• by Melynda Fuller , September 10, 2018

While Conde Nast’s publishing sector may be struggling to keep up during difficult times — the company announced earlier this summer that it was putting W, Brides and Golf up for sale — it has become a model for how a traditional publisher can acclimate to modern business models.

Through careful data collection and analysis, the publishing giant has been quickly gaining valuable insight into its readers.

Last week, Conde Nast and Goldman Sachs released the 2018 Love List, providing an even deeper picture of how valuable millennial and Gen Z consumers approach brands, and which brands they prefer across fashion, retail, luxury and beauty.

Conde Nast and Goldman Sachs surveyed 1,489 U.S. consumers between the ages of 13-34 and an additional 1,174 of what Conde Nast defines as “It Girls,” or women who engage with one or more Conde Nast brands regularly.

Consumers placed a high level of trust in Conde Nast brands. They spent a bulk of their time in the influence and pre-search phase.

The study showed It Girls prefer a combination of online and in-store shopping, along with smart apps, and value online convenience with in-store experiences. It Girls were also revealed to be brand agnostic when compared to other consumers.

The study also showed consumers command more control over their shopping experience. Also, Amazon has replaced Snapchat as the most used app.

Top brands across those surveyed were Nordstrom, which ranked in the top 10 across all the categories studied, and Sephora, which came out on top across favorite retailers in categories of color cosmetics, skincare and fragrance.

Other brands favored by those surveyed included Victoria’s Secret, Nike, Ulta, Kate Spade and Adidas. On The Next List, which asks those surveyed about the brands they’re hearing about more this year than last, Fenty Beauty, Glossier, Colour Pop and Fabletics appeared in the top 10.

Pamela Drucker Mann, Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer of Condé Nast, stated: “Millennial and Gen Z consumers are looking for quality, authenticity and innovation, not mass appeal, and we can see that in the brands that popped.”

The Love List follows another recent study conducted by Conde Nast released earlier this year in partnership with Tapestry. It identified the significance of brand recognition and trust when making purchasing decisions.