YouTuber PewDiePie is more liked than LeBron James among Gen Z males, study finds

PewDiePie (pic) and Lebron James have the same level of name recognition (95%) among Gen Z males, but more of them (62%) have a favourable view of the YouTuber than James (55%). — @pewdiepie/Instagram

LOS ANGELES: PewDiePie, the popular and controversial YouTube creator, has the same name recognition as NBA superstar LeBron James among young American males – but Pewds has a higher favourability rating than King James and other celebrities, according to a new study.

The findings come from research firm Morning Consult, which surveyed Gen Z and millennial consumers to gauge sentiment toward influencers. The study found 88% of those surveyed said it's important for influencers to genuinely care about their interests, which "inspiration", "aspiration" and "voyeurism" among the top reasons young Americans follow influencers.