How to Market to Gen Z

A recent survey shows that Gen Zers prefer brands that are authentic, with 82% saying they trust a company more if it uses images of real customers in its advertising, while 72% said they’re more likely to buy from a company that contributes to social causes. Product quality, positive ratings and reviews and customer service are the top three characteristics that establish trust in a brand among Gen Zers..” — from Marketing Dive

Our Take

It will only take a year or two for Gen Z to completely displace millenials as the generation du jour. An onslaught of articles and analysis is already taking place by researchers and journalists seeking to understand the characteristics and tendencies of “Zoomers,” who first stole the limelight with their “Ok Boomer” memes and aggressive TikTok habits. Now that this generation is beginning to graduate college and hold buying power, it will become a critical focus for all kinds of marketers. If recent projections on population growth hold true, Gen Z might also be the last generation of its size — capable of shaping the course of history and defining the 21st century.

This study shows us how Gen Z will be different from any generation before. Raised in a world of online shopping and brand awareness, Gen Z consumers are knowledgeable about products, care about reviews, and exercise their choice by taking brand advocacy and corporate social responsibility into account. Brands that fail to see that their Gen Z customers are much more worldly, informed, and critical than ever before will be left out of the market — while brands that continue to seek positive engagement with the “very online” Gen Z audience, and respond to their expectations, will thrive in the coming years.