Gen Z and Gen A are ‘unplugging’. You’ve probably heard about it, it’s not a new shift. There has been an increased interest in physical media and taking a break from digital for days or even weeks at a time, so much so, 2026 is being labelled as "the age of analogue”.

It started with the rise of nostalgia with Gen Z: the switch from iphone cameras to digital cameras, airpods to wired earphones, and the popularity of physical magazines again. But this is more than an aesthetic. It’s not just about wishing for simpler times. It’s about taking back control. Placing physical boundaries between us and technology where no digital limits have existed.

As a brand, this might sound… alarming. You’ve invested a lot of time into building communities on social. If people are logging off, is that effort suddenly worthless? How do you connect when audiences are actively trying to disconnect?

Take a breath. It’s going to be okay. Because this shift towards being offline doesn’t signal the death of social - it signals an evolution. And with it comes a massive opportunity.

First, let's dig deeper into Gen Z’s overwhelming need to touch grass.

The constant alerts, the doomscrolling, the pressure to keep up, it’s too much stimulation and not enough meaning. Gen Z are burnt out, so they’re opting out - at least temporarily.

Offline hobbies are booming as a form of decompression: run clubs, padel, book clubs, journaling, film photography, chess clubs, crocheting. The appeal isn’t productivity, it’s presence.

And the data backs it up…

• 82% of people under 30 have already experienced or want to try a digital detox - with 16% doing it regularly and 40% planning to try it in the future.
• Searches on Pinterest for “digital detox ideas” are up 72%, and “digital detox vision boards” are up 273% in 2025, indicating rising curiosity and participation
• The global digital detox market is valued at about $2.7 billion and is forecast to roughly double by 2033, indicating strong, sustained demand for structured time offline.

Unplugging isn’t just a rejection of technology. It’s a boundary-setting exercise. It’s less about abandoning the internet completely and more about carving out protected offline zones.

Fear not, marketers, social still has a role to play in this new era:

Here’s the plot twist: even when Gen Z are offline, social media is still part of the story. While it’s true that more of this audience are taking breaks from their phone and doing more offline, these offline moments still find their way to their social feeds.

You only need to scroll the analogue conversation on TikTok right now and you’ll see:

• Unplugging experience rooted in escaping burnout and reconnecting with yourself in nature
• Recommendations for different articles to read on Substack instead of doomscrolling
• How different creators spend their ‘digital detox days’
• Tips on how to be more present in life

It’s become a lifestyle. It’s cool not to be on our phones. And of course we’ll smugly post about ‘switching off’ after.

How should brands adapt to this shift?

As a brand, if you can build experiences that feel like a mental exhale, you may just wiggle perfectly into this fast-growing gap in the market.

Brands will win by creating more touchpoints for their audience. If younger audiences are spending more time offline, meet them there. Create opportunities for offline connection that become shareable online moments.

Physical doesn’t replace digital – it complements it.

Recent Out Of Phone (OOP) marketing for new film ‘The Drama’ is a great example of physical being amplified by digital. To spark talkability around the release, the team placed a fake engagement announcement in The Boston Globe. A traditional, almost nostalgic format, until it quickly made its way onto social, with users spotting Zendaya and Robert Pattinson’s faces paired with different names. This offline moment became the online conversation.

Unplugging isn’t anti-social. It’s anti-noise.

Social media isn’t going anywhere - but its role is changing. From always-on to intentionally returned-to.

But don’t forget, this generation can smell desperation a mile away. If unplugging is about control, brands need to respect that autonomy. That means fewer interruptions, fewer gimmicks, fewer “we need to be part of this” moments. Be additive. Be intentional.

The goal isn’t to drag people back online. It’s to create experiences worth coming back for. Because even in the age of analogue, the story still ends up on social - just with a little more intention, and a lot more meaning.