Gen Z trust creators over brands for tech decisions

Gen Z consumers are shifting trust away from traditional advertising and brand messaging and towards online creators, according to new findings from influencer marketing firm Pulse Advertising.

The company reported that creators now act as primary guides for how younger audiences discover, assess and buy consumer technology. It said this trend is challenging long-established marketing models in sectors such as smartphones, wearables and smart home devices.

Pulse observed that audiences no longer treat creators as extensions of brand campaigns. It said users see them as independent reviewers, educators and community figures who test products in real life and share unfiltered opinions.

Creator-founded consumer brands such as Rare Beauty and Rhode were highlighted as examples of this shift. Pulse said these brands maintain rapid growth through constant social content and visible founder involvement.

Creator-led content now outperforms traditional advertising in driving engagement and conversion, according to the company. It said audiences place more weight on lived experience and peer-like recommendations than on corporate announcements or heritage positioning.

"The balance of power has shifted from institutions to individuals. Audiences are no longer persuaded by brand announcements - they respond to human voices, lived experience and shared values. The brands that succeed in 2026 will be those that embrace real connection over messaging control," said Lara Daniel, CEO and co-founder, Pulse Advertising.

Creators as reviewers

Pulse said creators have become the default reviewers for consumer tech products. It said users want to see real people testing devices, comparing features and explaining value in plain language.

This behaviour shows up in popular formats such as unboxings, camera tests, battery life experiments and AI feature demos. Pulse said audiences favour long-term testing and everyday usage content over polished one-off launch campaigns.

The firm noted the rise of serialised content that follows a product over weeks or months. It said "day-in-the-life" usage diaries and episodic challenges now build stronger loyalty than short launch bursts.

Edu-tainment demand

Pulse reported strong growth in what it called "edu-tainment" across social platforms. It said users treat short-form video feeds as learning environments.

Audience data from the company shows higher engagement for videos that break down complex features in simple terms. It said this includes step-by-step tutorials, side-by-side comparisons and live Q&A sessions about specific devices or features.

Pulse said creators who blend entertainment with clear explanation now shape how people understand topics such as mobile photography, AI tools and device security. It said this content often replaces brand-owned product education.

Dark social and offline influence

Pulse also pointed to a rise in what it described as "dark social" behaviour. It said that more than 80% of Gen Z sharing now happens in private channels such as group chats and direct messages.

These conversations cover recommendations on phones, wearables and smart home devices. Pulse said this activity is invisible to standard analytics tools and makes it harder for brands to track the path from discovery to purchase.

The company said creator influence is also moving offline. It cited live podcast recordings, meet-ups, activations and pop-up events hosted by creators.

These in-person gatherings give audiences a chance to handle products and ask questions face to face. Pulse said this format links online communities with real-world experience and deepens trust in both the creator and the featured technology.

Values over visuals

Values are also becoming more important than traditional visual polish, the firm said. It reported that Gen Z audiences place strong emphasis on safety, transparency, ethics, sustainability and cultural relevance.

Pulse said users trust creators more than brands to assess these issues. It said creators are seen as better placed to comment on topics such as data practices, repairability, supply chains and inclusive design.

The company noted that brands which show consistent purpose and social alignment now perform better than those that focus mainly on visual perfection or AI-generated imagery. It said audiences view over-produced content with growing scepticism.

AI and social commerce

Pulse described AI as an "amplifier" for social content rather than a replacement for human voices. It said brands increasingly use AI for production and localisation tasks.

Human insight still underpins trust and cultural nuance in creator partnerships, according to the firm. It said audiences notice when content lacks a clear personal perspective.

Social commerce was identified as another driver of change in consumer tech buying. Pulse said platforms such as TikTok Shop, Instagram Shop and WhatsApp now support direct purchases inside social apps.

This structure collapses the traditional marketing funnel. Users can see a creator review a device and then complete a purchase in a few taps without leaving the platform.

Micro communities

Pulse highlighted the growing strength of micro communities on social platforms. It said niche clusters such as #BookTok now outperform broad demographic targeting for many brands.

These communities gather around specific interests rather than age or location. Pulse said they deliver higher relevance and stronger engagement because members share detailed preferences and language.

The firm advised brands to move away from top-down broadcast approaches. It said future strategies will rely more on community-centred, bottom-up influence networks that reflect how Gen Z actually discovers and decides on technology.

Pulse expects these trends to shape brand planning and media budgets for 2026 as marketers adjust to a creator-driven trust landscape.