“The Next Gen is actually the Now Gen.”
That is according to Freeman’s 2024 Event Organizer Trends Report, at least, which states Gen Z (17.5M) has officially overtaken Baby Boomers (17.2M) in the workforce. (Muahahahaha…)
Freeman’s report also states “Now Gen” is shaping trends, driving innovation and redefining values as we speak. But how is the world—and the meetings industry, in particular—keeping up with this societal evolution?
As we enter this new year and grapple with the fact that some Gen Zers are nearing the point where they could potentially become your next boss, we should consider not only that the future is now, but the ways in which the future will appear in life and our careers.
I did some research (beyond the social media doom scrolling my generation considers a reliable way to get their news) to see what changes this year is predicted to bring as a result of this generational shift.
Here are the top three trends Gen Z is setting in 2025 (according to me) and how I imagine they’ll translate into the meetings and events industry.
[Related: The Z: The Realities of Remote Work and How Co-Workdays Can Be a Solution]
1. AI-Generated vs. User-Generated Content
Gen Z may be taking over the workforce, but AI is taking over literally everything, and the tech-savvy digital natives aren’t as excited about AI as the rest of us may have assumed they’d be.
Turns out, Gen Z’s value of authenticity applies to everything, including the online world, where they seek out content that is raw, real and created by people like themselves, not ChatGPT. In fact, if you dare enter the comments section beneath any AI-generated Instagram post, Gen Zers are probably down there calling people out for using AI in a failed attempt to earn some clout.
An InMobi survey released in 2023 found that 61% of Gen Zers “significantly prefer” user-generated content (UGC) over other content formats. Why? Simply because UGC is the most authentic type of content.
What can UGC do that AI-generated content can’t? Build trust, foster community, show relatability, be genuine and raw, have a personality...
There is nothing too polished about UGC, and Gen Z is proving that despite the seemingly endless possibilities of AI, there does exist at least one limitation: authentic human connection.
UGC in the Meetings Industry
Personally, I haven’t seen much AI-generated content in the meetings industry that’s set off any major alarm bells, but I can tell you that AI-generated avatars of your CEO speaking with an accurate-yet-oddly robotic voice will probably give the Gen Zers on your team nightmares.
Another trend I’ve seen is AI-generated headshots, which people will use as their LinkedIn profile pictures, and that, too, is a big no-no.
There’s no harm in using ChatGPT to help you come up with an email or LinkedIn post, but before you copy, paste and publish, edit the AI-generated copy to add your own personal touch to it, making sure it reflects the same energy your posts had before AI was thrown into the mix.
When it comes to building your authentic online presence, just remember that anything AI can do, you can do better. Technology doesn’t know you better than you know yourself.
[Related: The Z: Why It’s Important to Talk Through Transitions, Personally and Professionally]
2. The Role of Social Media and ‘Micro-Influencers’
For everything from product recommendations and purchasing decisions to destination selection and figuring out which hotel to book, Gen Z relies heavily on social media to help them make decisions. More specifically, these digital natives are turning to “micro-influencers,” who serve more-niche audiences, to do their research and formulate opinions.
According to Mediatool, nearly three-quarters of Gen Z follow influencers on social media, and many of them place influencers ahead of traditional celebrities and their brand endorsements in terms of impact and trust. Half of the generation believe influencer recommendations are a critical factor in their purchasing choices and, once again, it all comes back to authenticity, relatability and trust.
Real people are giving real recommendations and reviews, and they’re (usually) not being paid by a big corporation to do it. In Gen Z Social Media 101, these creators pass with flying colors.
Micro-Meetings Influencers
When you think of the term “influencer,” do any meetings and events industry professionals come to mind? (Did you think of me or our chief editor, Tyler, perhaps? *insert hair toss*)
In all seriousness, though, there already exists a handful of “micro-meetings influencers” who I believe are fully aware of the power a consistent social media presence can have on their audience.
One area of our industry that I think excels in UGC and acting as micro-influencers is CVBs and DMOs, many of which have accounts on platforms like Instagram and are already creating the types of mobile-first video content Gen Z turns to when deciding where to vacation next or which new restaurants to try in their home city.
I consistently tune into Choose Chicago’s Instagram profile (@choosechicago), which has nearly half a million followers, to see what’s happening in the city and get recommendations for new places to explore.
