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Snap Inc. has released a new study highlighting how the “Snapchat Generation” in the UAE and Saudi Arabia is defining the future through their values, how they communicate, how they shop, and how they spend their leisure time. The report also highlights how Snapchatters are a global, future-forward generation, with respondents sharing their views on inclusivity, their drive to excel, and their passion for knowledge.

When it comes to relationships, the Snapchat Generation places tremendous value on communicating with family and friends. Tools such as messaging and camera apps help keep those relationships strong. The region’s Snapchat Generation is 1.2x more likely than non-Snapchatters to feel like they are a part of others’ lives via their stories on social, communication, and camera apps.

Jake Thomas, Head of UAE at Snap Inc., said: “Moving through life with determination and optimism, we see that the Snapchat Generation seeks out moments of levity and has a strong desire to bring fun back into their everyday. This includes the entertainment they consume, the digital media they depend on, and the hobbies they’re taking up.”

Appreciating authenticity, the Snapchat Generation doesn’t have the time to be fake, with a higher percentage of Snapchatters believing in the value of being real online compared to non-Snapchatters. Moreover, half of those surveyed say that they are less likely to purchase from brands that promote the opposite side of social issues that matter to them, with two in three saying that they are comfortable discussing social matters and causes.

Those preferences are significant considering that the discretionary spending power for the Snapchat Generation in UAE and KSA alone is estimated at USD425 billion (SAR1.4 trillion in KSA and AED216 billion in UAE). The Snapchat Generation is also willing to outspend non-Snapchatters across every category measured in the survey.

Looking more specifically at shopping trends of the Snapchat Generation, the report suggests that brands make a real difference in their purchasing decisions. The region’s Snapchat Generation is more likely than non-Snapchatters to say that having brand-name products makes them feel like they fit in (+14%), and say that brands help them to show their personal identity (+13%). Compared to their global counterparts, Snapchatters in the region are 45% more likely to say that having brand-named items are important to them, underscoring the importance of a brand’s identity and relationship with consumers.

When it comes to emerging technologies, the Snapchat Generation is flocking to mobile gaming as a way of spending time with friends and family, and to connect with people they may have never met in real life. Snapchatters in the region are 1.8x more likely than non-Snapchatters to agree that gaming is a productive activity. They are 1.4x more likely than non-Snapchatters to be drawn to immersive video and mobile games, including augmented reality (AR) experiences. They are also twice as likely as non-Snapchatters to say that they are using AR to try on products more than they were one year ago.

Speaking on the implications of this study for brands, Thomas added: “The region’s Snapchat Generation expects to have a two-way relationship with their favorite brands. Brands who share their origin stories, secrets to their success, and align themselves with this generation’s social causes will be rewarded with loyalty and an eagerness to show their approval.”