Instagram for young people, Google for mature: Research reveals how each generation discovers products in Brazil

The Brazilian's buying behavior is no longer uniform; it is defined by the date of birth “A new buying journey: consumption per generation in Brazil”, conducted by mLabs in partnership with Conversion.The survey draws a clear map of digital fragmentation: while Generation Z youth have turned Instagram and TikTok into their primary storefronts, audiences over 45 still see Google as the main safe haven for starting a purchase.

The study looked at the habits of four distinct demographic groups, revealing how technology and traditional channels overlap in different ways for each age.

Gen Z: The Age of Algorithms and AI

For Generation Z (young people aged 16 to 28), product discovery is passive and mediated by recommendation algorithms Instagram absolute dominates with 87% of preference as a channel of discovery, followed closely by TikTok (80%).

A data that draws attention is the new role of Google for this group: with 70.5% of use, the search engine is no longer the starting point to become a validation tool of something that was seen in the networks. In addition, Artificial Intelligence already ties with television: both have 39.5% of relevance in the purchase journey of this audience.

Millennials: The Hybrid Link

Millennials (29 to 44 years old) act as a bridge between analog and extreme digital. Behavior is more pulverized: Instagram leads (83.5%), but the dispute for second place is fierce between YouTube (73.5%) and Google (72%). The use of AI to discover products already reaches 35.5% of this group, signaling a progressive technological adoption.

Generation X and Boomers: The Force of Search and TV

As the age group rises, the logic reverses.For Generation X (45 to 60 years), the Google he takes the throne as the main channel of discovery (84%), surpassing social networks.Tv maintains considerable strength (56.5%), and physical stores are still the starting point for 32% of consumers.

Amongst the Baby Boomers (61 to 79 years), the standard is even more traditional. Google leads with 77.5%, while YouTube (58.5%) and TV (58%) share the attention almost tied. It is the generation that most values face-to-face contact: 37.5% still discover news walking through physical stores, the highest index of the study.

The Challenge for Business

For the market, the data impose the end of the strategies of “single size”. Cintia Mendes, Head of Commercial of Globalsys, company specialized in technology and innovation for retail, alert to the need for adaptation.

“The data show that the buying journey in Brazil is increasingly fragmented and influenced by the generational profile. Understanding these patterns is essential for companies that want to communicate more assertively in a rapidly evolving digital environment”, the executive says.

The survey reinforces that, for brands seeking relevance in 2025, it is not enough to be on the internet; you need to be on the right platform, speaking the language of the generation you want to reach.