Gen Z… they crave success. It will be important to understand them in the upcoming years as they come of age and will be the audience that brands are marketing to, if they aren’t already. Let’s talk about their top 3 priorities in life. 1. Clothing and fashion choices. 2. Making money. 3. DEI. Well, this third is as important for society as number one is, isn’t? it’s also important to note that this generation is still young and their priorities may change over time as they age. What are they interested in? 1. Influencers. They actually aspire to be influencers one day. It’s weird to think that when they’re asked what they want to be when they “grow up” that answer could be an influencer. 2. Coding/programming. This one will be very useful as technology continues to advance so good job on this one Gen Z! 3. Esports. Again, wow… but this is competitive video game playing and can actually come with a large paycheck nowadays through sponsorships etc. Now, where does Gen Z hang out on social media? Their preferred platform isn’t surprising, TikTok. Their second favorite is Instagram and their least used is Facebook. Looks like Facebook is for old folks now…
We recently did a post on how social media may become the new search engine. Gen Z proves this trend could be the future. When it comes to brand discovery, their top method is through vlogs. This is followed by endorsements by celebrities, and ads seen in the cinema. When they conduct online research their go to is micro-blogs, vlogs and video sites. This only solidifies our theory that social media will be a new form of a search engine sooner than later. When it comes to brands they support, there are a few top reasons why they choose one brand over another. The top reason is that it will enhance their online reputation. Second, they like access to exclusive content and feeling like they’re taking part or being involved. They want brands who are inclusive and bold. Brands that aren’t afraid to take stands on socioeconomic issues. Lastly, they love love love memes. I mean, who doesn’t at this point? This is basically how I speak to my sister instead of actual text messages now. We speak via meme. Gen Z is actually more than twice as likely to be following memes or parody accounts than the average American, according to GWI. When I look at this generation, I just think of our grandparent’s saying, “kids nowadays.” But we must understand that they’re growing up in an era that is very different from the others. Technology has advanced quickly and to new heights, where social media is part of everyday life. They also grew up a few years living life remotely in the COVID-19 pandemic. Some graduated high school this way. This generation will have much to offer in the future in terms of environmental improvements as well as DEI efforts. They have the power to create a better world than it was when they came into it. So, when it comes to marketing to this group successfully, it will be crucial to understand what makes them tick.
(All data sourced from GWI’s Report on What’s Trending with US internet Users Aged 16-25)
