Their adjacency between the two generations and limited age grade has led to their characterization as a "micro-generation." They are generally the children of the members of Generation Jones and Generation X. Estimates of the U.S. population in this cohort range from 30 million to 48 million.
In infancy or early childhood during the September 11th terrorist attacks they were the first cohort to experience adolescence in a post-9/11 world. The majority of this cohort came of age during the 2010s, with the U.K. Brexit referendum and U.S. presidential election of 2016 and COVID-19 pandemic being key formative events. Zillennials experienced the Digital Revolution of the 2000s and 2010s, navigating mobile LTE internet, cell phones, mobile devices and smartphones.
Zillennials code-switch between generations, have high levels of digital literacy, and are more likely to self-identify into a minority group. Zillennials are less wealthy but more economically secure than Generation Z, commanding relatively high spending power in the U.S. economy, especially when compared to millennials. They have high brand loyalty, low price sensitivity, and stable purchasing patterns.
Etymology
The term Zillennial is a portmanteau of "Generation Z" and "Millennial". A similar portmanteau, Zennial, is also used. Other names that have been proposed for these cuspers include the Snapchat Generation by authors Ubl, Walden, and Arbit, and MinionZ by Smit. GenZennials was used to reference the micro-generation by Ketchum.
Date and age range
According to the Pew Research Center, "generational cutoff points aren’t an exact science". The think tank classifies a standard generation as "[typically between] 15 to 18 years" with "great diversity of thought, experience and behavior within generations." Zillennials are those born between (on the cusp of) the Millennial generation and Generation Z.
The exact date range of this micro-generation is not specifically defined. Avery Hartmans, writing for Business Insider citing a study on U.S. consumers, defines a Zillennial as anyone born between 1990 and 2000. Boston University sociologist Deborah Carr defines zillennials as those born "roughly" between 1992 and 2002. Authors Hannah Ubl, Lisa Walden, and Debra Arbit define the cuspers as those born between 1992 and 1998, as does Mary Everett, writing for PopSugar and Vogue. A WGSN case study on the cohort similarly notes this date range. Others have defined zillennials as those born from 1993 to 1998, including Deon Smit (HR Future), Maisy Farren (Vice), Lindsay Dogson (Business Insider Mexico), and MetLife. Ketchum defines GenZennials as those born from 1992 to 2000. Fullscreen defines the cusp group as those born from approximately 1993 to 1999 in their research. Author Mary Donahue defines the cuspers as those born from 1995 to 2000.
Characteristics
Zillennials are influenced by both the millennial generation and Generation Z, often sharing strong, polarizing connectivity to one adjoining generation over the other. Members of this micro-generation consider the "fluid" nature of their age grade unsettling with potential to "tarnish their status and input in the workplace [via ageism]", according to a WGSN case study. The case study found that some zillennials preferred to be seen as millennials in the workplace, as they are seen as more professional, while younger zillennials believed they were "too young" for the characterization. Due to rapid demographic change during the 2010s social scientists believe that a second micro-generation could lie between the millennial generation and Generation Z, according to author Tim Elmore.
Arts and culture
The advent of "Zillenialcore" to describe the cultural backdrop of this micro-generation references music, media, and fashion. Members of this cohort often code-switch, "[aging] up when speaking to [millennials] and [aging] down when speaking to younger relatives." They are seen as "cultural tastemakers", particularly in youth subcultures for both younger millennials and older members of Generation Z. Their creative content is marked by an emphasis on authenticity, relatability, and social consciousness, rejecting curated programming typical of the millennial generation. They have substantial control over internet meme culture, donning the moniker "meme lords".
Climate change
Zillennials believe in global warming, attempt to mitigate climate change, and identify as eco-conscious.