Millennials are fueling Threads' growth in Vietnam 

Historically, Gen Z has been at the forefront of adopting and popularising new social media platforms. However, Threads is witnessing a surprising shift in demographics, with Millennials now leading the charge. The app's penetration rate among Gen Y has skyrocketed by an astonishing 7 percentage points, narrowing the gap with Gen Z to a mere 3% in Q2 2O24.  

Threads' rise among Millennials is not a coincidence but rather the result of a series of factors that have resonated with this generation, drawing them to the platform in droves.

Sandhya Devanathan, vice president and managing director of Meta India, emphasised the company's long-term outlook on Threads, saying:

"Our outlook in Threads has always been longer term, which is that we launch a product, we see traction, we learn from it, and we build features that users want." 

Gen Z's inadvertent influence on Threads' popularity among Millennials 

As digital natives, Gen Z has consistently set trends and shaped the digital landscape on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. When Gen Z embraced Threads, by actively participating in its ecosystem and populating the platform with fresh, engaging content, they inadvertently attracted the attention of Millennials, who are on the lookout for the latest digital trends. 

Gen Z's keen understanding of what makes a social media platform engaging and relevant has effectively given Threads its stamp of approval. The cross-pollination of ideas and trends between Gen Z and Millennials on Threads has created a vibrant and dynamic user community that appeals to both age groups.  

Moreover, the viral nature of Gen Z-generated content on Threads has been a significant driver of the platform's growth. As this generation's content spreads rapidly across the platform and beyond, it exposes Threads to a wider audience, paving the way for Millennials to embrace Threads as the next big thing in social media. 

Millennials love the text-based nature of Threads 

Threads' text-based nature has struck a chord with Vietnamese Millennials, offering a nostalgic and refreshing alternative to the visually-dominated social media landscape. Growing up with the rise of blogging and online forums, Millennials find comfort in the familiar format that allows for more nuanced and in-depth conversations.  

Nguyen Thanh Cao, Associate Director at Decision Lab, shared:

"Threads' focus on written content encourages users to engage more thoughtfully and reflectively on social media. The platform cultivates an environment where the quality of ideas and depth of discussions take precedence over visual appeal. This allows users to showcase their opinions, intelligence, and creativity through writing rather than visual presentation skills. These features align well with the behaviours and preferences of Generation Y."

Will Threads be able to maintain its growth momentum? 

According to Fortune India, Threads' millions of monthly active users largely stem from traffic generated by Meta's other apps, indicating that the company's ecosystem plays a crucial role in driving user adoption. By leveraging Instagram and Facebook's vast user bases, Threads has the potential to establish itself as a major advertising platform. However, questions remain about how long this growth can be sustained without relying heavily on these platforms.

Threads' growth has been impressive, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg noting its trajectory towards becoming a billion-user app. Yet, as both Millennials and Gen Z in Vietnam increasingly streamline their social media use to just three apps, it's uncertain whether Threads will become one of their primary choices. The platform's integration with Instagram offers a seamless user experience, but does it fulfil a unique need for Vietnamese users, or is it simply another competitor in an already saturated market? 

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Threads' long-term prospects, one undeniable fact is that brands in Vietnam and worldwide have quickly begun adopting and booking influencers on this new text-based platform. Consequently, Threads is rapidly becoming another "big” playground for established influencers, aspiring influencers, and brands alike. 

Companies are booking “influencers” on Threads  

The platform has also become a promising channel for increasing the reach and impact of campaigns. For example, the recent "Grab 10versary" campaign in Vietnam went super viral on Threads. By leveraging the platform's unique features and highly engaged user base, the campaign generated significant buzz and reached a wide audience. 

The post about Grab’s campaign went viral on Threads, further amplifying its impact 

For more insights from Decision Lab’s Connected Consumer Report, download the full Q2 2024 report here.

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