Ethical brands can't look the other way
A study based on data from 7.3 million Gen Z individuals, with one clear conclusion
According to the study ‘Under the Gen Z Lens’ by Facttory (BeConfluence), over 90% of young Spaniards search for brand information online, and 91.9% follow at least one brand on social media.
Gen Z doesn’t reject brands. They coexist with them.
54.2% value brands based on influencer recommendations or what others say on social platforms.
And nearly half of them use artificial intelligence to decide which brands to consider.
Is this just influencer marketing? No. It’s a new model.
Where Generation X relied on track record, guarantees or technical quality, Gen Z trusts something else: emotion, aesthetics, and what a brand publicly stands for.
And even though it might seem contradictory, they also seek coherence, honesty, and values.
Contradictions we need to take seriously
The report is clear:
Sustainability isn’t a decisive factor, but it does improve perception if well communicated.
Price isn’t the main factor—except in certain categories.
There are 2.85 million young people with counterfeit products… and 49% proudly admit it.
What does this mean for those of us who build brands?
At Small*, we believe branding isn’t what you project.
It’s what’s perceived, what’s communicated, and what’s activated at every touchpoint.
And in this context:
We no longer just design logos. We design public profiles built on trust.
We don’t just work on tone of voice. We work on how what you say is interpreted on TikTok, during unboxings, or in reviews.
It’s not enough to have values. You have to prove them—and translate them across generations.
The Opportunity Ahead
Branding is no longer built from the inside out.
It’s built through conversation. Through community. Through culture.
And while that requires more effort, more listening, and more direction,
it also opens up a possibility we’ve never had before:
to create brands that are lived authentically through many voices.
At Small, that’s what drives us: building brands that don’t just say something—
they have something real to offer.
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