Gen Z are going back to the cinema: maybe we aren’t all obsessed with short-form content after all…
A sharp rise in Gen Z cinema attendance reveals something deeper about their consumption habits today, and beyond…
Since TikTok arrived in 2016, media and entertainment has become progressively faster. For those that use the app, gratification is expected to arrive within the first few seconds of the clip. It’s called the ‘three second rule’, promoted by creators who claim they can help you #makemoneyonline. “If you don’t hook them in that first three seconds, you’ve lost them for good,” says content creator Zach Mitchem.
The fact that we expect a video to entertain us in the span of a TikTok, Instagram Reel or YouTube Short says a lot about our attention spans. And it is impacting other forms of media. Songs are being structured so that the catchiest part comes sooner and TV scripts are becoming faster-paced so as not to lose their audience. It’s as if we have lost all sense of patience. But sometimes you can’t short-cut information and entertainment. To compress is to lose meaning.
And it seems Gen Z are coming to realise just that. As cinemas continue to recover after the impact of the pandemic, an increase in attendance is being fuelled by 18-34 year olds. While in 2019, the biggest age demographic of Curzon attendees was 65+, in 2025 the dominant age group is 18-34 year olds, the people curiously most prone to watching short-form content.
The Guardian reported that young people are “flocking’ to independent cinemas, “drawn in by the promise of a ‘no-distractions’ zone”. “It’s nice to switch off,” Sophia Crothall, 23, tells the journalist Sinéad Campbell. “I don’t touch my phone the whole time I’m in the cinema. At home I’m probably scrolling.” I can relate.
And it’s through no fault of our own. Social media platforms are designed to suck up our attention, their hyper-personalised algorithms and dopamine-releasing ‘pings’ scientifically programmed to draw us in. Because of this, Gen Z have become multi-screeners, scrolling mindlessly whilst watching TV and filling out a form on our laptops. It is a trait we are not proud of and actively working against.
This hunger for distraction-free, long-form content demonstrates a reaction against the hyperfast stream of content otherwise associated with our generation. Although time-consuming, Gen Z are intentionally choosing to find meaning in the depth and length of, not just a full film, but the entire process of going to the cinema. The nuanced experience of getting your popcorn and finding your seat. The communality of watching the film with a group of strangers. And that distinct feeling when the lights come up and the room jolts back to reality.
While brands are told to “target Gen Z” through short-form content, trends are showing this might not actually be what we want. For sure, you might grab our attention and hold it for a matter of three seconds, but will you make a lasting impression? Will we be thinking about the campaign days later, pondering on its meaning and noticing things we hadn’t before.
Work that makes an impact challenges its audience. So why not challenge the three second rule? There is clearly a latent desire amongst Gen Z to change their habits and invest time in things that provide a deeper sense of meaning, and this desire will only grow in the coming years as young people gain a greater sense of the toxicity of the algorithm. Within this context, storytelling will become a key asset for your brand. Value will be placed in emotional connection and context without compression. Brands that succeed will have a clear sense of their own story, as well as that of their campaigns.
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