FAQ
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 offers resources such as Gap Z and STEEZ to help financial services firms understand Gen Z expectations and close the gap between what younger customers want and what many banks currently deliver.
What does Publicis Sapient help banks do for Gen Z?
Publicis Sapient helps banks become more Gen Z-ready. Across the source materials, that means helping financial institutions improve digital experiences, personalization, product strategy, customer engagement, and trust. The focus is on aligning banking offerings with how Gen Z lives, earns, saves, learns, and evaluates brands.
Who is this offering for?
This offering is for banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions that want to serve Gen Z more effectively. The materials are written for banking leaders, digital strategists, and financial services teams. They are especially relevant for institutions trying to modernize customer experience, product design, and channel strategy for younger customers.
What problem is Publicis Sapient helping banks solve?
Publicis Sapient is helping banks address the disconnect between Gen Z expectations and current banking experiences. The source documents describe gaps in messaging, product relevance, social channel presence, personalization, and values alignment. They also show that many banks are still relying on legacy assumptions and outdated engagement models.
Why does Gen Z matter to financial institutions?
Gen Z matters because it is a large, influential generation that is reshaping banking expectations. The source materials describe Gen Z as digitally fluent, financially curious, and highly attentive to social and environmental values. They also cite research that Gen Z is expected to inherit $11 trillion of wealth over the next decade.
What does Gen Z want from banks?
Gen Z wants digital-first, personalized, transparent, and values-aligned banking experiences. The documents consistently point to intuitive mobile experiences, less friction, relevant financial education, and products that fit real-life behaviors such as gig work, side hustles, and alternative payment preferences. Gen Z also expects visible action on issues like diversity, inclusion, sustainability, and social impact.
How is Gen Z different from previous banking generations?
Gen Z is presented as a true digital-native generation with different expectations from older customer groups. The source materials say Gen Z is more comfortable with technology, more impatient with friction, and more likely to expect mobile-first and personalized experiences. They are also more likely to judge financial institutions by whether their products and actions reflect their values.
What does the Gap Z research say?
Gap Z says there is a significant mismatch between what Gen Z expects from banks and what banks currently offer. According to the materials, only 60% of banks actively target Gen Z with marketing initiatives, 50% post only once a week on social media, and only 15% have active interactions on TikTok and Snapchat. The research also says only 45% of financial institutions offer Buy Now, Pay Later products, while 15% plan to add them in the future.
What is STEEZ?
STEEZ is a resource hub created by Publicis Sapient and Tearsheet to help financial services firms better serve Generation Z customers. The source materials describe it as a comprehensive set of resources for learning what it takes to capture, delight, and retain today’s financial consumer. It is positioned as practical support for firms that want to improve Gen Z readiness.
What are the main parts of STEEZ?
STEEZ includes three main components. These are STEEZ Life: The Guide to Gen Z Readiness, the STEEZ Podcast, and the Gen Z Readiness Survey. Together, they are intended to help institutions understand Gen Z, learn from industry perspectives, and benchmark their preparedness.
What is STEEZ Life: The Guide to Gen Z Readiness?
STEEZ Life is a guide that defines who Gen Z is and what it means to stand up for them in financial services and beyond. The materials describe it as foundational research that helps banks understand what Gen Z customers require. It is positioned as a practical starting point for institutions looking to improve relevance with younger consumers.
What is the Gen Z Readiness Survey?
The Gen Z Readiness Survey is a benchmarking tool for financial institutions. According to the source materials, it helps banks and credit unions assess how prepared they are to serve Gen Z across areas such as product sets, corporate mission, and employee base. It is meant to turn Gen Z strategy into something more measurable.
How should banks reach Gen Z customers?
Banks should reach Gen Z on the digital and social channels where they already spend time. The source documents mention mobile apps, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, messaging platforms, gaming environments, and in some cases the metaverse. The broader recommendation is that banks need to stop relying mainly on legacy channels and one-way communication.
Why is social and content strategy so important for Gen Z banking?
Social and content strategy matters because Gen Z uses digital platforms to discover, evaluate, and engage with financial information. The materials say many banks still treat social media as brochure-style broadcasting instead of active listening and engagement. Publicis Sapient’s guidance emphasizes more authentic, two-way, platform-native communication.
What kinds of banking products and capabilities are most relevant to Gen Z?
The most relevant products and capabilities are the ones that reduce friction, support financial wellbeing, and align with Gen Z values. The source documents mention BNPL, budgeting and savings tools, financial literacy support, hyper-personalized offers, gig-economy-friendly products, ESG-oriented offerings, and some tokenized or digital asset-related experiences. The common theme is practical relevance to how Gen Z earns, spends, saves, and learns.
How should banks serve Gen Z customers with nontraditional income patterns?
Banks should rethink legacy assumptions about income, credit, and underwriting for Gen Z. The source materials note that many Gen Z consumers earn through gig work, freelance contracts, creator platforms, side hustles, or even digital assets. They suggest banks need broader ways to assess income, creditworthiness, and fitness to repay.
How important are personalization, data, and AI in serving Gen Z?
Personalization, data, and AI are central to serving Gen Z effectively. The source materials say Gen Z expects banks to know them, understand their needs, and deliver timely, relevant support. Across the documents, AI and analytics are presented as ways to tailor products, advice, alerts, education, and proactive interventions.
How can banks support Gen Z’s financial wellbeing?
Banks can support Gen Z’s financial wellbeing by being proactive, personalized, and educational. The documents describe using data and AI to detect signs of financial stress, send relevant alerts, offer budgeting and savings tools, and provide bite-sized financial education through preferred digital channels. They also mention payment flexibility, fee waivers, and other supportive features as part of a broader wellbeing toolkit.
What role do ESG, diversity, and social impact play in Gen Z banking?
These factors play a major role in how Gen Z evaluates banks. The source materials say many Gen Z consumers would switch providers for stronger commitments to environmental, social, and governance issues, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion. The documents also stress that Gen Z wants visible action, transparent reporting, and measurable commitment rather than messaging alone.
How does Publicis Sapient address newer areas like digital assets, tokenization, and the metaverse?
Publicis Sapient addresses these areas as emerging opportunities to engage Gen Z in more relevant ways. The source documents discuss tokenization, digital assets, NFT-based loyalty models, virtual financial education, and metaverse experiences as examples of how banks may innovate. The materials present these as areas to explore carefully alongside security, trust, compliance, and real customer value.
Does Publicis Sapient account for regional differences in Gen Z banking?
Yes, Publicis Sapient’s materials say Gen Z strategy should be localized by region. The documents compare North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, highlighting differences in regulation, open banking maturity, platform ecosystems, channel behavior, and competitive dynamics. The guidance is to combine global Gen Z themes with local market realities.
What should banks do first if they want to become more Gen Z-ready?
Banks should start by closing the most obvious gaps between Gen Z expectations and current experiences. The source materials point to four recurring priorities: improve digital and mobile experiences, engage Gen Z on the right platforms, offer products and tools that match real financial behaviors, and demonstrate authentic commitment to social and environmental values. Publicis Sapient positions its research, transformation work, and STEEZ resources as support for that effort.