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What Products Would Gen Z and Millennials Buy if an Athlete Promoted Them?

Athletes could influence young consumers’ decisions when they’re making these top purchases…

Written and Edited by the YPulse Editorial Team

Jun 7 2023
North America

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Shoes are he number one product young consumers say they would be more likely to buy if an athlete promoted it
They’re also interested in non-athletic clothes and accessories that athletes promote
Young consumers also would be more likely to purchase beverages and food promoted by an athlete

YPulse data shows the vast majority (71%) of Gen Z and Millennials consider themselves sports fans—and that means that all brands, not just sports-focused ones, can use this key interest to their advantage when attracting young consumers. While brand-athlete collaborations have always been a sports staple, young people want to see athletes and brands link up on and off the court, meaning any brand can make an athlete collaboration work for them. But some brands and products are more likely to be influenced by an athlete endorsement than others for Gen Z and Millennials—though perhaps not the ones you expect. In our Sports and Athletics report, we ask 13-39-year-olds what they would be more likely to purchase if an athlete promoted it, as an open-ended question, so they could name any product. While many might assume that sports-related items are the natural first response, our data shows they’re actually not the most popular. Instead, a few other items come to mind first for these gens when thinking of an...