If you’re wondering why your marketing strategies that worked wonderfully a few years ago suddenly aren’t yielding the same results anymore, the problem probably is that those strategies were made with millennials in mind.
The digital world is now dominated by Gen Z, and while most people tend to group these two different generations in the same category, the strategies that worked for the millennials will not work for Gen Z.
But don’t worry.
We’re here to tell you exactly how to modify your digital marketing strategies to appeal to the generation that is quickly taking over as the next big retail wave maker.
Who Falls Under the “Gen Z Army”?
Let’s start by understanding exactly who falls in the Gen Z cohort. While some people say that the Gen Z generation starts from 1995 and goes up to 2009, others argue that 1997 onward is where Gen Z can be found; most agree that the beginning of Gen Z age range is somewhere between the late 1990’s to the early 2000’s.
So, from the 13-year-old teenagers who are learning to be adults, to the 22-year-olds who are just beginning to join the workforce, are all Gen Zers. It is estimated that by the year 2020, 40% of all consumers will be Gen Z. That is a lot of emerging shoppers that are nothing like the audience your marketing strategies are catering to currently.
The Z-Factor: What Makes Gen Z So Unlikely from Its Previous Generations
While millennials were here for the birth of modern technology, Gen Zers are born in the digital world, easily navigating their way through the complexity that is the internet. Let’s take a look at some of the things that set Gen Zers so far apart from their older siblings.
Gen Z Loves Giving Feedback
Studies show that Gen Zers prefer giving feedback more than any other cohort. This means that they will not only leave a feedback on the brands website but will also take to social media to voice their opinion.
Studies show that Gen Zers prefer giving feedback more than any other cohort. This means that they will not only leave a feedback on the brands website but will also take to social media to voice their opinion.
Gen Z are the Most Culturally and Socially Diverse and Active GenerationMajor events like the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the Great Recession have a major influence on Gen Z, making them most open-minded generation yet, and they’re not afraid to let everyone know.
They value diversity, inclusivity, and equality above all else and will stand up for each other when time comes, whether or not the issue affects them directly; events like March for Our Lives, the #MeToo movement, and the LQBTQIA+ movement for marriage equality stand proof of that.
To keep up with them, brands need to show them that they also support and care about these issues. But you need to be really careful because if your social message rubs them the wrong way, they won’t be afraid to tell you.
Gen Z prefers Influencer Marketing more than Millennials do
For Gen Z, celebrities — whether they are the mainstream ones like musicians and actors, or social influencers like Youtubers — are not just entertainers; they are educators, movement leaders, and role models who have a major influence on their lives.
For Gen Z, celebrities — whether they are the mainstream ones like musicians and actors, or social influencers like Youtubers — are not just entertainers; they are educators, movement leaders, and role models who have a major influence on their lives.
This means that celebrity endorsements will do wonders for your brand. But only to a certain extent because the moment Gen Zers feel like the celebs are being fake or crossing the line in regards to any social cause, they will pull away, not only from the celebrity (even if they’re big fans), but the brand too.
Gen Z Wants More Personal Content
Unlike Millennials, Gen Zers are aware that companies have more access to their personal data and so expect the brands to provide them with highly personalized interactions. Which means the typical “here is the product, here are its features” ads just won’t cut it anymore.
Unlike Millennials, Gen Zers are aware that companies have more access to their personal data and so expect the brands to provide them with highly personalized interactions. Which means the typical “here is the product, here are its features” ads just won’t cut it anymore.
To appeal to Gen Z, you’re going to have to get creative to show them how your product or service relates to them. You can take cues from Dove’s “Real Dad Moments” ad that showcased real moments between a child and a father (this elicits an emotional reaction as the viewer has, some point in their life has shared a similar moment with their father) or the Pepsi Max “Uncle Drew” ad, where they used NBA star Kyrie Irving’s skills as a basketball player to make the ad relatable and credible instead of simply using his name for endorsement.
They Value Their Privacy
Despite wanting personalized ads from brands, Gen Zers also highly value their personal space. They are more likely to cover their laptop and tablet cameras than their predecessors.
Despite wanting personalized ads from brands, Gen Zers also highly value their personal space. They are more likely to cover their laptop and tablet cameras than their predecessors.
They put their Instagram accounts on private, change their Facebook and Twitter settings so only select people can see their content, and use apps that lets them post stuff privately or for a short period of time like Snapchat, Yik Yak, and Whisper.
They’re also more inclined to using more than one alias on the same social media site to separate the various aspects of their lives.
Brands need to find a sweet spot where they give Gen Z personal content without coming off as creepy of evasive.
They’re More Tolerant of Ads on Social Media But Want to Be Able to Opt Out
Youtube remains a top choice among social media for Gen Z, even if most of them think that the platform has too many ads. So, while brands can gain from putting ads on Youtube, they have to make them short and compelling — to cater to the generation’s 8-second long attention span — to really cash in on them.
Youtube remains a top choice among social media for Gen Z, even if most of them think that the platform has too many ads. So, while brands can gain from putting ads on Youtube, they have to make them short and compelling — to cater to the generation’s 8-second long attention span — to really cash in on them.
Since Gen Zers have a shorter attention span, they don’t like it when they can’t skip ads, especially if the ads are long. Skippable ads are more user-friendly and chances are that, if someone watches till the end, they are genuinely interested and have a higher chance of clicking the link to your website.
Whereas in non-skippable ads, people will simply roll their eyes while waiting for it to get over and never think of it again. Moreover, if the ad comes on multiple times, it might even lead to the audience developing a disdain for the brand, which can hurt your brand name.
They Like #relatable Content
While getting a model or celebrity with perfect everything to sponsor your brand (barely) worked for millennials, Gen Zers prefer it when they feel like they can relate to your content.
While getting a model or celebrity with perfect everything to sponsor your brand (barely) worked for millennials, Gen Zers prefer it when they feel like they can relate to your content.
So you can follow the example of American Eagle, where they started a “no-Photoshop” policy and proudly showed off their models sans airbrushing away their “flaws”; or that of Dove, when they came out with their “Dove campaign for Real Beauty” to celebrate the natural beauty of the everyday woman.
They are Big on Authenticity
While millennials were the first generation to let marketers know that they prefer authentic content, Gen Zers go a step further and say that they’re not only done with picture-perfect models and fake celebrity news, but they also want to know that your brand is run by humans.
Brands like Target not only talk to their customers online, but they also take a stand on social causes, all while being funny, sassy, and, more importantly, human. This lets the users know that behind the screen are actual people who are interacting with them, not just marketing to them.
They are a Strong, Independent Generation Who Need No Loyalty Programs
Loyalty programs started out as a marketing tool to retain customers and give them an incentive to come back. And it worked, with the Baby Boomers and the Millennials, who actually liked getting rewarded for their purchases, but it won’t work with Gen Z. Gen Z like having options so that they can easily get what they want, when they want it and rather not be tied down to one store or brand.
Conclusion
There are some small big differences that make Gen Z so very different from Millennials. Understanding these differences between the two almost-but-not-so-identical generations and incorporating them in your marketing strategies will definitely give you an upper hand while dealing with Gen Z consumers in the future.
