Davao City — Generation Z consumers in Davao City, Philippines, place greater emphasis on visual elements when choosing a pop-up photobooth. The finding comes from a study by Gianno Arn V. Aquino, Jan Maureen A. Bisnon, Jerme III J. Gaet, Maykaela Katrisha D. Sunga, Wynrex O. Tapang, and Emmanuel Joseph B. Sumatra of Ateneo de Davao University. Conducted from August to September 2025 with 216 Gen Z respondents aged 18–28, the study found that backdrops, print quality, and lighting were the three most important factors influencing consumer preferences.
Photobooths have evolved beyond simple photo-taking facilities and have become part of social and entertainment experiences. For younger consumers, photobooths provide opportunities for self-expression, group photography, and physical keepsakes. This development has become increasingly relevant as Generation Z shows strong interest in unique, interactive, and customizable experiences.
In Davao City, temporary photobooth services are increasingly found at flea markets, cultural bazaars, community events, and other local activities. This business model allows micro-entrepreneurs and event organizers to offer distinctive photography experiences without establishing permanent studios. However, empirical evidence on which photobooth configurations are most attractive to young consumers in the city remains limited.
Researchers from Ateneo de Davao University examined these preferences by analyzing six major photobooth attributes: backdrops, prints, props, lighting, physical setup, and voice instructions. Data were collected through the 1000minds platform using the PAPRIKA method, which asked respondents to compare different photobooth alternatives and indicate which combinations they preferred.
The respondents were Generation Z consumers aged 18–28 who lived in Davao City and had previous experience with pop-up photobooth services. Among the 216 valid respondents, 65.3 percent were female and 34.7 percent were male. The largest age group was 21-year-olds at 23.1 percent, followed by 22-year-olds at 20.8 percent. Most respondents were also familiar with the photobooth concept, with 43.5 percent describing themselves as very familiar and 43.1 percent as moderately familiar.
The results showed a clear dominance of visual factors in Gen Z decision-making. Backdrop design was the most important attribute, accounting for 22.5 percent of relative importance. Custom-printed backdrops were the preferred option. Print characteristics ranked second at 20.3 percent, with full-color prints emerging as the preferred choice. Lighting ranked third at 19.9 percent, with spotlight lighting receiving the strongest preference.
Props accounted for 15.3 percent of relative importance, physical setup for 11.8 percent, and voice instructions for 10.2 percent. These results indicate that Gen Z consumers in the study placed greater emphasis on appearance and photo quality than on supporting service features. The preference data also showed a high level of agreement, with a Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance of 0.765 and a Spearman rank correlation of 0.763.
The most preferred photobooth configuration in the simulation combined full-color prints, a custom-printed backdrop, thematic handheld signs, spotlight lighting, an open-air setup, and automated robotic voice instructions. Under the primary-choice simulation, Photobooth 1 received 100 percent of the choice allocation and achieved a utility score of 1.000. When the first option was removed, Photobooth 4 became the next preferred configuration with 29.6 percent of second-choice preferences, closely followed by Photobooth 5 at 29.5 percent.
The findings highlight the importance of visual experience for Gen Z consumers using photobooths. Attractive and customizable backdrops give users more opportunities to create personalized photographs. Full-color prints also provide physical keepsakes with richer visual qualities compared with monochrome outputs.
The study also identified a preference for more self-directed experiences. Automated robotic voice prompts recorded a utility contribution of 10.2 percent, while live staff guidance received a utility value of 0 percent in the analyzed configuration. This suggests that some Gen Z consumers may prefer systems that allow them to manage the photography experience independently without extensive face-to-face interaction with staff.
The preference for open-air setups was another important finding. Open environments allow groups of friends to interact and take photographs together more comfortably. This characteristic fits the social nature of photobooth experiences, which are often connected with group activities and social media content creation.
For photobooth operators, the findings provide a practical basis for prioritizing investments in visual components. Businesses can focus on high-quality lighting, customizable backdrops that match event themes, and full-color printing media. Automated features such as QR-based photo distribution and voice instructions can also make the service more convenient while giving users greater control over the experience.
For event planners, the study highlights the importance of creating customized background environments that match specific event themes and providing sufficient open space for group interactions. For marketing and branding professionals, the visual character of photobooth experiences can become part of promotional strategies through engaging photo and video content on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.
Overall, the study by Gianno Arn V. Aquino and colleagues shows that Gen Z consumers in Davao City tend to evaluate pop-up photobooths primarily through their visual experience. Custom backdrops, full-color prints, and spotlight lighting emerged as the three most important elements for businesses and event organizers seeking to attract young consumers. The findings also demonstrate that photobooth design is not merely an aesthetic consideration but an important part of the overall consumer experience and service appeal.
Authors
Gianno Arn V. Aquino — Ateneo de Davao University.
Jan Maureen A. Bisnon — Ateneo de Davao University.
Jerme III J. Gaet — Ateneo de Davao University.
Maykaela Katrisha D. Sunga — Ateneo de Davao University.
Wynrex O. Tapang — Ateneo de Davao University.
Emmanuel Joseph B. Sumatra — Ateneo de Davao University.
Research Source
Article Title: Creating Notable Pop-Up Photobooth Experiences: An Analysis of Gen Z's Sensory Preferences in Davao City
Journal: International Journal of Scientific Multidisciplinary Research (IJSMR), Vol. 4 No. 8, 2026, pp. 1803–1816.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/ijsmr.v4i8.69
Journal Link: https://journalijsmr.my.id/index.php/ijsmr
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