Up until now, it is safe to say that, when it comes to marketing, most brands have been focusing on appealing to Millennials and their needs, wants and expectations. The time has come for us all to turn our attention to the future and decide how we are going to go about marketing to Generation Z. Also, commonly referred to as the iGeneration, Gen Wii and Net Gen. This generation is made up of those born towards the end of the 90s, right up to the present. Below, we look at the characteristics of this generation as well as a few marketing techniques that businesses around the globe may want to start working on!
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Stand Out Characteristics of Gen Z
According to a recent study (source: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/Generation-Z), when compared to Millennials, or Generation Y, Gen Z is made up of people who:
- Are more racially diverse
- Are less willing to take bold risks
- Have been brought up in modern families (i.e. not necessarily with one mother and one father, but often by same-sex couples or single parents)
- Have a higher likelihood of becoming entrepreneurs
- Tend to be slightly more religious
- Spend a lot of time online
- Generally, rely on their smartphones more than on the TV for entertainment
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What Does This Mean?
Now that you understand what Generation Z is like and what the people born into that generation expect, here are some pointers for updating your company’s marketing strategy:
- The good news is that not much is going to change in terms of the demand for digital marketing. The only difference is that Generation Z will be expecting more from an experiential marketing They want to get even more involved with a brand and its story and are less likely to respond favourably to older digital marketing techniques with little imagination.
- Expanding one’s social media reach is also incredibly important – not just in terms of how much you spend on PPC advertising, but also in terms of the number of different platforms on which you are active! Gen Z is known for spending a large portion of their time on their smartphones. This time is often spent browsing social media channels like Snapchat, Facebook and everything in between. With this in mind, it may be time to diversify!
- Make a concerted effort to grab Gen Z’s attention immediately. With a concentration span often deemed to be less than that of a goldfish, it is important that brands make that extra effort to stand out regardless of the marketing medium that they are using.
By the end of 2020, Gen Z will account for 40% of the world’s consumers (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deep-patel/5-tips-for-marketing-to-g_b_11228510.html)! This statistic makes it crystal clear as to why there is a sudden rush to adjust and rework brand strategies and marketing approaches! If you would like assistance in this regard, you will require the services of a professional Activation Agency in South Africa like Tradeway! Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.