According to a November 2025 study by strategy consultancy Simon-Kucher and market research institute Appinio, 54 percent of consumers under 35 use Instagram for product research, highlighting a major generational divide in shopping behaviors. The research reveals that digital channels and artificial intelligence are playing a role in the buying process for younger demographics, forcing brands to overhaul their marketing strategies.
Instagram and TikTok Dominate Young Consumer Research
For shoppers under 35, social media platforms serve as a center for product discovery. Simon-Kucher’s data shows that Instagram leads this age group at 54 percent, followed by TikTok at 42 percent. Traditional print flyers lag significantly behind for younger buyers, used by just 29 percent of respondents in this cohort. According to the study, social feeds function as continuous discovery loops where recommendations, visual context, and entertainment often happen simultaneously, displacing static advertising.
AI Chatbots and Influencers Shape Purchase Decisions
Younger consumers also rely on emerging tech and peer creators to evaluate purchases. The report notes that 26 percent of respondents under 35 use AI chatbots to gather product details, while 25 percent view influencers as decisive factors in their buying choices. Furthermore, 24 percent of younger buyers state that emotions play a relevant role in their product selections. Brands targeting this demographic must deliver fast, contextual assistance and emotional resonance rather than dry feature lists.
Print Prospekts Retain Value for Older Cohorts
In sharp contrast, consumers over 35 rely heavily on traditional print formats. According to the Simon-Kucher survey, 50 percent of older buyers still use flyers to research offerings. Digital and social channels show less traction in this demographic: only 9 percent of buyers over 35 use AI chatbots for shopping queries, and just 12 percent report that influencers affect their purchasing choices. Additionally, only 16 percent of older respondents consider emotion a key factor in product selection.
Strategic Implications for Marketing Budgets
Dr. Tobias Maria Günter of Simon-Kucher warns that companies dilute their market impact by deploying a single, blanket marketing strategy across all age groups. Because usage patterns for social apps, AI assistants, and print media less frequently overlap, marketing teams must segment their budgets and creative assets. Reaching distinct cohorts requires tailoring formats to the channel—deploying short-form video and influencer partnerships for digital natives while maintaining structured, reliable product overviews for older buyers.