By Emma Ryan (Wilde Agency Intern)
Three or four times a week, I run or bike down a popular path behind my neighborhood. I try to make a point to smile or say hello to everyone I pass (unless I’m wheezing too much).
Though most adults will respond to these gestures, it’s rare that they’ll make any effort to initiate an interaction. In fact, they tend to outright avoid me up until that point.
(I have made a point to keep track of my interactions for at least 10 runs/bike trips. My friends notice the same thing, and the results are unchanging).
For all the stereotypes that young people lack social skills – because of our perceived dependence on technology – I’ve noticed that adults are just as guilty of the evasive or “unfriendly” behavior that’s frequently associated with my generation.
That’s why I have always been reluctant to identify with Generation Z.
Born in ’97 and owning a flip-phone until my sophomore year of high school, I had assumed I was a Millennial – right on the cusp of new technology, but without the negative associations of being born into it.
The more I learned about the characteristics that separate these two generations, however, the more I accepted my respective place among the fast moving, forward-thinking Gen Z-ers.
So while, yes, some characteristics about Generation Z are complete myths – like our inability to properly greet someone – here are some things we have in common and how to navigate them from a marketing perspective.
1. TECHNOLOGY IS A HUGE PART OF OUR LIVES
Generation Z grew up with technology, so yes, it’s often the best way to reach us.
That said? Like Millennials, we’re not all identical in our interests. Different sub-segments of Generation Z may gravitate more strongly toward certain devices and social media platforms.
As the older half of this generation, my friends and I prefer to explore content and, in a way, be informed through YouTube channels, articles shared on Facebook and just surfing the web. We’re drawn to discovering new music, shopping online and flipping through Pinterest and Instagram.
The younger half of this generation doesn’t seem to get as lost in exploring the Internet. They tend to focus more on sharing and direct communication with one another. (For example, I use Snapchat, but nowhere near as frequently as my sister in middle school.)
How to apply this: When it comes to technology and social media, there isn’t a “one size fits all” strategy for Generation Z. You’re better off finding the overlap between your product’s target audience and the defining characteristics of a specific platform. For example?
- YouTube: For those who seek entertainment or highly visual “how to” tutorials.
- Snapchat: For those who value frequent sharing and communication.
- Pinterest: For the artistic dreamers who want to “improve” their lives.
Keep in mind: A universally known quality of young people is that we all want to be older than we know we are. This means that we won’t always respond to the “young” content adults produce based on how they see us.
Think, instead, of how we see ourselves. A middle schooler is far more likely to respond to an ad targeted to a high schooler, since that’s who they aspire to be. This doesn’t mean that they’re not acting their age. It just means they wish they weren’t.
2. WE WANT QUALITY, BUT VALUE MATTERS MOST.
Whether we know it or not, Generation Z has a sixth sense when it comes to the fleeting trends of this day and age.
One would think the fast-paced world of technology would have driven us to be impulsive purchasers, but no, we understand that most consumer trends are temporary. There is always going to be something new.
Sure, we might love to flaunt high quality, name brand items – that our parents bought us for the holidays – but we’re not inclined to hand over hard-earned money from our first jobs for nothing more than a passing fad.
If we can find something that looks almost identical to an expensive, trendy item at a fraction of the cost, most of us will choose that over putting a dent in our savings.
How to apply this: When shopping, worth and value are two ultimate goals for Generation Z. Provide a good deal when possible, and demonstrate how your product would fit perfectly into our lives. For higher-priced items, it’s necessary to specify the unique qualities that make it worth splurging for.
Overall, aim to make us feel successful when we walk away from a purchase, like we received a substantial bargain or filled a void in our lives.
Keep in mind: We WILL do the research. We can easily navigate our way through reviews on what to buy or what not to buy.
This is great for us – considering we don’t have to risk wasting our money – but bad news for you if your product isn’t as good as you claim. We are masters of internet investigation, and we know how to find answers to all of our questions regarding quality.
And this brings me to my next point…
3. IT’S IMPORTANT TO US THAT YOU RESPECT THE TRUTH.
Generation Z has been conditioned, through technology, to know that you can’t always believe what is being marketed to you. We’ve grown up in a world of possible deception, having learned that way too many people lie on social media, the internet or television. We’re well aware of the tricks, and if we feel like a brand is lying to us in any aspect of their campaign, we’re far less inclined to give them our business.
