Indian Gen Z are trend-setters in Instagram

In a paradigm shift for Indian Gen Z, the 2024 Instagram Trend Talk reveals a departure from conventional career priorities to a more nuanced focus on meme preferences, food explorations, and unique fashion trends. The insights provide a snapshot of how Gen Z is steering the cultural narrative in India, with a notable impact on Instagram trends.

Traditionally known for prioritizing careers, Gen Z in India is now at the forefront of defining cultural trends, as per the Instagram Trend Talk for 2024. The survey, conducted by trend forecasting firm WGSN and Instagram, spans several countries, including the United States, UK, Brazil, India, and South Korea, offering a comprehensive view of Gen Z’s perceptions and priorities for the upcoming year.

Key Insights for Gen Z in India:

1. Trend-Setting Nation: Indian Gen Z showcases a heightened inclination to embrace emerging trends in various realms, including food, beauty, and fashion. The inclination towards diverse food and ingredients, from ayurvedic elements to vegan products, underscores their eagerness to explore.
2. Career Focus: In contrast to global counterparts, Gen Z in India exhibits a stronger focus on career pursuits. With 43% hoping for 2024 to be a self-improvement era, they prioritize personal growth and development, emphasizing a belief in entrepreneurship for wealth creation.
3. Meme Preferences Matter: Connecting on Instagram often begins with memes, and for Indian Gen Z, bad taste in memes is a significant turn-off. Nearly a third of respondents in India consider it a crucial factor in social connections.
4. Creative Fashion Trends: Indian Gen Z demonstrates enthusiasm for creatively showcasing fashion trends, with a particular interest in DIY and unconventional approaches to clothing, such as ‘sarees’ and ‘jhumkas.’ DIY content, including ‘Get Ready With Me’ and thrifting, gains traction among creators.
5. Fandom Affiliations: Virtually every Gen Z individual in India aligns with a specific fandom, covering music, gaming, and sports. The Indian Cricket Team, BTS, Minecraft, and various football clubs find strong representation among Indian Gen Z, showcasing their diverse affiliations.
6. Relatable Content Demands: Gen Z globally, including India, expresses a desire for more relatable content from celebrities, athletes, and creators. Specifically, Indian Gen Z looks forward to life advice, ‘day-in-the-life-of’ content, and insights into various professions in 2024.

Paras Sharma, director of Content and Community Partnerships at Meta, India, remarks on the distinctive qualities of Indian Gen Z, stating, “Their dedication to chosen fandoms and commitment to self-improvement shine through distinctly in these insights. And, while in many aspects Indian Gen Z’s are similar to their global peers, these trends also show specific areas where they are different and unique.”