Almost everything has been said about the “millennial” generation. Now a new generation is coming into the picture. Find out who generation Z people are and what they will love your brand for.
There is more and more talk about the so-called Z generation, i.e. people born after 1995. This is a special group of consumers that will soon dominate the market, so it’s worth checking out how to reach them.
“Zetas” are immersed in the virtual world since their birth, and electronic gadgets, such as smartphones or tablets, are as obvious to them as a kettle or a washing machine. They use the web regularly and it’s where they get most of their information from. According to a study by The Center for Generational Kinetics [1], over 30% of them feel uncomfortable when they don’t have their phone in their hand for half an hour. The development of the Internet and the associated globalization has given them access to many more products and services, hence the competition on the way to their hearts is even greater. It is this generation that should be the key strategic point that brands follow in their communication. What do you need to keep in mind?
Credibility is something that generation Z is particularly interested in. This generation will not be convinced by traditional advertising, in which a smiling celebrity recommends a product in a standard way. They trust influencers who have a similar lifestyle, listen to similar music and share similar values. Research leaves no illusions: almost half of Generation Z follow at least 10 influencers in social media and 10% follow 50 or more [2].
A fresh example from Poland is the Your Kaya brand cooperation with Vogule Poland channel. This channel is run by men, so the patronage of natural products, designed primarily for women, met with a very positive response.
Recommendations of idols are as important for “zetas” as supporting the idea with which they can identify. Empty slogans and advertising slogans do not mean much to them – they prefer to be aware that by buying a product of a particular company they support something they believe in. And above all: they want to feel that they are changing the world for the better.
Ice cream manufacturer Ben&Jerry’s already released a campaign in 2015 that ingeniously referenced climate change:
The Airbnb platform addressed the issue of diversity and mutual acceptance:
Axe, on the other hand, went to war against the stereotype of a “real man” who is tough, fearless and necessarily athletic:
If you want to attract the attention of Generation Z, forget about pushy, flashy messages. Although you have less than 10 seconds to capture the interest of the “zetas” ( Ad Reaction Gen X, Y, Z study, Milward Brown 2017), use it rather with taste, opting for a simplified design that highlights a short, clear message. Take inspiration from the greatest – there’s a reason why market giants have decided to significantly “slim down” their logos over the years:
Nothing will convince generation Z to make a purchase like genuine recommendations from other customers. True, young people are increasingly aware that such reviews can be generated artificially, but still more than 50% of them read at least three reviews before throwing a product into a virtual shopping cart. This group also likes to be involved and express their own opinions, so they are just as likely to share their impressions if only they can do it in an accessible way. This solution was used by the Uber app developers, who introduced the possibility of customized driver evaluation, taking into account e.g. a nice conversation with a passenger or an excellent choice of music.
This trend, combined with gamification elements, was also used by Google in the Local Guides program. Each opinion about a place is rewarded with points. When enough points are collected, next levels and titles are awarded, which enable e.g. earlier access to new search engine functions.
At the same time, it is worth remembering that while “zetas” look for information about products online, they often buy them in stationary stores.
Facebook is becoming for generation Z almost the same as Nasza Klasa portal for millenials. Much more interesting for them is content that can be quickly “consumed”, hence the popularity of Snapchat or temporary “stories” on Instagram. Similar interest is shown by YouTube and TikTok. Vogue Business, citing a GlobalWebIndex report, points out that it is this social group that has driven brands’ investment in video ads. According to estimates, by 2022, video will be responsible for 82% of Internet traffic, and YouTube will be Generation Z’s most popular platform.
Personalized message, created on the basis of user behavior on the website, which is resistant to AdBlock – doesn’t it sound like a dream? This solution has been used by McDonalds, Pandora, 4F, CitiBank, Media Markt and CCC.
In addition, this type of notifications do not collect personal data, which is not without significance for “Zetas”. They are distrustful when it comes to tracking their online activities and excessive surveillance. By means of web-push notifications the consumer receives information on interesting news, current promotions and discount codes or e.g. product recently added to the assortment
Generation Z are open, creative and very flexible people. They have an allergic reaction to monotony and routine, they are multi-taskers and their attention is quickly distracted. However, regardless of their pros and cons, it is worth listening to their needs and finding a common language with them.
Source:
[1] [2] https://genhq.com/generation-z-research-2018/
