CLOSED FEEDS. As digital-native Gen Z turns reclusive online, marketers are keen to discover their new hangouts

Last week, a Gen Z-inspired lounge called ‘Gate Z’ debuted at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. The “social first” space has been shaped by sustainability and technology — two things that matter to the pragmatic digital natives. Last week also saw graphic design platform Canva introducing a new language style inspired by the slang used by Gen Z — hard-to-fathom phrases like ‘main character energy’, ‘slay daily’, ‘stay delulu’ and ‘loud budgeting’.

Not just airports and software tools, even beverage brands are changing their product mix to suit Gen Z tastes, which run to low- or no alcohol, botanical-infused drinks and gut-friendly kombuchas. Suntory, Budweiser, et al have non-alcoholic beer. As the inSIGHT 2026 consumer trends report of Tonic Worldwide puts it, “Snooze is the New Booze” and mornings are now ‘happy hours’.

New flex

Anjali Malthankar, Global Strategy Director of Tonic Worldwide, says earlier generations used to stay up drinking and partying, but Gen Z is flexing the other way round — they catch up in the first half at morning venues, over breakfast and gym or the runners’ app Strava. Health is a big thing for this cohort, she says.

The New Year has begun with the attention of marketers firmly on Gen Z, which has ushered in baffling trends like ‘bhajan clubbing’, ‘fake weddings’, coffee raves, matcha raves and productivity hacking meets. Last week, bhajan clubbing hit Chennai, with members of the Good Deeds Club holding an event with singers Sai Vignesh and Saindhavi. On Instagram, you can hear calls for productivity meet-ups at coffee clubs, where people do tasks like writing emails, filling invoices and so on.

“These trends aren’t random; they are a direct response to a generation craving community in a world that’s felt increasingly disconnected. After years of hyper-individual digital life, Gen Z is gravitating towards experiences that feel collective and judgment-free,” says Jeel Gandhi, CEO of Under25, a youth media network.

“Bhajan clubbing blends tradition with nightlife... young people participate in culture in ways they enjoy. It’s ironic, playful and deeply communal. Fake shaadis let Gen Z experience joy, rituals and friendship theatrics without the emotional weight of actual weddings; it’s a kind of staged intimacy. Coffee raves signal a shift toward sober fun. They’re inclusive, wellness-aligned and allow self-expression without alcohol,” explains Gandhi.

Is it loneliness that is edging them towards this new lifestyle? Malthankar says Gen Z is actually community-driven. “They go on Discord to find their own micro community — it could be formed around a love of pasta, for instance, or Japanese novels.”

Cultural remixing

Gandhi points to an undercurrent of cultural remixing. “Gen Z reimagines old formats for modern contexts. The events serve as grounding mechanisms: nostalgia becomes a stabiliser in chaotic times. What makes them spread fast is their built-in virality,” she says.

Smart brands are meeting Gen Z at their own playground. Zepto and, more recently, Kitty Su (The Lalit’s nightclub) organised fake shaadis. Restaurant brands are holding coffee and matcha raves.

Globally, yoga raves and daybreaker dance parties in the morning are taking off in a sober contrast to substance-fuelled parties.

The Tonic Worldwide report notes that dodging the algorithm is the new sport of this generation. “4.6 million+ engagement on Reels about ‘Bloom Scrolling’ shows how reclaiming attention has become a quiet but powerful act of rebellion,” it says. They are rebuilding feeds, muting recommendations and opting out of forced discovery. Searches for ad blockers crossed 114 million, while content on resetting social media algorithms generated 8.5 million views on YouTube.

Explains Gandhi, “Their relationship with social media has shifted from performance to privacy. Closed circles, stories only for ‘close friends’, ‘Finstas’ and disappearing content now dominate their digital lives.”

She adds, “Interestingly, long-form content is making a comeback. Podcasts, creator vlogs and serialised micro-dramas are gaining traction, offering depth, stability and narrative comfort in a chaotic digital world. What Gen Z expects from platforms now is simple: less noise and more control. And they expect brands to show up with genuine value, nothing less.”

What brands should do

Says Gandhi, “Gen Z is the most marketing-aware generation we’ve ever seen and the least willing to tolerate inauthenticity. They recognise sales intent instantly. For them, trust is not built through campaigns but through behaviour. Their first question is, ‘What do I get from being part of your world?’ Opportunities, community, growth, entertainment or practical usefulness — brands must deliver one of these to earn attention.”

Malthankar says it’s not that Gen Z is not on social media... they are just adept at hiding their presence, through dual accounts, closed feeds and so on. “They want a safe wall,” she says. The way this generation is moving, it’s almost a call to brands — ‘catch me if you can’. And brands can catch them at their stamping ground — music concerts, wellness events, within micro communities — using micro influencers at daybreak, rather than sunset.

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Published on January 26, 2026