Meet Generation Alpha, the fun and feisty new kids in town

Now, with the youngest Gen Zers already in their mid-teens and the oldest in their latter 20s, the focus is shifting to the toddler and pre-teen Gen Alpha market which is fast revealing an array of unique values and buying preferences.  

Already, argue marketing academics like Dr Ayo Oniku from the University of Lagos: “The generation represents a potential segment in every family’s buying decision process, societal and state future generation plans, and individual parents’ buying behaviours.” 

Writing in Nigeria’s Business Day newspaper, Oniku challenges the view that because Gen Alpha is not physically handing over cash to retailers, their preferences are not shaping buying decisions within their families.  

Oniku argues that, compared to previous generations, these youngers wield unprecedented influence over family buying behaviours and their future needs and preferences are key considerations in decisions to buy specific brands of cars or to live in areas with good schools.  

Understanding these family influencers 

So, who are these behind-the-scenes family influencers? Globally, the Generation Alpha market is expected to reach two billion people by 2025 – making them the consumers to watch in the future. They are also the first and largest generation to grow up in a very connected world – in the case of wealthier urbanised young Africans, a fully connected world – which gives them a unique life perspective and an often-astonishing level of comfort with multiple technology forms and platforms.  

In Africa, the Generation Alpha cohort is even more significant, given the continent’s population growth and high youth dividend. In the recent Discovering Generation Alpha report by African marketing research and strategy firm Pierrine Consulting, the authors note that by 2024 there were around 200-million young people in the Gen Alpha bracket across the continent.  

“This generation is predominantly concentrated in urban areas, experiencing lifestyles distinct from their rural counterparts,” the authors wrote. This is a telling differentiator considering that “urbanisation trends indicate that by 2030, more than half of Africa’s population will reside in urban regions”. 

To find out more about Gen Alpha, and other great marketing stories from across the continent, be sure to read the new issue (Issue 4 2024) of Strategic Marketing for Africa, the magazine of the African Marketing Confederation.  

You can read the Digital Edition online here. The Print Edition will be available shortly.