1 in 3 Gen Zers have bought from an influencer-founded brand in the past year

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Key stat: 33% of US Gen Z consumers have purchased a product from an influencer-founded brand in the past year, followed by millennials (29%), according to Morning Consult.

Beyond the chart:

• Influencers are no longer just voices for other brands. They’ve become their own standalone media channels, diversifying their platforms and revenue streams.
• “If you look at the influencers that have done particularly well in this space, not only do their products have to be aligned with their own brand, they have to be authentic,” said our analyst Blake Droesch on an episode of our “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast. “But before all that, [influencers] need to have that platform, and that massive reach.”
• The top influencers among US teens in fall 2023 were Alix Earle and MrBeast, according to Piper Sandler. MrBeast already sells his own products, and Earle is on her way to starting a brand.

Use this chart:

• Consider working with influencers to stock and sell their own products.
• Recognize Gen Z’s trust in influencers.

More like this:

• ‘Creator content is now a vital part of the mix,’ IAB says. Here’s what that means for brands
• How to reach Gen Z in 2024, according to new data
• TikTok and Instagram battle for social commerce dominance
• What the past few months of TikTok trends teach us about marketing to Gen Z

Methodology: Data is from a December 2023 Morning Consult survey as cited on LinkedIn. 2,201 US adults were surveyed online during November 2-3, 2023. There is an unweighted margin of error of +/-2 percentage points.