Spanish fashion brands dominate Gen Z marketing, IAB Spain study reveals

Spanish fashion brands have established commanding influence over younger consumers. IAB Spain and Mazinn released their third annual Guide to Connect with New Generations on November 12, 2025, revealing that 65% of the brands most effectively connecting with Gen Z are Spanish fashion companies.

The study surveyed 1,000 young people aged 14 to 30 across Spain. Nike leads the ranking with 13.9% of responses, followed by Adidas at 5.4% and Zara at 4.5%. The Spanish retail group Inditex secured fifth position with 1.7% of mentions.

Beyond these global giants, newer Spanish brands demonstrate strong resonance with younger audiences. Milfshakes, Nude Project, Pull & Bear, Scuffers, Stradivarius, Arena Roja, Bershka, and Cold Culture all entered the rankings. Vans appeared for the first time with 1.2% of preferences, representing the first non-fashion category breakthrough alongside technology brands like Apple and retail companies including Vicio, Ikea, and Sephora.

Aesthetic appeal emerges as primary driver

The research identified a significant shift in what attracts Gen Z to brands. Respondents ranked "sexy, elegant and aesthetic" brands first with 35.7% of preferences, ahead of humorous brands at 17.8% and motivational messaging at 22.9%. Among 14-17 year olds specifically, aesthetic appeal commanded 44% of responses.

This marks a departure from previous years when entertaining content dominated. The shift indicates Gen Z now prioritizes brands that cultivate visual sophistication and aspirational imagery. Products and content that demonstrate careful aesthetic curation generate stronger desire and deeper connections with younger consumers.

Authenticity remains foundational requirement

The study confirmed authenticity continues as the most valued brand attribute for the third consecutive year. Having "an authentic and unique style" topped the ranking with 4.34 points on a five-point scale. "Having a style that represents me" followed with 4.22 points.

Transparency about company culture ranked fifth with 4.1 points, demonstrating Gen Z's expectation that brands reveal genuine operations rather than presenting polished marketing narratives. Young consumers seek brands that maintain consistent identity across all touchpoints rather than those attempting to appear artificially aligned with youth culture.

Content quality redefined by utility and naturalness

The research examined what constitutes "quality content" for Gen Z. Traditional production values ranked surprisingly low. Only 17.7% cited "high audiovisual quality" as defining quality content, while just 12.2% valued format innovation.

Instead, 54.3% defined quality content as providing real value through utility, information, inspiration, or learning opportunities. Another 49.2% emphasized authenticity and honesty as quality markers. Natural, entertaining content attracted 48.9% of respondents despite production sophistication.

This finding challenges brands relying on high-budget productions to demonstrate quality. Gen Z determines content value based on usefulness and authenticity rather than technical execution. The study found 74.7% believe all brands should create natural and entertaining content regardless of their brand positioning.

Creator partnerships evolve toward authenticity

The study revealed specific preferences for how brands should collaborate with influencers and content creators. Showing how creators naturally use products in daily life attracted 53.2% of respondents as the preferred approach. Making creators participants in physical experiences or community encounters appealed to 37.2%.

Generating honest tutorials or product reviews attracted 36.7% support. Appearing in short promotional videos reached 30.2%, while creating co-branded products or collections garnered 28.8% preference. Using creators for cause-driven communications ranked lowest at 14.4%.

These preferences align with broader creator economy shifts toward authentic integration. Research published in October 2025 showed 30% of Americans aged 13-24 actively create digital content, transforming the influencer landscape from celebrity-driven to broadly distributed micro-creator networks.

AI acceptance with authenticity boundaries

Young consumers demonstrate pragmatic attitudes toward artificial intelligence in marketing. The study found 41.1% believe AI improves marketing by enabling highly personalized products, services, and content. Creating interactive experiences attracted 37.4% support, while making content more accessible to diverse audiences reached 37.2%.

However, 60.5% identified using AI to generate intentional fakes or deceptive content as the worst application. Another 42.2% opposed using AI to steal intellectual property from others. Only 33.8% worried that excessive AI use might reduce brand naturalness or aspirational qualities.

These findings suggest Gen Z accepts AI as a tool for personalization and efficiency but demands ethical deployment. Brands must maintain authenticity even when leveraging automation technologies.

Community building supersedes channel reach

The research identified community development as increasingly important for brand relevance. Creating exclusive products, gifts, or experiences for community members scored 3.92 on the five-point scale. Making customers feel like participants in brand growth or history reached 3.86 points.