[Related: The Z: How to Tell Your Story to Make Yourself an Unforgettable Connection]
3. The Crafty Creative Craze
I may be biased (my office doubles as a craft room and, if you didn't notice this column's main image, The Z has received a very crafty redesign), but I think this crafty creative craze that Gen Z is experiencing right now is the most exciting trend we will see in 2025. Creative Boom dubbed it “the craft renaissance,” and we’re likely seeing this for a few reasons.
One is personalization. Nowadays, mass-produced products are endlessly available on websites like Amazon, but Gen Z tends to want to stand out, and their desire for unique, handmade, personal items with meaning is changing how they present themselves, how they shop, the music they listen to, the content they create…the list goes on.
In my opinion, I think this all ties back to their appreciation of authenticity. We know Gen Z seeks authenticity in others, but they also strive to be authentic as individuals.
One way we are seeing this manifest is in their fashion choices. Trend forecasting agency WGSN refers to the phenomenon as “chaotic customization,” an era in which people, especially Gen Z, are embracing maximalist, individualized approaches to fashion—and it doesn’t stop there. According to TrendBible, “many Gen-Z householders are engaging in a new age of play and looking to add elements of their personality and style anywhere they can.”
My Instagram is flooded with Gen Zers sharing creative home renovations. Some are replacing ceiling lights with handmade chandeliers and others are piecing together various IKEA shelves to create an entirely new and unique build for a corner of their home (on which they display their monstrous collection of something weirdly specific, like thousands of Littlest Pet Shop toys or a shrine to the discontinued Dandelion Crayola crayon).
This shameless quality of being a little quirky is what I love most about my generation, and it’s something I’ve embraced for years. My mint green Fiat 500 is adorned with a vanity plate, a disco ball hanging from my rearview mirror, a string of rainbow pompoms in the front windshield and more bumper stickers than I can count on one hand. (My new suitcase also has my dog’s face on it.)
If there’s one guarantee about Gen Z, it’s the inevitability they’ll find a way to make something their own.
‘Chaotic Customization’ at Conferences
The meetings industry is already seeing a push for crafty, creative, customized approaches to everything from corporate gifting to business-casual fashion and even how we formulate emails. (If you’ve ever emailed me, I’m sure an emoji or two has made an appearance.)
Years ago, wearing tennis shoes to one of the biggest industry events of the year would’ve been frowned upon, but now, representatives from Visit Milwaukee strut the IMEX floor with custom Nike Air Force 1’s painted to look like cheese and the IMEX team can be spotted wearing official IMEX logoed sneakers.
When I started attending industry events, the thought of concealing my sparkles didn’t even cross my mind because my generation has never made me feel like it’s abnormal to be myself. Anyone who knows me knows I’m the girl with tinsel in her hair, sequins on her shirt and glitter on her kicks, and I saw a considerable number of attendees become more daring in their fashion choices at industry events this year. (One of our Meetings Today LIVE! attendees rocked a pair of bedazzled platform Crocs in the Bahamas!)
When it comes to corporate gifting, no one in this industry needs another insulated water bottle. Half of the time, they’re either left behind or unused and forgotten about, but I know exactly where I keep my hand-painted keyring from Australia. The 100% authentic Canadian Huron-Wendat moccasins I got in Quebec City on a Destination Canada incentive trip are my favorite shoes to wear around the house, and my copy of Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ’Em sits proudly atop my travel-coffee-table-book collection.
Who knows, maybe a create-your-own-badge station is in your future…
Signed, stamped and sprinkled with sparkles,
Taylor
Have a question about Gen Z or a topic you’d like to learn more about? Share your thoughts with Taylor at taylor.smith@meetingstoday.com, on Instagram at @tay__writes or on X at @taywrites.
Mission Statement: "The Z: Planning for the Industry’s Next Generation" is a Meetings Today column discussing the meetings and events industry’s newest and youngest members—the incoming Generation Z. Written by Meetings Today’s Taylor Smith, a member of Gen Z herself, The Z explores how to welcome, work with, understand and plan for the industry’s next wave of professionals while serving as a guide for members of Gen Z themselves, planners and attendees alike.
Read more from "The Z: Planning for the Industry’s Next Generation."
