Why Your Brand Needs to be Ready for Gen Z
Every brand manager must consider what the next five to ten years will mean for their brands. Whether you’re a B2B or B2C brand, Gen Z will be your important customer (if they aren’t already).
There are a number of reasons why. First, they are the largest generation on Earth—accounting for 32% of the world’s population. Gen Z accounts for 40% of consumers worldwide despite representing only 30% of the global population. By 2031, they will represent 31% of the US workforce, meaning they will be important B2B decision makers.
What’s more, their purchasing power is growing. Worldwide, Gen Z spends $450 billion each year, with an average of $8,894 per consumer. Today, Gen Z accounts for 5% of global retail spend, but by 2030 will grow to 17%.
How to Connect to Gen Z:
Connecting to Gen Z is understanding how they differ from previous generations, their concerns, and most importantly, their values.
First and foremost, Gen Z is distinguished by the fact that it is the first generation in America’s history in which nearly half of its members identify as non-white. The Census Bureau has been predicting since the 1990s that America will be a minority-majority country. Gen Z is almost there.
Gen Z is also highly value-driven, favoring brands that embrace diversity and social justice causes. They’ve also grown up with climate change as a constant urgent backdrop affecting their lives. They want brands to adopt sustainability practices because their lives depend upon them.
While our research shows that 57% of consumers across all generations say multicultural people influence them, that predilection is even more pronounced with Gen Z; 81% say multicultural people influence them. As our report notes, Gen Zers, “exhibit a fundamentally different point of view regarding fairness, influence, and culture — prioritizing diversity while championing equality.”
Because Gen Z is value driven, they are understandably keen to shop those values. According to an ISCA report. More than half (53%) of Gen Z shoppers prefer to buy from brands that support the mental health of their employees. Some 47% prefer brands supporting sustainability initiatives, and 47% prefer brands supporting racial and gender equality.
We, at Orange 142, are right there with them. We offer our employees an Employee Assistance Program to help them resolve personal problems that may be affecting their job performance, health, and well-being, including counseling for mental health issues and substance abuse.
We share their environmental concern and are on a path to sustainability. We have optimized our tech stack to lower campaigns' carbon footprint and will continue looking for ways to shrink our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
Walk the Walk
But while Gen Z is value-focused, they are also attuned to and wary of brands that practice diversity-washing and greenwashing. Again, this is no surprise, as they are a multicultural generation facing a climate-based existential threat.
So how should brands reach and engage Gen Z? First, think mobile. Gen Z rely on their phones as their main internet access point while at work and at play. A first step to engaging with this generate is to ensure that all your digital content is optimized for mobile viewing, focusing on fast loading times, responsive design, and easy navigation. As digital natives, Gen Zers demand a seamless experience, whether browsing your website, viewing an ad, or interacting with your content.
Next, focus on social media. Gen Z is highly active on social media and other digital platforms. The most popular platforms in terms of percentage of Gen Zers who use them are YouTube (80%), Instagram (75%) and TikTok (69%) according to Morning Consult.
Finally, attention spans can be short when engaging with advertising on mobile devices. Focus on creating short-form content that quickly captures attention. Quick videos, dynamic images, and interactive ads can effectively engage Gen Z. Make sure you can deliver your message within the first few seconds.
Orange 142 Can Help You Target Gen Z
As a digital marketing and advertising company, we have plenty of experience targeting Gen Z. For instance, we have a lot of experience in the higher education sector, which demands careful planning and an astute understanding of engaging with Gen Z in order to prompt program registrations, as we have done for the University of Pennsylvania summer program and Georgia Online course.
We also have extensive experience in building and growing a brand’s social media strategy and presence.
Unlock Gen Z Audiences
We understand the importance of reaching the right Gen Z consumers for your brand. Our process starts with a deep dive into your target audience. We'll identify the specific Gen Z segment most receptive to your product or message.
Targeted Engagement & Measurement
Next, we pinpoint the optimal channels to reach your audience. This ensures your message reaches the right people in the right place. To assess campaign effectiveness and optimize based on learnings, we establish custom KPIs tailored to your specific goals. These KPIs track key metrics like engagement, success, and consumer journey insights.
Crafting Content
Our team can assist you in developing creative content that resonates with this influential generation. Through A/B testing of various ad formats and content, we continuously refine and optimize your campaign for maximum impact.
Multicultural Reach at Scale
With our direct connections to Colossus SSP, our sister company, we can expand your reach beyond traditional channels. This gives you the ability to connect with Gen Z on multicultural websites. Furthermore, Colossus SSP allows you to target diverse Gen Z audiences at scale across general, local, and niche websites, ensuring you reach the specific segment most relevant to your brand.
Checkout Our Research
Want more information? Download our report, Cracking The Code: How Multicultural & Gen Z Are Reshaping Mainstream Marketing Or view the webinar.