They’re Building Tomorrow: Meet Gen A
For the past decade, everything has been all about Gen Z. We tracked their every move, from how they rewired the workplace to how they made lowercase letters feel like a personality trait. They’ve had a chokehold on culture, and rightly so.
But while we were busy decoding Z’s, something else was quietly happening in the background. A new generation was watching, listening, and building entire (Roblox) worlds while we weren’t looking. And now, they’re shaping the culture of tomorrow.
Welcome to the world of Gen Alpha.
ipad kids who want the irl
You’d think that the most digital-native generation to ever exist would be glued to their screens. But here’s a plot twist: they’re not.
During the research for our culture report, more than 64% of the Gen Alpha kids we spoke to said they’d rather be outside than online. Their after-school dream lineup? Football, sports, and just… playing outside.
The same kids we assumed would live life through a lens are craving real-world moments they can actually touch. While everyone else is chasing the next viral filter, Gen Alpha is outside building forts, teams and memories. Marketers, take note: this isn’t about screen fatigue, it’s about balance. They’re trying to balance the endless scroll we handed them with, with things they can actually touch and experience.
Small humans, big influence
They might not be old enough to work yet, but don’t let that fool you. From their bedrooms, Gen Alpha is already learning how to move markets.
They’ve grown up tapping to buy, and that fluency is showing. They spend about €43 of their own money every week. Eighty-two percent of millennial parents say their kids have changed what they buy. So even if Gen A aren’t the ones checking out yet, they’re shaping what ends up in the basket.
Where do they get their money from, you may ask. Some of their money comes from pocket money, some from odd jobs like pet-sitting or helping neighbours, and some from full-blown ventures: reselling clothes on Vinted, selling handmade bracelets, setting up playground pop-ups. This generation is not just playing shop. They’re practicing ownership. Gen Alpha isn’t waiting to grow up to join the economy, they’re quietly building their own.
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fluent in games
While Gen Z gave us the era of Instagram aesthetics, Gen Alpha is building something else entirely. YouTube is their number one platform, not TikTok, not Instagram. They grew up with Cocomelon and dancing fruit instead of bedtime stories, so YouTube feels like home: part entertainment, part education, part comfort blanket.
They’re also deeply rooted in gaming worlds like Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite, not just to play, but to create, collaborate and even communicate with each other. These platforms aren’t just games for them. Each world they build teaches them to think, make, and work together. Brands: getting involved in games will be a way to spark meaningful conversations with this generation.
Why it matters
Right now, Gen Alpha is reshaping the family shopping list. Soon, they’ll be rewriting the market altogether. They want the real world, but they live online. They’re still kids, but they already hold influence. And they’re growing up fast, building, shaping and creating culture as they go.
They’re not just the next generation of consumers.They’re the next generation of culture-creators. The only question is: will your brand grow up with them?
What's in it for the marketer?
Gen Alpha might not have credit cards yet, but don’t let that fool you, they’re already moving markets. Right now, they’re reshaping what goes into the family basket.
They’re growing up fluent in digital spending, experimenting with side hustles and crafting their own micro-brands before they’ve hit their teens. This isn’t pocket money culture, it’s entrepreneurial instinct. And while they live online, they crave the physical. Brands that meet them there, in the moments they can touch, play with, and shape, could earn loyalty before anyone else even shows up.
