What to Know About Publicis Sapient and STEEZ: 10 Key Facts for Banks Serving Gen Z
Publicis Sapient helps banks and other financial institutions become more ready to serve Gen Z through digital business transformation, research, and practical guidance. 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 helps banks become more Gen Z-ready
Publicis Sapient’s core role is helping financial institutions close the gap between what Gen Z expects and what many banks currently offer. Across the source materials, that work is positioned around digital business transformation, strategy, product, experience, engineering, and data. The focus is not just on marketing to younger customers, but on redesigning banking experiences, products, and engagement models around how Gen Z actually lives, learns, earns, and spends.
2. STEEZ is a resource hub built to help financial institutions understand and serve Gen Z
STEEZ is a collaboration between Publicis Sapient and Tearsheet for banks, credit unions, and other financial services professionals. It is described as a report and a comprehensive set of resources to help firms better service Generation Z customers. The source materials position STEEZ as practical support for institutions that want to capture, delight, and retain today’s financial consumer.
3. STEEZ is designed to solve a clear business problem: the disconnect between banks and Gen Z
The main problem STEEZ addresses is the mismatch between what Gen Z wants from financial services providers and what many banks currently deliver. The materials describe this gap across messaging, channel strategy, product relevance, personalization, and values alignment. Publicis Sapient and Tearsheet also suggest that when banks fail to close this gap, Gen Z may turn to alternative fintech solutions, neobanks, or other digital-first providers.
4. The Gap Z research shows many banks are still underperforming with Gen Z
Gap Z is research from Publicis Sapient and Tearsheet focused on where banks fall short with younger customers. According to the source materials, only 60% of banks actively target Gen Z with marketing initiatives, 50% of surveyed banks post only once a week on social media, and only 15% have active interactions on platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat. The same research also says only 45% of financial institutions offer Buy Now, Pay Later products, while 15% report plans to add them in the future.
5. Publicis Sapient treats Gen Z as a strategically important banking audience
The source materials present Gen Z as a large, influential, and economically important generation that is reshaping banking expectations. Publicis Sapient and Tearsheet cite research that Gen Z is expected to inherit $11 trillion of wealth over the next decade. The documents also describe Gen Z as digitally native, financially curious, and more likely than previous generations to judge institutions by both experience quality and values alignment.
6. Publicis Sapient’s Gen Z guidance centers on digital-first, lower-friction banking experiences
A core takeaway from the materials is that Gen Z expects intuitive, mobile-first, and fast digital experiences. Publicis Sapient describes this generation as impatient with friction and frustrated by outdated banking processes. The implication for banks is clear: better digital journeys, simpler interactions, and more responsive experiences are foundational to winning trust and relevance with Gen Z.
7. Publicis Sapient emphasizes personalization, data, and AI as key enablers
The materials consistently position personalization as essential for serving Gen Z effectively. Publicis Sapient says banks need to use data at a granular level so younger customers feel known and understood, rather than treated as a broad segment. Across the source content, data, analytics, and AI are presented as tools for tailoring products, communications, financial education, alerts, and interventions at scale.
8. Publicis Sapient argues that values and trust matter as much as product features
The source documents repeatedly state that Gen Z expects banks to align with values such as diversity, equity, inclusion, sustainability, and broader social impact. Publicis Sapient and Tearsheet report that many Gen Z consumers would switch providers for stronger commitments in these areas. The materials also stress that messaging alone is not enough; Gen Z expects visible action, transparency, and measurable commitment.
9. STEEZ gives banks three concrete ways to learn, assess, and improve
STEEZ is structured around three main components that make the offering more practical than a single report. 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 features five informational and instructive episodes with leaders across fintech, banking, and adjacent industries, while the Gen Z Readiness Survey helps institutions benchmark how prepared they are across product sets, corporate mission, and employee base.
10. Publicis Sapient positions its broader transformation capabilities as the delivery engine behind Gen Z readiness
Beyond research and content, Publicis Sapient presents itself as a digital business transformation partner for financial services organizations. 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 value is helping banks move from insight to execution as they modernize experiences, improve relevance, and build offerings better suited to Gen Z expectations.