Whether it’s tumbler cups, yogurt, or skincare, certain brands manage to catapult past the checkout counter and into cultural conversations. They become more than just products as they intertwine with identity and earn a unique connection with consumers.

With increased regulation around data and addressability, marketers have reprioritized cultural relevance as one of the best ways to engage with their target audience. Achieving this, however, is easier said than done. Brands aiming to be part of the cultural zeitgeist must get ahead of trends, and to do so, they must connect with those who create them.

So, who are these trendsetters?

While Gen Z likely comes to mind, a subgroup within this demographic wields an outsized power of influence: teenage girls. Based on a survey of 1,959 U.S. consumers who said they have a teenage girl in their life (e.g., family member, student, neighbor, etc.), GALE delved into this hypothesis to better understand their influence – the categories they impact, the reach they possess, and nuances among genders and ethnicity.

Some key takeaways:

• 97% of respondents, whether currently living with a teenage girl or not, acknowledged this demographic has direct influence on them 
• 83% rated the overall influence of teenage girls on culture at large as moderate or high
• Top categories where teenage girls have influence are: media/entertainment, fashion, food, health/wellness, and technology
• Men, particularly fathers, report greater influence from teenage girls than average when it comes to tech decisions (e.g., gaming console and personal electronic purchases)
• Black consumers were the only demographic in which some respondents rated teenage girls’ influence on politics and finance as high (9 or 10 on scale of 0-10)
• Proximity - both physical and digital - impact the degree to which respondents reported influence by teenage girls
  
  

Download the full report here to explore teenage girls’ influence across categories and what it means for marketers.