Gen Z has become the most fluid and hardest-to-predict generation in the brand landscape. Their expectations shift quickly, their loyalty is earned rather than assumed, and their sense of identity changes depending on the cultural moment they’re moving through.
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What about other generations? Read more in The Top 10 brands that have won over Millennials.

Gen Z is the most fluid audience in the brand landscape – fast-moving, identity-driven, and allergic to anything that feels generic. Their preferences shift with cultural context, and loyalty has to be earned through usefulness, creativity, and values they can see and feel.

The latest QuestBrand Gen Z Equity Data shows a clear pattern: the brands climbing fastest are the ones expanding Gen Z’s sense of capability, control, and cultural expression. And the gains are not marginal – several brands delivered double-digit-scale lifts quarter over quarter.

Gen Z rewards brands that expand their sense of agency

How? Across categories, AI, finance, fitness, CPG, entertainment, the fastest-growing brands share a clear set of attributes:

- They enhance capability: From ChatGPT to Chase, Gen Z gravitates toward brands that make life feel easier, faster, and more navigable.

- They simplify complexity: Financial tools and career platforms gain equity when they strip out jargon and increase transparency.

- They turn the ordinary into the expressive: Haribo, Wingstop, OtterBox, and lululemon show that everyday categories can be identity canvases.

- They design for participation: Interactive ecosystems – FanDuel, Prime Video – win because culture is something Gen Z expects to shape.

Below are the top 10 equity risers with Gen Z, what they signal, and why these brands are outperforming.

1. Dove

Equity Δ: +9.8

Beauty brand Dove is grounded in trust, body autonomy, and values-driven messaging. Its equity rise reflects how strongly Gen Z responds to brands that advocate for human wellbeing and signal psychological safety. Dove gives the generation something they prioritize: brands that make them feel good about who they are.

2. ChatGPT

Equity Δ: +9.2

Gen Z treats AI as infrastructure, not novelty. The sharp rise here reflects daily utility – speed, problem-solving, and creative enablement. For this cohort, ChatGPT isn’t replacing thinking; it’s accelerating it. That makes it a capability brand, not a tech brand.

3. FanDuel

Equity Δ: +9.0

Gambling and gaming site, FanDuel’s equity has spiked, showing how deeply Gen Z values participatory entertainment. This is a generation that wants to shape outcomes, not just consume them. Gamified ecosystems that offer agency, competition, and community are reinforcing their stickiness across the entertainment category.

4. OtterBox

Equity Δ: +8.8

This is pure functional trust meeting self-expression. Phone-case company OtterBox has seen a surge in Brand Equity most likely because Gen Z rewards brands that make their devices feel safer, more personalized, and more durable – especially in a world where the phone is the center of identity, work, and social life.

5. Haribo

Equity Δ: +8.0

Confectionary company Haribo is benefiting from a broader Gen Z pattern: nostalgia with flavor. Even in simple CPG categories, joy, color, and sensorial play win. The brand’s rise reinforces that low-involvement categories aren’t low-emotion for this generation.

6. Prime Video

Equity Δ: +7.8

Despite aggressive competition, Prime Video’s lift underscores Gen Z’s preference for frictionless access and personalized content ecosystems. They reward platforms that reduce choice paralysis and maximize control over what they watch.

7. Glassdoor

Equity Δ: +7.0

Recruitment website Glassdoor is seeing a strong uptick among Gen Z. A strong awareness surge sits behind this jump, but the equity gain is the more telling signal. Gen Z views employment transparency as empowerment. Platforms that help them assess fairness, culture, and opportunity are becoming core to their career identity.

8. Wingstop

Equity Δ: +6.8

Fast-food chain Wingstop’s performance reflects the rise of value-plus-vibe dining. High flavour, social-friendly food, and cultural adjacency (music, sport, creators) create a brand experience that feels more expressive than purely functional.

9. Chase

Equity Δ: +6.5

A notable jump for a traditional bank. Chase is winning because Gen Z wants financial stability wrapped in digital utility. They’re open to experimentation, but they still turn to institutions that simplify complexity and give them confidence.

10. lululemon

Equity Δ: +6.3

Lifestyle apparel Lululemon’s rise signals that Gen Z still has an appetite for premium brands – as long as they deliver identity amplification. The brand’s blend of performance, lifestyle positioning, and cultural ubiquity keeps it aspirational without feeling unattainable.

Gen Z’s top-rising brands are proving that the generation isn’t fickle – they’re filtering for brands that help them build autonomy, clarity, and cultural belonging.

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