This represents a fundamental shift from broadcast-style marketing toward relationship-building approaches. Experiential marketing research released in September 2025 found 41% of social media users attended at least one in-person influencer event during the year, with 84% of attendees forming new friendships through these experiences.

Brands succeeding with Gen Z create tangible membership benefits and opportunities for customers to influence brand direction rather than simply broadcasting messages to passive audiences.

Fashion category advantages

The dominance of fashion brands in the rankings reflects several structural advantages. Fashion serves as a primary identity expression vehicle for young people, making brand choices inherently meaningful. The category enables continuous product launches that maintain engagement through novelty while building recognizable aesthetic signatures.

Spanish fashion companies specifically demonstrate ability to balance heritage with contemporary relevance. Zara maintains global fashion authority while continuously adapting to emerging trends. Newer brands like Nude Project and Milfshakes build communities around specific lifestyle identities rather than simply selling products.

The study noted emerging non-fashion brands can learn from fashion's community-building and aesthetic cultivation approaches. Categories traditionally focused on functional benefits struggle to generate the emotional resonance that comes naturally to lifestyle-oriented sectors.

Implications for marketing professionals

The research carries several practical implications for marketers targeting Gen Z. First, aesthetic sophistication now commands equal or greater importance than entertainment value. Brands must invest in visual identity systems that convey aspiration and cultural awareness beyond basic product photography.

Second, authenticity cannot be manufactured through youth-oriented messaging alone. Gen Z evaluates authenticity based on consistency across touchpoints and transparency about actual operations. Brands attempting to appear younger than their actual positioning risk backlash.

Third, content quality derives from usefulness rather than production budgets. Social media research published in August 2025 found platform dysfunction stems from structural architecture rather than algorithmic manipulation, suggesting brands should prioritize authentic local engagement over viral reach strategies.

Fourth, creator partnerships require genuine integration rather than scripted endorsements. The most effective collaborations showcase how products fit naturally into creators' existing content rather than interrupting with promotional messages.

Finally, AI tools offer legitimate value for personalization and accessibility but must never compromise authenticity or deceive consumers about content origins.

Historical context and evolution

This third edition expanded the sample to include respondents under 18, capturing cultural shifts driven by the youngest cohort. Previous editions identified authenticity as the top requirement, but the aesthetic emphasis represents new territory.

The ranking methodology combines both quantitative data from 1,000 respondents and qualitative insights from interviews with seven marketing professionals across multiple sectors. The Relevance Index framework developed by Mazinn measures brand performance across three dimensions: brand identity, content quality, and community engagement.

Mazinn has conducted over 150 projects with brands since founding in 2018, positioning the consultancy as specialists in generational cultural analysis. IAB Spain represents digital advertising, marketing, and communication interests across the Spanish market.

Timeline

• November 2023: IAB Spain and Mazinn release second edition of guide, establishing authenticity as primary driver
• Throughout 2024: Fashion brands increase in-store audio advertising effectiveness, with Gen Z showing 5x higher purchase rates than Baby Boomers
• May 2025: Edison Research finds 30% of Gen Z actively creates digital content, reshaping influencer marketing approaches
• September 2025: Creator economy research reveals shift from digital to in-person experiences with 41% attending live creator events
• October 2025: Brand marketing research demonstrates long-term value often undervalued by 83% in traditional measurement
• November 12, 2025: IAB Spain and Mazinn release third guide edition showing Spanish fashion dominance and aesthetic prioritization

Summary

Who: IAB Spain and Mazinn conducted the research, surveying 1,000 Spanish youth aged 14-30 and interviewing seven marketing professionals including representatives from Mahou San Miguel, Milkshakes, Unidad Editorial, Sony Music, and Cirque du Soleil.

What: The third edition guide analyzes how brands connect with Gen Z, finding Spanish fashion brands capture 65% of top positions, with authenticity and aesthetic appeal emerging as primary drivers ahead of entertainment value.

When: The guide was released November 12, 2025, analyzing data collected throughout 2025 and expanding the sample to include respondents under 18 for the first time.

Where: The research focused on Spain's digital marketing landscape, examining brand performance across social media, content platforms, and community engagement channels where Gen Z spends time.

Why: The study addresses brand needs to understand shifting generational preferences as Gen Z becomes a primary consumer demographic, with cultural change accelerating beyond traditional marketing approaches and requiring brands to build authentic community relationships rather than broadcasting messages.