The Story Wave 60

Financial Services: An Industry Snapshot

Our recent report on the financial services industry explores Americans’ crypto investing and cash spending habits. A few key takeaways include:

• Can I pay in Bitcoin?: 46% of US adults think that cryptocurrency will be a mainstream payment method in the future.
• Will you put it all on the line?: Americans overwhelmingly ranked cryptocurrencies (52%) as the riskiest type of investment, followed by stocks (24%).
• Regulation could increase investor comfort: 53% of US adults would be more willing to invest in crypto if it was more tightly regulated.
• You don’t take credit?!: 58% of US adults agree that paying physical cash is usually their last resort when they make a purchase.
• Say goodbye to your coin purse: 49% of US adults would support stores and business going cashless.

Over-Index Report: This month’s over-index report uses data from QuestBrand by The Harris Poll to capture financial services brands that over-index with each generation of US adults. See below for some of the top brands that resonated with Gen Z and Millennials.

25 Brands That Gen Z Says Are On The Way Up – Ad Age-Harris Poll

A new Ad Age-Harris Poll ranking relies on QuestBrand data to identify the top 25 brands with the highest brand momentum among Gen Z consumers. These are all brands that Gen Zers say are “on the way up.”

Beyond the top 25, the rankings also explore the top five brands within key consumer categories, including Retail, Automakers, Consumer Electronics, Financial Services, and Personal Care.

Gen Z leans into digital brands: Justin Pincus, QuestBrand’s managing director, notes that this ranking showcases Gen Z’s strong affinity for digital tools and AI. Gen Z has embraced AI as a part of their everyday lives, helping them with everything from school/work to self-expression.

“For Gen Z, AI isn’t just a tool—it’s a competitive edge. They’re turning to ChatGPT for smarter searches and Grammarly as an always-on writing assistant. No generation has embraced AI faster or been more eager to harness it for productivity, learning and growth.” – Justin Pincus, Managing Director of QuestBrand

20 Brands Catching Gen Z’s Attention Right Now – Ad Age-Harris Poll

A recent Ad Age-Harris Poll uses QuestBrand data to rank the top 20 brands by quarter-over-quarter brand equity growth among Gen Z adults. The top five growth brands from Q3 to Q4 2024 are listed below. 

Peek inside the article: “Fashion brands have long courted young consumers, but some big names—including Gap and UGG—are gaining momentum with Gen Z shoppers by leaning into the marketing trends and ideals that are attractive to them.” – Harris Poll co-CEO Will Johnson

Click here to see the full list of brands, and to discover how these brands captured the attention of Gen Z.

The Predictive Power Of Brand Equity – Celsius Case Study

Earnings reports tell you what happened. Brand equity tells you what’s coming. Few brands prove this better than Celsius.

• Celsius shares plummeted from $96 in May 2024 to $21 by February 2025 – nearly an 80% drop.
• While Wall Street panicked, QuestBrand data signaled something else.
• Even at its lowest point, Celsius’ brand equity was quietly climbing—a sign that consumers, especially Gen Z and Millennials, still believed in the brand.

• Then, Celsius exceeded Q4 expectations with $332.2M in revenue, marking a 25% QoQ increase from $266M in Q3.
• In February, Celsius announced that they would be acquiring Alani Nu, a rapidly growing energy drink beloved by Gen Z and Millennial women.
• The importance of Gen Z and Millennials to Celsius’ growth strategy is undeniable. In 2023, CEO John Fieldly explicitly emphasized the company’s focus on the 18-to-24 age demographic, aligning with its broader strategy to build a stronghold among younger consumers.

This strategic alignment underscores why Celsius was never truly at risk—despite what its stock chart suggested. Read the full case study to discover the true importance of brand equity, and how Celsius’ growth strategy fueled the brand’s rise.