It's now time to focus our efforts on the next group of consumers coming through the funnel, Generation Z. Approximately 26 percent of the United States population is made up of Zers and they total around 2 billion around the globe. They have tremendous purchasing power, which is growing, as they have $44 billion to spend every year.
So how can we tailor our marketing to this new generation of consumers? It won't be easy. They are an interesting mix of pragmatic (courtesy of their Gen X parents) and tech-saturated (like their Gen Y/Millennial siblings).
1. Show your brand's personality. We have talked about this regarding Millennials, so it should come as nothing new that brands need to be personal and real. Have a human touch and be willing to leave the stiff, straight-laced mentalities at the door. When brands show their fun side, their vulnerable side, or their lovable side, they will be successful at winning Gen. Z.
2. Don't use a filter. Sure, you don't want to create a PR disaster for yourself but don't be afraid to craft content, in whatever format, that is real. The brands that are utilizing YouTube stars see this in action and are getting ROI from it. Why? Well, the teens love the authenticity of the YouTube stars and feel they can connect with them. Look how many people have risen to fame from a site like YouTube, it's because those people were being real and laying out invitations for viewers to connect with them. These people were not being forced into the spotlight be corporate executives.
3. Champion a cause. Generation Zers are like their Millennial counterparts in that they want the brands they support to have a purpose beyond making money. However, Gen. Z are a little more serious and cautious consumers. If a brand is able to connect with a cause that helps make the world a better place, that brand will have a better chance winning Gen. Z consumers. For example, look at the brands establishing connections with anti-bullying campaigns or campaigns that deal with hunger, etc.
4. Go to where they live. The phrase, "Build it and they will come." doesn't work with this generation. In fact, it hasn't worked for a while. Brands have to go where the consumers are. In 2015, it's the social realm. People in Gen. Z are collectors, sharers, and spinners of influence and information for their peers. Each platform of social media cultivates a different side of this generation. Again, this is where brands can benefit from tapping the YouTube stars and other social media stars to do some promotion.
5. Be the vessel for interactions and friendships. A brand that can establish a channel for Gen. Z to find people like them, then you will majorly win the respect and love of these consumers. They want to connect with like-minded peers and build relationships, not be slapped
across the face with advertisements and traditional promotional tools. Be the vessel that helps them do this. Be the catalyst.
6. Bust through the noise like Kool-Aid Man does walls. There are distractions everywhere, it can be difficult to know what to say or do so the kids notice you. All the access to the internet makes it both hard and easy to grab their attention. The content that brands produce needs to be entertaining, helpful, informative, relevant, and fun. Yes, you can pick which of those to embrace but the entertaining, relevant, and fun are essential, so you sort of get to pick & choose.
Hire a marketing firm that can help your business do this. Call or email Integraphix, a Los Angeles marketing agency.
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