Gen Alpha (born 2011-present)

Data reveals that younger generations are increasingly concerned about how rising costs will impact their future. With financial restrictions limiting their interest in and ability to start a family or buy a home, Gens Y and Z are turning to brands for targeted support to plan their futures.

Luxury resorts are offering mindful escapes centred around yoga and nature for kids, helping them to grow and connect with the outdoors. As declining mental health among children becomes a pressing concern, there are expectations for brands to help kids develop healthy practices from an early age.

Known for educationally-driven children’s media, Sesame Workshop has introduced a variety of emotional wellbeing content. Through its lens of inclusion and drive to address the mental health crisis, the Workshop's initiative is an example of a brand leveraging its focus to meet emerging needs.

Mattel has introduced the first Barbie doll with Down's syndrome in an effort to ensure inclusion for all children. The brand, which has long played a central role in children’s playtime experiences, is highlighting the importance of representation in early development.

Rising awareness among consumers and brands about the negative impacts of social media use is altering the way that influencers post and engage with their audiences across digital channels. This comes as lawmakers work to enact regulations that aim to protect younger users online.

Hasbro’s ‘Proudly Made for Juniors’ campaign has received praise for challenging the ‘passive little girl’ stereotype. By presenting a young girl as the hero in an ad for its Nerf Junior Blasters, the company is subverting the norms around a toy stereotypically targeted at boys.

A Bloomberg poll has revealed that 40% of investors believe targeting a job in healthcare is the best way for Gen Alphas to AI-proof their career prospects. With the proliferation of AI raising various concerns, brands have the chance to help young people choose careers with longevity.

Love Better, a campaign from the New Zealand government, is shining a light on the struggles teens are facing when it comes to relationships. Featuring real stories, the initiative uses authenticity and empathy as part of a broader effort to support mental health in young generations.

Milka has introduced a Beeping Bunny product that provides sonic cues to enable visually-impaired children to participate in Easter egg hunts. The campaign demonstrates an effective way of prioritising inclusivity, going beyond virtue signalling and brand purpose while maintaining sector relevance.

Kidcaboo has launched in Philadelphia to ease safety worries among parents struggling to make travel arrangements for their kids. The Uber-like app provides a practical solution for parents who have ambitions of returning to work but fear compromising their child’s safety on public transport.

A meme featuring multitasking with a Family Guy compilation has risen slowly to virality over 2023, poking fun at a collective dependence on constant stimulation. People are beginning to address the effects of endless scroll behaviors on their mental health and attention spans.

Gen Y parents are trying to protect their kids from the financial turmoil they faced back in 2008. During the cost of living crisis, many mums and dads are setting up bank accounts while others are having money talks with their children – but more can be done to boost Gen Alpha's finances.

The Aria Collection hopes to raise awareness about the trauma suffered by children who lose their parents to gun violence. As well as donating a portion of profits towards supporting inflicted families, the dialogue sparked by the clothing line will create spaces for collective healing.

Youth-focused media outlet Rebel Girls has announced an $8 million funding round aimed at expanding the reach of its content and making it more accessible. With alarming gaps in confidence and mental health between boys and girls, Rebel Girls addresses the issue through empowering storytelling.

Duolingo is tackling illiteracy from a young age by offering free, fun, and engaging English lessons to children in India. By leaning into the engaging aspect of edtech, Duolingo ABC funnels UNICEF's education goals into classrooms and homes, elevating learning for kids at a grassroots level.

Dr. Allison Rodgers has released an inclusive illustrated guide to understanding female anatomy. Targeted at a younger audience, the book is set to break down harmful stereotypes and stigmas while also empowering young people and their parents to have open, honest discussions about sex.

TikTok is imposing a 60-minute time limit for under-18 users, addressing concerns about the impact of its addictive nature on teens. With growing concerns about screen-time management, parents are increasingly expecting social platforms themselves to shoulder responsibility.

Disney Plus animation Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur has been praised for its child-friendly approach to the serious topic of Alopecia. Despite the movement to embrace natural hairstyles, the prevalence of hair discrimination has forced many Black women to adopt harmful straightening practices.

