CENTENNIAL CONSUMER BEHAVIOR ON SOCIAL NETWORKS: AN ANALYSIS FROM DIGITAL PERCEPTION

In this research, the objective was to analyze the factors that characterize the behavior of centennial consumers in social networks, through a quantitative and descriptive approach, in order to understand their purchase decision process in digital environments. The methodology was based on the application of a structured questionnaire to 300 young centennials, consisting of 27 questions, under a five-point Likert scale. The variables were grouped into five main factors: digital marketing strategies, consumer attention, social media interaction, perceived trust, and purchase intent. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential procedures, applying the Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests to compare differences according to gender and the social network used.

The results indicated that centennials value the informative content, creativity and visual design of publications. In addition, it was found that women have a higher perception and intention to buy than men. In terms of platforms, TikTok was the network with the highest level of consumer interaction, although perceived trust and purchase intention remained similar between TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.  In conclusion, centennial consumers prioritize authenticity, safety, and the opinion of other users, so brands must design differentiated and transparent digital strategies to achieve an effective connection with this generation.