Who are Gen Z?
Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z are digital natives through and through. Raised on smartphones, social media and streaming, they’re the first generation to grow up fully connected.
They make up over 27% of the global workforce and wield a combined spending power of $450 billion USD (Snapchat). According to Archrival, they spend more time online than any other generation, with YouTube, TikTok and Instagram as their platforms of choice.
What makes Gen Z different?
Digital-first and mobile-first experiences
Image: Gen Z spend 7x more time browsing on phones than desktops.
For Gen Z, a brand’s first impression is almost always digital – so make it a good one. A brand’s presence in the digital space is hugely influential for this reason.
The brand experience needs to be relevant, engaging and easy at all touchpoints, whether users are swiping through content, browsing products or seeking customer support.
Brands should also prioritise mobile UX for this audience. Gen Z browse on mobiles mostly – a recent Statista report documented their daily time spent connected via mobile as seven times the amount on desktop.
What brands should do:
- Plan a strong digital marketing strategy that hits multiple touchpoints (we can help with that)
- Create short-form video content that prioritises entertainment
- Design websites with a mobile-first approach to UX and UI
Personality over perfection
For Gen Z, content needs to entertain. Overpolished, corporate content that doesn’t factor in entertainment feels out of touch and will most likely face the dreaded swipe. Brands should approach content creation with an entertainment-first point of view.
This is where influencer content comes in. Influencers have built their platforms by providing entertainment to viewers. Plus, association with their personality deepens a brand’s own identity.
Influencers’ voices hold weight, with 58% of Gen Z having made a purchase based on an influencer’s recommendation (Survey Monkey).
When it comes to brand voice, be careful not to fall into ‘Your Cool Friend™’ trap. Strategist Joe Burns coined the term to refer to ‘that quirky, irreverent, overly online, tone of voice’ that many brands are adopting to sound approachable.
The trend is homogenising brand voices and, in the effort, to sound approachable, brands are sounding disingenuous.
What brands should do:
- Swap polished content for lo-fi styles such as user-generated content (UGC)
- Use influencers in your marketing approach
- Don’t lose your distinct brand voice in the effort to sound approachable
The personal is political
Image: Pepsi’s 2017 campaign with Kendall Jenner has become an infamous example of getting this wrong by trivialising Black Lives Matter.
Gen Z’s relationship with brands is more than solely transactional. They connect with a brand’s digital personality, and this personality needs to align with their sociopolitical beliefs.
Personal purchase decisions can show political allegiance, and, in the inverse, boycotting brands is a form of protest.
From climate action to inclusivity, Gen Z expect brands to take a stance and follow through. According to Harvard Business Review, when Gen Z believe a brand cares about its impact, they’re 27% more likely to buy.
But it needs to be authentic – steer clear of performative activism. Pepsi’s infamous campaign with Kendall Jenner was a disaster for this very reason.
What brands should do:
- Do better for people and the planet and then talk about it, not the other way around.
- Be honest about sustainability – show real impact, not vague claims.
Easy e-commerce is an expectation
Image: TikTok Shop’s discovery-based shopping model is big with Gen Z.
When it comes to e-commerce, Gen Z has no patience for complicated checkouts or slow customer service. They’re used to one-click purchases, same-day delivery, and seamless user experiences.
What brands should do:
- Offer frictionless checkout. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and BNPL (buy now, pay later) options.
- Integrate social commerce like TikTok Shop if it aligns with your brand positioning.
- Make customer support instant and AI-powered (live chat, DMs, and automated help).
Top tips for marketing to Gen Z
- Be digital-first and mobile-first. Meet them where they are on social media, mobile, and interactive platforms.
- Be real. Drop the corporate jargon and embrace a personality that’s true to your brand identity.
- Embrace video content. Short-form video (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts) is Gen Z’s preferred content format.
- Prioritise speed and convenience. Seamless experiences, from browsing to checkout, are essential.
- Take a stand but mean it. Purpose-driven marketing only works when it’s backed by real action.
Brands that adapt will be the ones to thrive now and in the future, as Gen Z become the parental influencers of Generation Beta.
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Want to ensure your brand resonates with Gen Z? We can help.
Partnering with some of the biggest brands in the world, we craft bold ideas and amplify them intelligently across PR, influencer marketing, social media, and performance marketing to drive tangible brand impact. It’s all in our Creativity. Multiplied. philosophy.
About the author
Natalie Clement | Digital
Marketing Executive
With international experience as a digital marketer, writer, and editor, Natalie has worked across sectors including lifestyle, technology, and tourism.
