They’re entrepreneurial, socially aware, and more diverse than previous generations.
Growing up around the credit crisis, coming of age during the pandemic, and never knowing a time before the internet, they love convenience, applaud sustainable practices, and are more conscious spenders.
Gen Zers, born between 1997 and 2012, are also a bellwether. PwC describes their behaviour as a preview of what’s to come in consumer psychology, so it’s crucial that advertisers understand them.
Here is a look at the attitudes characterizing Gen Z, their upcoming spending habits and how advertisers can turn this audience into customers on streaming TV.
Who are Generation Z?
Definitions for Gen Z vary, but for the purpose of this post, we’ll defer to Statistics Canada, which defines Gen Z as those born between 1997 and 2012. This puts them between the ages of 14 to 29 at time of publication.
Statistics Canada figures
Accounting for 18.2% of the Canadian population, which represents more than 6.7 million people, Gen Z’s spending power will only increase. Some projections suggest that they will be the wealthiest generation in history.
We know that there is huge diversity within this cohort, and that the generation someone was born into can only tell you so much. A Gen Zer born in the year 2000 may feel like they have more millennial characteristics or they may not identify with either generation at all.
That said, there are some commonalities that can be helpful for advertisers looking to understand this age group. The following values are particularly important to them:
- Sustainability: For many Gen Zers, climate change is an ever-present concern, and so they seek to support businesses with green credentials.
- Exclusivity: In an uncertain economic climate, for Gen Zers to part with their money, products need to feel special.
- Convenience: This generation expects ease of use when it comes to transactions.
Our research also shows that when it comes to big spending decisions, their plans do sometimes differ from those of older generations.
Younger streamers’ entrepreneurial spirit is reflected in their plans for the coming year – 10% hope to start a business.
Gen Z 10x more likely to launch a business
Our annual study into Canadian streaming preferences and behaviours (2026 VOD Evolution) found that in terms of streaming habits, younger streamers are far less likely to be spending time with cable, and that they spend 17.8 hours a week watching streaming TV.
The research also found that while Canadians of all ages generally align in their spending plans in many areas (including travel), there are some places where they diverge, and not just when it comes to getting married and starting a family.
Younger Canadians (aged 18-34) are more than twice as likely than over-54s to apply for financial products in the next year, and 10 times more likely to have plans to start a business.
Younger streamers are also far more likely than over-34s to have plans to buy a new home or property.
Capture Black Friday shoppers by targeting under-25 streamers
In 2026 VOD Evolution, we also asked more than 1,700 Canadian streamers what shopping events they generally participate in, finding that 18-24s are almost twice as likely as those aged 55+ to shop on Black Friday (49% vs. 25%).
As you’d expect, they’re also far more likely to do back to school shopping than older streamers – 27% of 18-24s and 17% of 25-34s said they’d be stocking up for the new academic year, compared with just 4% of over-54s.
Observance of religious holidays and other annual events is fairly even across age groups, though there were some outliers: younger generations are more likely to celebrate Halloween, Valentine’s Day, New Year’s and Black Friday.
Reach this digital-first generation during key cultural moments with Roku’s interactive ads, seamlessly connecting the TV screen directly to their mobile phones.
Any brands seeking to reach younger streamers should remember their values – they like sustainable products, and brands that have a “strong story or purpose”, according to McKinsey, though this must come from a place of authenticity (they are particularly sensitive to greenwashing and will punish tone deafness).
Because we match our first-party subscriber data with streaming behavior, brands can target this valuable demographic and serve relevant ads that drive measurable outcomes—from brand recall to direct purchases.
To find out more about Canadian streamers’ changing behaviour, and how Roku can help brands reach their audiences with interactive campaigns, download 2026 VOD Evolution.
