After nearly a decade dominated by teetotaling wellness, the pendulum is swinging.
Over the last decade, headlines have blared that Gen Zs don’t drink, have sex, or use drugs. Now, the narrative is shifting.Part youthful rebellion, part YOLO nihilism — and sometimes rooted in misinformation — recent data shows Zs are not only drinking alcohol, they’re also picking up vices including smoking, tanning, and gambling.
For a generation facing climate change, downward mobility, an AI takeover, and microplastics in seemingly everything, embracing activities that bring them pleasure right now makes more sense than deferring to a future that’s so uncertain. Case in point: a quarter of Zs say it's worth it to look great with a tan now, even if it means looking worse later, according to a survey by the American Academy of Dermatology. Interestingly, some Zs say there’s something refreshingly straightforward about these vintage vices. Unlike social media, there’s no ambiguity that they’re bad for you — they’re dangers we can all agree on and enjoy socially together.
Photo by Agustín Farías via Death To Stock
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HOW THIS IS PLAYING OUT IN CULTURE
Cigarettes are cool again? While teen smoking recently hit an all-time low, the cultural attitude towards cigarettes has clearly shifted. From social media accounts dedicated to “cigfluencers” to celebs including Kylie Jenner, Gracie Abrams, and Dua Lipa photographed lighting up, cigarettes have become a nostalgic, stylish aspiration. On Pinterest, searches for the term “smoking pose” rose 70% year over year among 18- to 24-year-olds, according to fashion data firm Style Analytics.
Tanning is back. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., and the most preventable — but you wouldn’t know that by scrolling through Gen Z “tanmaxxing” content. Showing off tan lines and sunburns, and sometimes spouting off misinformation — like the false narrative that sunscreen can cause cancer — Zs are soaking up the rays like it's the ‘90s again. In fact, 20% of 18- to 29-year-olds said that getting a tan was more important than preventing skin cancer, compared with 14% of the general population, according to a study from the American Academy of Dermatology.
Zs are transforming the alcohol market. Despite early tendencies towards teetotaling, 71% of 21+ Gen Zs say they at least sometimes drink alcohol, according to IWSR. Now they’re reshaping the market to reflect a more intentional palate. Experts say Gen Z adults still drink less volume-wise than previous generations did at their age, but they’re trading cheap beer and boxed wine for higher-quality products, like ready-to-drink cocktail brands. In fact, Cutwater topped Morning Consult’s recent list of Fastest Growing Brands among Gen Z.
They’re betting big. This summer’s FIFA World Cup brought a wave of Gen Z first-time bettors. According to Bank of America, new bettors in June and July more than tripled January’s numbers, and Gen Zs and millennials now make up 88% of online bettors. For Zs, betting isn’t just about the momentary thrill — they’re twice as likely as others to see sports betting as an investment, given that traditional financial paths are crumbling. Why save for a future that might not come when you can put $20 on tonight’s game?
Photos from left to right: Pop-singer Clairo smoking a cigarette via @cigfluencers on Instagram, group of women tanning via The New York Times, Gen Z drinking via Getty Images
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WHAT IT MEANS FOR MARKETERS
Bring back a little danger. After years of sanitized, safety-conscious culture, edginess has currency again. Brands can experiment with riskier creative, darker humor, provocative imagery and a little more irreverence. Just don’t confuse “edgy” with being offensive — Zs are pushing limits to find their joy.
Give them something to rebel against. Wellness culture created a playbook that has started to feel confining. Help Zs let go and reclaim their hedonistic side, even in completely wholesome ways. For example, the “wellness darties” that have recently popped up on college campuses, and across TikTok, give young people a place to mix daytime parties with cold plunges, saunas, and shotgunning energy drinks. It’s a way for Zs to kick the school year off with an extreme experience shared with friends — without the hangover.
Build on nostalgic feelings. The return of cigarettes, tanning, and drinking culture isn’t just a return to ’90s and early 2000 aesthetics. Brands should tap into the looser, less optimized attitude of that era. Mine the emotional territories Zs are craving: Freedom, boredom, social connection, spontaneity and escape.
