Generation Z marketing is not as hard as it seems on the surface.
No, really, it is not impossible despite this age group being known for their “marketing intolerance,”→ the ability to tune out digital marketing and sniff out inauthentic brands.
So let’s find out what makes this generation tick so your Generation Z marketing has a better shot at success.
*Also the number one tip for understanding younger people, coming up.
New Gen Z Report Released (5 Key Learnings)
⚡On environmental issues, Gen Z leans away from civil disobedience and unlawful/violent protests
⚡30% of US Gen Zers believe boycotting companies is the best way to protect the environment
⚡Generation Z is generally the least likely age group to boycott brands
⚡Roughly half of Gen Z see themselves as ethical and sustainable consumers
⚡40% of Gen Zers feel stressed or anxious (plus about half report their daily expenses have shot up)
Report via Statista (well worth downloading to get more insights on how to market to Gen Z)
Let’s check the inbox now…
Email Marketing to Generation Z
Will younger people engage with marketing emails? Better yet, how many of them even use email these days?
Glad you asked🙂.
- 53% of Gen Zers surveyed said they enjoy getting emails from their favorite brands once a week (Forbes)
- Fuse video w/ email because— Zers value video over any other media platform— by roughly 2-to-1 over social, gaming, music, or Google search (DCN)
“Gen Z respondents felt that user-generated content was more authentic, honest, and relatable than professionally produced content.”
🌟One downfall of email for all age groups is that email lists become inactive.
Gen Z’s attention span is shortened like other generations. So the best tool to re-engage a dead email list is Inbox Mailers. This innovative platform uses subscribers’ inbox behavior to instantly trigger an email while they are reading other emails.
Now let’s dig into lo-fi Gen Z marketing.
Production Value vs. Connection
🔑SproutSocial points out how much lo-fi marketing resonates with Generation Z.
In case you’re wondering what lo-fi marketing is, see Sprout’s breakdown or just Google Duolingo’s Owl— Who is getting tons of attention lately.
🔑Comments can be as powerful as content.
Many brands post and ghost. This leaves major opportunities on the table for connection. If 50 people take time to comment on your lo-fi / high-fun video, doesn’t it make sense to engage with them? With a human conversation, not corporate.
I can’t overstate this enough. Email marketers love having subscribers fill out surveys or reply to emails. Active comments are the same kind of win.
🔑Gen Z loves user-generated content.
Too bad every product isn’t a natural fit for users doing fun videos. Not going to see Nathan Apodaca skateboarding & singing about Quickbooks, right?
So brands have to work with what they’ve got.
- Create fun / unique videos or memes using reviews and quotes from customers
- Reach out and ask for unique feedback on products that aren’t naturally exciting
Young people are creative and may pleasantly surprise you with their user-generated content ideas.
What else do the younger generations focus on?
Trends
Boomers are great but they’re not known for trendsetting. Even Millennials aren’t causing the next dance, food, or fashion craze. Gen Z creates and notices trends before most of us even notice the last trend that’s fading out!
Examples:
- More open to becoming vegetarians (FinancesOnline)
- Prone to snacking throughout the day versus 3 daily meals
- Value having fun over making money— 72% to 56% (MediaTool.com)
- Gen Z considers YouTube influencers more popular and trustworthy than celebrities
Oh, and…
Google’s SVP, Prabhakar Raghavan, said, “In our studies, something like 40 percent of young people, when they’re looking for a place for lunch, they don’t go to Google Maps or Search. They go to TikTok or Instagram.”
Past brand success, even Google Search, doesn’t guarantee success with Generation Z marketing.
Final Word on Marketing to Generation Z
Hopefully, you can use those facts and stats above to plan better tactics for reaching younger people.
And maybe you have renewed faith in email for marketing to all generations since the myth of Gen Zers not using email is not based on reality.
But the big takeaway here?
You can get to know a generation by gathering facts, yes… but also by reading what they read. Watching videos they like. And the #1 way?
Talk with a young person. One individual. See what their thoughts are. Their worries and what makes them mad and what sparks joy in them.
It’s easy to dismiss young people because at a certain age, we feel we won’t ever understand them. The proof that this is false?
Grandparents.
They are able to connect with the younger generation better than anyone, despite decades of age and mindset differences.
Maybe because grandparents have time, and make time, to listen to the young whipper snappers😉.
