What do Gen Z expect from brands these days? On which channels does she want to be approached? And what is Gen Z’s position on gendering? A study provides information.
Generation Z makes up around a third of the world’s population and therefore has immense purchasing power. Still, many brands don’t know how to best target Gen Z. The study “OK Zoomer – Marketing for Gen Z” by House of Yas, which was attended by 1,000 young people between the ages of 16 and 25 in April 2021, sheds light on the darkness. Generation Z has expectations of brands that go far beyond mere sympathy. Sociopolitical issues such as environmental protection and diversity are very important, and only 15 percent of young people feel represented by the advertising they see. But how does contemporary and authentic marketing for Gen Z succeed? We have summarized the most important findings of the study below.
Which social networks does Gen Z use?
See and be seen: Gen Z is the generation of social media. In doing so, it is not only important to network with others, but also to participate in social discourses. Young people use Instagram (86 percent), YouTube (81 percent) and Snapchat (55 percent) particularly frequently. While Facebook is still very popular with Millennials (82 percent) and Gen Y (81 percent), the Gen Z social network is only the fourth most popular (54 percent).
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TikTok (39 percent) is also slowly but surely climbing into the ranks of the most popular social networks. Saskia master, Head of Social Media Sport, RTL and project manager of the TikTok anti-racism project “Willkommen_zuhause”, recognizes the uniqueness of the platform:
A highly politicized target group that is willing to learn can be reached on TikTok in particular. The aim here is to break down complex issues into simple language and forms of representation. It is also a good idea to process this content with a moderator.
A surprising favorite channel for brand communication
Their presence on social media suggests that Gen Z prefers to communicate with brands here too. But wrongly thought: The young people value one-on-one communication and therefore particularly prefer to be addressed via e-mail (40 percent) or in-store (21 percent). For the formation of communities within Gen Z, on the other hand, which should also be perceived and addressed in marketing, social media is particularly well suited. Overall, communication on an equal footing and good handling of feedback are important to Gen Z.
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These brand values are important to Gen Z.
The topics of racism, animal welfare and climate change are particularly relevant for Generation Z. More than 50 percent of those surveyed see a clear stance on the part of brands on these issues as very important. But companies shouldn’t ignore the topic of sexism either. Participants in the study in particular have recognized the urgency of the issue, because the positioning of brands on sexism is much more important to them than men, with a margin of 21 percent.
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The main characteristics of their favorite brands for Gen Z are friendliness (39 percent), seriousness (37 percent) and an inspiring demeanor (35 percent). Daring, crazy and approachable, on the other hand, are the rarest characteristics that Gen Z values in their favorite brands.
Show an authentic attitude
More than 80 percent of those surveyed state that they would rather buy products from companies that position themselves on socio-political issues. The only question left is: how do you best do it? The Gen Z partnerships with non-profit organizations (45.6 percent), certificates that prove their attitude (39.3 percent) and regular content on the topic (38.5 percent) are particularly meaningful. Authenticity is important with ads, like Urs Meier, Head of Client at Project Z, explains:
I think it’s particularly important to know that Generation Z has a kind of built-in bullshit detector when it comes to advertising. She immediately recognizes when a spot is untrustworthy or not made at eye level.
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Gendern – Yes or no?
Some of Generation Z have recognized that gender doesn’t have to be complicated and that it helps to normalize diversity. While 25 percent of men are more likely to buy from brands that use gender-sensitive language, the figure is 46 percent for women. At 56 percent, gender is particularly important to younger participants in the study between the ages of 16 and 17.
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The gender asterisk is particularly popular at 34 percent. This can symbolize that a brand values and recognizes diversity, as non-binary people are also addressed here. About two thirds of Gen Z say they tend to buy from companies that pay attention to diversity in their marketing – not only through gendering, but also through various advertising faces. The overall impression counts, as one participant in the study explains:
It’s important to me, but I have to admit that it doesn’t necessarily influence my purchase decision: If I see a brand that otherwise meets my expectations in terms of quality, sustainability, availability and price, I would probably buy it anyway, even if it doesn’t changed.
Overall, it can be said that Gen Z attaches great importance to addressing socio-political issues in marketing. Above all, customers prefer to buy from brands that have a clear stance on important issues. Marketers should take this to heart and tailor their approach to Gen Z needs. However, it is particularly important to remain authentic and communicate on an equal footing. Because the Gen Z bullshit detector immediately exposes unbelievable stunts.