Remember, we want items of worth, and through research and careful listening, we can spot the difference from a mile away. There’s no way to make us believe your claims that something’s worthy of Beyoncé when all the reviews are repeating she wouldn’t even be caught dead with it in her trash.
How to apply this: Earn our respect and trust by being blunt and to the point. Tell us exactly what you’re marketing and how much it costs. State that we should buy it because it rocks, it will improve our lives in some way, and you want our business, point blank.
There’s something so refreshing and, in a sense, relieving about everything being put right out on the table when a product is marketed. It creates a better relationship with the potential customer and the brand.
And if you don’t have a solid product? Well, try and put a different spin on it! Easier said than done, but we really do respect creativity and a unique approach.
Keep in mind: We also value connection. Focus on something we can relate to. Learn about us and how your product could be used by us.
There’s this trend of “relatability” that basically consists of wanting to feel like your weirdness, bad habits or less desirable qualities are shared by others. (Example here.) If you can make us “relate” and say “I want that because that is SO me” to your product, then you are “SO in” my friend.
4. FOR US, FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT – BIG TIME.
Research has found that a human being has a shorter attention span than a goldfish. In today’s world, you have to make the fastest positive first impression you can muster, or you’re toast. That’s especially true when it comes to Generation Z.
This comes from learning to form our opinions quickly when we are flipping through channels or scrolling on social media feeds. Either something’s worthy of our time, or we are moving on to the next thing.
How to apply this: Don’t waste a single second. Make a connection right from the start with something that will resonate with us (think “relatable”) or with something new that will intrigue us. The faster you can do this, the better, because we make a lot of immediate assumptions.
If you would rather build to a climax, make that known right off the bat. Otherwise, if you don’t grab our attention, we’ll switch to something else.
Since everything is heightened and enhanced on the internet – raising expectations – simply play up your known assets. Think outside of the box, without going overboard.
Keep in mind: Most of us are visual creatures, and even though stimulating another sense would really surprise us, visuals would be the best (and most realistic) route to take.
We are used to fast moving screens, and sometimes, even juggling multiple screens at the same time. Give us the best you’ve got, and focus our attention.
5. WE DRAW A LINE BETWEEN ENTERTAINMENT & MARKETING.
Many companies think that in order to capture the attention of Generation Z, they need to stimulate the senses to the max. This is where the line between entertainment and marketing gets blurry.
For example, the “Share a Coke” campaign did so well, because it got personal. It was unlike any other campaign at the time.
People loved discovering their names on cans and almost felt an obligation to buy them. Also, it was funny to hand one to a friend with a completely different name. The campaign brought in aspects of “relatability” to entertain us, but it also provided a specific reason to purchase the product.
The “Share a Song” and “Say It with Pepsi” campaigns that spiraled off of this failed to make as big of an impact. The song lyrics and emojis on soda bottles weren’t personal enough. They didn’t reflect the audience, so people were less compelled to find one that suited them.
At this point, these campaigns were more about entertaining people than actually marketing the product itself.
How to apply this: A marketer should create content that will grab our attention from the beginning, but then be able to naturally hold it while marketing the product.
If there’s too much emphasis placed on holding our attention, then the marketing will get lost. Sure, we will be engaged, but we’ll be focused on the wrong aspect of the campaign, not the product itself.
Keep in mind: Do your own thing. Just because something worked well for another brand that doesn’t mean the voice of their campaign will work for you, too.
Try not to cross paths with other campaigns. Their tone might not be a good fit for your brand, and you will be commended for your creativity and uniqueness when yours is unlike the others.
TO SUM IT UP…
Apologies if I just completely scrambled your understanding of my generation. You knew we were complicated, but not this complicated.
While I can’t say there’s one surefire way that you can capture the attention of the entirety of Generation Z, this will certainly steer you in the right direction, so hopefully, you can test different marketing strategies and gain further insight into our mysterious ways.
Emma Ryan spent the summer of 2016 as an intern for Wilde Agency. She is a cognitive science major entering her sophomore year at the University of Connecticut.
Emma has always been intrigued by what influences people to make purchases, and she plans to pursue a career in neuromarketing.
The post A Guide For Marketing To Generation Z: Be Blunt, Be Engaging + Be Trustworthy appeared first on Wilde Agency.