While co-parenting is a common practice, its representation in children’s programming is often either toxic or non-existent. Netflix’s series My Dad The Bounty Hunter provides Gen Alphas with a loving – and most likely relatable – depiction of this relationship dynamic and Black fatherhood.

Youth rodeo is growing in popularity throughout rural America as parents enroll their kids to keep the country lifestyle alive. In addition to helping young people connect with this part of national heritage, these events may assist in challenging the dominant narratives of Old West history.

Pune-based tech start-up Aretto Footwear makes shoes designed to fit kids properly – and not just for a couple of months. Through a dedication to comfort and functionality, the brand finds opportunity at the intersection of parents' financial concerns and children's functional needs.

LEGO has launched a YouTube series featuring a selection of characters, storylines, and associated toys that specifically focus on inclusion and diversity. The move may be seen as a response to calls for media and entertainment brands to be mindful of inclusive representation across all ages.

Disney+'s animated series The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder has received widespread praise for its empathetic handling and representation of neurodiversity. Through the lens of parental anxiety, the show explores the unfortunate normality of late autism diagnosis in the Black community.

Research shows that outdoor play can help mitigate the negative effects of screen time on young children. In an age when parents increasingly depend on technology while expecting digital platforms to safeguard kids, there are opportunities for tech brands to promote the best of both worlds.

A study has found that TikTok has overtaken YouTube as the most popular app among children and teenagers, beating other streaming apps in the process. The rampant enthusiasm for TikTok brings into question the app’s safety and privacy issues as well as how it’s impacting parenting.

Rihanna and Apple Music have teamed up to release the Run This Town short film in honor of the singer’s Super Bowl performance. Set in Rihanna’s birthplace of Barbados, the nostalgia-tinged video triumphs with its representation of Black women rebuking Western beauty standards.

Romance is often portrayed as a universal experience, but the reality is that many in society are excluded from participating. Disney's Dug Days: Carl's Date highlights the challenges older people face when re-entering the dating scene and normalizes the pursuit of love in later life.

Growing reliance on online entertainment as convenient childcare has turned children’s content into a multibillion-dollar industry. However, with studies and concerns surfacing around not only the content but the time children are spending consuming it – demands for regulation are mounting.

Offering training on media literacy in schools, Finland is teaching students how to identify false information and propaganda. With ever-growing concerns about misinformation, people are looking for serious action from brands, educational institutions, and governments in order to stem the tide.

The impact of social media on the mental health of young people is becoming increasingly difficult to dispute. As such, the Seattle schools district has turned to legal action against Big Tech companies to help students and highlight the increased need for the protection of young people.

Halo has rolled out a wearable sleep aid for babies, helping parents be at ease while their babies rest. The product demonstrates how people are outsourcing parts of their lives for peace of mind but raises questions about just how much data people are willing to share about their newborn children.

Nike's Jordan brand has launched a slip-on footwear range aimed directly at Gen Alpha. With many people across ages opting for comfort over style, the slip-on silhouette is becoming ubiquitous in fashion. For kids, the design also offers better accessibility and more opportunities for play.

Sky TV has announced that it will be launching a 24-hour linear kids' channel packed full of original content and franchise favourites. The ad-free channel is set to launch in February 2023 and promises to help parents restore the ‘screen time versus green time’ balance lost during the pandemic.

Nestlé has announced it will no longer market sugary products to children as of July 2023. With mounting evidence confirming links between childhood obesity and long-term health, parents are calling on companies to take accountability for their role and offer solutions to tackle these issues.

Bling is a banking app that helps families navigate financial literacy planning for their children's future. With a lack of education about finances in schools and trust in institutions dwindling, people are turning to brands for solutions and support during difficult times.

In Canada, a group of parents has filed a class action lawsuit against Epic Games, the publisher of Fortnite. The move represents how some parents are shifting accountability for their children’s addiction to gaming, TV, and more to the companies that create and distribute the content.