How brands can market themselves to Gen Z through authenticity and real people
Born between 1995 and 2012, the youngest members of Gen Z are only just turning 8 while their older counterparts are nearly 25.
And, while they may still be young, Gen Z are already overtaking Millennials in their influence.
One of the biggest differences is the way that they engage with marketing content. While airbrushed and aspirational may have once readily been accepted by Millennials, research shows that Gen Z are actively turning their backs on the unobtainable in favour of more authentic, real content.
So how can brands take a more authentic marketing route and build a better rapport with Gen Z? Let’s take a look at a few essential trends and ideas.
Create content that matters
Recent Future Labs research shows that Gen Z are more engaged with brands that align with their values on improving society, the environment, race, culture and gender diversity. According to a study done by 3BL Media and an article published by Forbes, 90% of Gen Z-ers would buy products from a company that is authentically addressing social and/or environmental issues, and 94% of them believe that companies have a responsibility to address critical issues.
Gen Z also seeks to learn as well as be entertained so brands should talk about timely topics through valuable, rich content. Fair pay and working conditions for garment workers, sustainability, and the safe reopening of stores during the Covid-19 pandemic are all issues that Gen Z are particularly concerned about right now and expect their opinions and questions to be addressed by the brands they shop with.
Place safety above profit
The impact of COVID-19 has left many Gen Z-ers feeling isolated and worried about their future, so it’s little surprise that they haven’t reacted well to influencers and brands shown to be profiteering or promoting unobtainable lifestyles and wealth hoarding during the crisis.
Vogue Business also reports that in a survey undertaken by DoSomething in mid-March, 75% of Gen Z respondents said the number one action they wanted to see from brands was the assurance of employee and consumer safety, while 73% said they want brands to protect their employees financially. Informative articles, behind-the-scenes videos and interviews with team members on Instagram, Facebook and youTube are a great way of showing the real faces behind a brand as well as instilling greater trust in business practices during Covid-19.
Represent more realistic beauty standards
According to Unidays, 63% of Gen Z customers in the UK prefer to see real people in advertising whereas only 37% of Millennials feel the same. The latest Future Labs report also revealed that airbrushing and colour correcting are no longer cool. In fact, Gen Z are now embracing a new kind of ugly aesthetic, which they perceive as more authentic and representative. For example, freckles have become such a celebrated beauty trend rather than a flaw. Many fashion brands are also choosing to feature models of all shapes and sizes in their marketing campaigns rather than the rake-thin body type that has traditionally been used to sell clothes to women.
Partner with authentic influencers
This change in attitude is being most successfully applied by brands who are partnering with micro-influencers and real people. Micro-influencers are defined as those with a following of 1,000 to 100,000 and typically have very engaged and loyal followers.
Brands should therefore seek to create meaningful partnerships with micro-influencers that are celebrated for their authenticity and honesty. It’s also important to check that they have a good track record of displaying empathy and sensitivity in their own posts and the ways they have previously partnered with brands. When brands get these partnerships right, they can reach their followers in a whole new way and create lasting and deeper relationships.
To read more about Gen Z, check out the other articles in our Retailer Blog.
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