Is Generation Z truly fragile, lazy, and unable to face difficulties, as they are often described? A more complex and less stereotyped reality is told by young people themselves through a survey conducted by Webboh Lab, the first Permanent Observatory on Gen Z in Italy, born from the collaboration between Webboh, the reference media brand for the new generations of Mondadori Digital, and the Sylla Research Institute, under the scientific guidance of Professor Furio Camillo.

The survey, conducted as part of the “Strawberry Manifesto”, the project promoted by Loacker in collaboration with Webboh and created by the agency Xister Reply for the launch of Loacker Strawberry – crispy wafers with strawberry cream – involved over 2,500 young people between the ages of 18 and 30.

A wealth of testimonials offering an authentic cross-section of a generation asking to be heard and to be able to tell their story without filters, going beyond stereotypes.

«Often, new generations are spoken about without giving them the opportunity to tell their own story. With Webboh and Webboh Lab, we want to do exactly the opposite: listen to young people, gather their opinions, and turn them into insights capable of offering a more authentic image of Gen Z. This research shows how strong the desire of young people is to overcome stereotypes and be recognized for who they truly are. The collaboration with Loacker allowed us to give even more space to these voices, transforming community listening into a collective project of expression and participation», declared Professor Furio Camillo.

GENERATION Z: 8 OUT OF 10 YOUNG PEOPLE FEEL JUDGED THROUGH TOO MANY STEREOTYPES

The survey conducted by Webboh Lab highlights a significant distance between how Gen Z perceives itself and the depiction made from the outside: only 25% of respondents feel well represented by the narrative of adults, media, and the workplace, while 44% feel misunderstood from this perspective. In particular:

• 81% believe their generation is judged through too many stereotypes;

• 80% think adults do not truly understand young people;

• 75% wish their generation could tell who they really are;

• 65% believe the media portray young people superficially.

FRAGILE, LAZY, AND ALWAYS ON THE PHONE? GEN Z OVERTURNS LABELS

But what are the stereotypes that weigh most heavily on young people? From the analysis of spontaneous responses, three main labels emerge:

• addicted to phones (24%);

• lazy and sluggish (23%);

• fragile or overly sensitive (22%).

However, the community’s response reveals a generation that does not recognize itself in these simplifications and claims different values. For 88% of respondents, being kind does not mean being weak, while 86% believe that success should not involve sacrificing one’s well-being, and 85% consider expressing emotions an act of courage. Awareness of difficulties also emerges: 75% acknowledge suffering greatly from pressure, and 71% admit to difficulty in managing stress. A generation, therefore, that does not deny its fragilities, but asks that they are not automatically interpreted as weaknesses.

FROM COMMUNITY RESPONSES TO THE “STRAWBERRY MANIFESTO”

From the community’s reflections, the Strawberry Manifesto was born, the collective project through which Gen Z flips the labels assigned to it and defends its values, turning sensitivity, kindness, and attention to well-being into strengths. The “Manifesto” overturns the stereotype of the Strawberry Generation: an expression born in Taiwan to describe young people considered fragile and unable to withstand pressure. To give voice to Gen Z, Webboh has also created original video content on its channels, involving the community and creators Eleonora Arcidiacono and Jennifer Serpi, who on TikTok invited followers to share their reflections with the hashtag #StrawberryManifesto. The collected contributions gave life to a collective manifesto where young people themselves tell their identity, beyond stereotypes.

Here is the video of the Strawberry Manifesto on: www.tiktok.com/@loacker/video/7693922110871260438

Here is the Strawberry Manifesto: https://www.loacker.it/strawberry-manifesto/

Webboh is the reference media for GenZ. Founded in 2019, it has been part of the Mondadori Group since 2023. It boasts a monthly web and social reach of 6 million (source: Comscore incremental social reach, average of the last 3 months) and a fanbase – across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and WhatsApp – of over 6 million followers. It is consistently among the top ten most influential Italian media on social media, as well as first in the Generation Z target for engagement and video views (source: Top Italian Media Ranking by Prima Comunicazione).

Webboh Lab, born from the meeting between Webboh and the Sylla Research Institute under the scientific guidance of Prof. Furio Camillo, is the first Permanent Observatory on Gen Z in Italy. Its objective is to provide an authentic and real snapshot of Generation Z, giving voice to young people through surveys and research that transform their opinions into concrete insights for companies, institutions, and media.

The Sylla Research Institute specializes in the design and implementation of market research. Scientific Director of the Institute is Professor Furio Camillo.