The new research by GWI and Snapchat released on August 12 shows that India’s festive purchase journey has shifted decisively, with Gen Z consumers increasingly relying on trusted friends and family to validate buying decisions rather than acting on content discovery alone.The study finds that while 7 in 10 Gen Z consumers say creator content helps them discover products, the final purchase decision is shaped largely through personal conversations. Seventy-six per cent say instant feedback from people they trust makes them more confident buyers, and 63 per cent share products with friends or family before completing a purchase.The research also challenges the assumption that festive shopping is concentrated around a single event such as Diwali. Seventy per cent of Gen Z respondents say they view the festive season as multiple celebrations rather than one moment, and nearly four in ten begin planning Diwali purchases more than a month in advance. Shopping behaviour is split between planning and impulse: 41 per cent say most purchases are planned, while 40 per cent mix planning with spontaneous buying.Social connection, not shopping, leads festive behaviour. Sixty-five per cent of Gen Z say spending time with family is the activity they do most during the season, and 77 per cent report interacting most with family on social media during this period.Snapchat-specific data within the study indicates the platform’s relevance to purchase decisions among its daily users. Seventy-five per cent of Gen Z daily Snapchatters say they discuss purchases with friends on the app while items are in their basket, and 67 per cent say the platform helps them feel more confident in festive buying decisions.GWI Chief Insight Officer Jason Mander noted that the pattern only becomes visible when examining real consumer behaviour rather than assumptions about the demographic. Snap Inc. India’s Yagnesh Ravi said the findings point to a shift in festive marketing strategy from visibility toward building consumer confidence through trusted conversations.Published on August 13, 2026