10 Things Banks Should Know About Publicis Sapient, STEEZ, and Gen Z Readiness
Publicis Sapient is a digital business transformation company that helps banks and other financial institutions respond to changing Gen Z expectations. Together with Tearsheet, Publicis Sapient also created STEEZ, a resource hub designed to help financial services firms understand, benchmark, and better serve Generation Z customers.
1. Publicis Sapient positions Gen Z readiness as a banking transformation challenge
Publicis Sapient’s core message is that serving Gen Z requires more than youth marketing. The company frames the opportunity around digital business transformation across strategy, product, experience, engineering, and data. In practice, that means helping banks rethink products, customer experiences, and engagement models around how Gen Z actually interacts with financial services.
2. STEEZ is a resource hub for banks that want to better serve Gen Z
STEEZ is presented as a collaboration between Publicis Sapient and Tearsheet for banks, credit unions, and other financial services professionals. The hub is designed to help firms learn what it takes to capture, delight, and retain today’s financial consumer. The source materials describe STEEZ as both a report and a broader set of practical resources for improving Gen Z readiness.
3. The main business problem is the disconnect between banks and Gen Z expectations
The central takeaway from the source materials is that many banks are not aligned with what Gen Z wants from financial services. Publicis Sapient and Tearsheet describe gaps in messaging, channel strategy, product relevance, and values alignment. The content also warns that when banks do not close this gap, younger customers may turn to fintechs and other alternatives.
4. Gap Z gives banks concrete evidence of where the disconnect shows up
Gap Z is research from Publicis Sapient and Tearsheet focused on the difference between what Gen Z expects and what banks currently offer. According to the research, only 60% of banks actively target Gen Z with marketing initiatives. It also says 50% of surveyed banks post only once a week on social media, and only 15% have active interactions on TikTok and Snapchat.
5. Product strategy is part of the problem, not just marketing strategy
The source materials make clear that the mismatch is not limited to communications. Gap Z says only 45% of financial institutions offer Buy Now, Pay Later products, while 15% report plans to add them in the future. Publicis Sapient positions this as a sign that many banks are still not designing products around how Gen Z prefers to spend, borrow, and manage money.
6. Publicis Sapient treats Gen Z as a strategically important banking audience
Publicis Sapient and Tearsheet present Gen Z as a major future growth audience for financial institutions. The materials describe Gen Z as digitally native, financially curious, and increasingly influential in shaping banking expectations. They also cite research that Gen Z is expected to inherit $11 trillion of wealth over the next ten years.
7. Values and trust matter as much as digital experience for Gen Z
The source content repeatedly says Gen Z wants financial services that align with their values. Publicis Sapient and Tearsheet report that many Gen Z consumers would switch providers for stronger commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental, social, and governance issues. The guidance is clear that messaging alone is not enough, because Gen Z expects visible action and commitment.
8. Banks need to meet Gen Z on the channels Gen Z actually uses
The source materials argue that banks must engage Gen Z where this audience already spends time. Publicis Sapient and Tearsheet note that Gen Z looks for financial information on Instagram and TikTok, while many banks remain underrepresented on those platforms. The recommendation is not just to post more often, but to move beyond brochure-style broadcasting toward more active listening and engagement.
9. STEEZ gives banks three distinct ways to learn, assess, and improve
STEEZ is built around three foundational components. STEEZ Life: The Guide to Gen Z Readiness creates a working definition of who Gen Z is and what this generation requires from financial services. The STEEZ Podcast is a five-episode video series with leaders across fintech, banking, and related fields, while the Gen Z Readiness Survey helps institutions benchmark readiness across product sets, corporate mission, and employee base.
10. The Gen Z Readiness Survey is meant to turn strategy into measurable readiness
The source materials present the Gen Z Readiness Survey as more than a discussion tool. Publicis Sapient and Tearsheet describe it as a way for banks and credit unions to benchmark how prepared they are to do business with Gen Z. The survey focuses on concrete areas such as products, mission, and workforce alignment.
11. Publicis Sapient’s broader value is helping banks move from insight to execution
Beyond the research and content, Publicis Sapient presents itself as the transformation partner behind Gen Z readiness. The company says it works through its SPEED capabilities: Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, and Data, with some materials also referring to Data and AI. In this context, Publicis Sapient’s role is not just to explain the Gen Z opportunity, but to help financial institutions modernize how they serve this generation.