From influencers to AI, here’s what Gen Alpha thinks about your brand
Marketing school was in session at Shoptalk Fall in Nashville, but this time, the students were the teachers.
Last week, a panel of five Gen Alpha shoppers, ranging from middle schoolers to high schoolers, took the stage to talk candidly about what they want and don’t want from the brands competing for their time, dollars and clicks. The conversation touched on various topics, from the use of AI in ads (“That’s a huge turnoff”) to why analog media is so hot right now (“I do need to feel different and unique”).
Many retailers and brands today are focusing on Gen Z, given that the generation’s purchasing power is projected to reach $12 trillion by 2030. But Gen Alpha, the oldest of whom are in their late teens, is increasingly catching their eye. That cohort now influences nearly half of total U.S. household spending in families with children ages 8-14. It also has $100 billion in direct spending power annually — or roughly three times Iceland’s GDP. Amazon, Nike and McDonald’s rank among the top brands in households with Gen Alpha teens, according to a 2026 study by HarrisX and Allison Worldwide.
Here’s what five teenagers had to say about what’s “in” and “out” from today’s brands.
A matter of trust
Brands often say they’re “authentic,” but Gen Alpha wants to see concrete proof, not jargon. It goes a long way, the panelists said, when brands show real people in ads, curb the use of artificial intelligence and use relatable people to represent their brand.
“Who you choose to represent you really matters,” said Jewell Hamilton, 15. “If you’re choosing controversial artists or someone that’s outside of my age range — and in no world would we really dress the same and go to the same kind of places — I’m not really gonna want to buy from you. … If I don’t trust the person that you’re having represent you, … I would feel like I don’t trust you, either.”
Use of AI in ads was a no-no, across the board. “That’s a huge turnoff,” said Hannah Schwartz, 18.
“I think it’s better to fund the arts and fund actual people.” Miles Smith, 15, agreed, saying, “That could be money going towards a designer to provide food for themselves.”
Hamilton chimed in that if brands use AI, “you’re just not doing the work.”
“You’re not trying hard enough to get my money,” she said. “I’m a teenager. My money’s limited. I don’t want to give it to AI. Also, with AI models, I don’t know if you’re lying to me right now.”
Mia Somes, an eighth grader, said she likes to shop in person because, with AI, “I can’t tell if things online are fake or real.” And Maliah Barker, a tenth grader, shared that her school tried to use AI designs for merchandise, only for the student body to be “super against it.”
“A student even made designs that were made by a human, and everyone loved that 10 times better,” she explained. “We want real.”
Similarly, when brands make a mistake or get something wrong, Gen Alpha wants them to be honest. Smith said it could take him two years to trust a brand again if, for example, “they say it’s sustainable and it’s not — it’s just a bunch of greenwashing.”
“That makes me really nervous and hesitant to keep buying from them,” he said.
Smith also said he researches brands’ supply chains to see where they’re sourcing materials from and what labor conditions look like in that country.
Barker said that if she sees a headline on TikTok about a brand controversy, she’s not going to want to buy from that brand. And Hamilton said that how a brand treats its employees will affect whether she shops that brand. “If I see that you’re treating employees badly, I’m sorry, but I just can’t give you my money,” she said.
Value and quality
On stage, the teens mentioned that they look for items that are durable and long-lasting. Hamilton, for instance, said she values quality over quantity and “will spend the extra 20 bucks if that means that it’s going to be good craftsmanship.” Schwartz, who has older siblings, said she has a lot of hand-me-downs and learned to value “things that stand the test of time.”
At the same time, the panelists shared that they don’t always associate high price with high desirability. “A lot of times, a tank top will be 70 bucks, and as much as it’s good quality, it’s also something that goes under my shirt,” Schwartz said. “We do value something that’s more affordable and that is good quality, but we also have to be realistic in that manner.”
When asked whether fast fashion still has a place in their wardrobe, the teens hesitated initially. Smith said he tries to steer clear of fast fashion, but that he will turn to it “when I start getting low on money and I feel the need to buy something different, and I need it now.”
“But,” he added, “I really don’t like it.”
Instead, Smith said he prefers to go shopping at vintage outlets like Planet Xchange, “because of the way things were made back in the day, like stitching and quality and products and fabrics.” Hamilton also likes to shop secondhand and described herself as a “Depop addict.”
“I love thrifting with my whole spirit,” she said. “It’s my favorite activity. … I like to be [an] individual. I love my friends. I just want to be my own person outside of them.”
Schwartz agreed that thrifting helps teens set themselves apart. “I can’t tell you how embarrassing it is to go to a party and walk in and see four people with the exact same shirt,” she said. “It happens so often. … We want something a bit unique, where someone can look at you and not immediately know exactly where you got [something] from.” Barker added that her friends like to thrift because they feel like it’s more ethical than buying something new.
In-person and social shopping
The majority of the panel said they prefer to shop in person, but each talked about wanting something different from the store experience. Somes, for instance, prefers to browse on her own, although she said she will ask employees if she needs their help with recommendations. Hamilton said that she likes to frequent brands that hire teens as employees. “It makes me really comfortable and want to go [there] with my friends,” she said.
Barker said that, when it comes to pop-ups, brands can’t just have items on shelves. “I want an activity,” she said. “Have something that people can do there.” In fact, she said, “That would make me want to buy from them more.”
Schwartz added that comfort in stores is key, calling out Aritzia’s changing rooms as a good example. “There’s seating, there’s mirrors, there’s this area for you to sit with your friends when your friends are trying on clothes,” she said. “A lot of areas are so uncomfortable that you always feel like they’re trying to kick you out.”
When it comes to recommendations from social-media influencers, some panelists were more receptive than others. Schwartz said she likes to hear from influencers she’s followed for a while because they’re “an everyday person” versus a major celebrity. “It’s almost like a big sister, in a sense,” she said. “When they put their stamp of approval behind something, it means [something].”
Barker agreed, saying that she likes influencers more than celebrities, “because they were us at one point.” Still, she added that influencers on TikTok need to be honest about the products they review. “I can tell it’s not real when they won’t say any flaws at all,” she said.
Smith said he’s open to celebrity-endorsed content and may be more likely to shop at a brand that works with someone he likes. “With Cardi B and Old Navy, I know Cardi B is going to be authentic, because she just speaks her mind and is such a funny person,” he said. “That would make me want to go to Old Navy.” However, Smith said that he feels that a lot of influencers “are just searching for money.”
“I’m not big on influencers persuading people to buy something,” he added.