ThinkWithWitt

? This Week in The Gen Z Frequency ? Engaging youth and creator culture is about more than likes and shares—it’s about creating meaningful connections, both online and offline. Here's what's making waves this week: ? ?? Featured: Gen Alpha x Social Media x Authentic Experiences: Social media and youth is a complex set of issues. How leading brands create empowering experiences that resonate in both the digital and real worlds. What Youth Marketers Can Learn from Carhartt WIP (Work In Progress) WIP: Anti-brand brilliance! Carhartt WIP builds cultural connections with authenticity, music, and skateboarding instead of flashy campaigns. What’s Inside?: #ActionSports:?100 Kids Skate with Foundation, Skaters Inspire Youth Nationwide. #YouthEmpowerment:?Grant Proposal: Sports for Growth, Mastercard Gamer Academy Returns in 2025. #PopCulture:?Gen Z Boosts Old Digital Camera Value, American Pop Culture Shapes Global Games. #Generational:?Brainrot Memes: Gen Alpha’s Learning Hack? Gen Z Finds Brands by Scrolling. #CreatorEconomy:?YouTube's ‘Hype’ Feature Boosts Creators, Monetizing Gen Z’s Online Habits. #SocialImpact:?Study: Digital Media’s Effect on Youth, Fast-Fashion Brands Face Backlash. #Social:?Is Your Business Ready for 5 Media Shifts? Gen Z’s Social Shift Brings a Silver Lining.And Much More! ?Ready to connect, inspire, and create real impact in the youth market?Subscribe to The Gen Z Frequency today! ?#genz #youthmarketing

Niche culture strategy and community building—a topic close to my heart and vital for any youth or lifestyle-driven brand/organization. Here's a quick read with some valuable reminders and my insights on key points discussed, as well as some additional perspectives. Teens and young adults of Gen Z challenge brands to blend mass and niche marketing creatively. Forget the one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, cultivate deep, passionate communities that resonate with their need for authenticity and connection. Think Complex NTWRK, Vans, Fenty Beauty, and #MSCHF—experts at engaging diverse niches while maintaining broad appeal. What makes it work so effectively? The thoughtful interconnection of niche segments leveraged to impact ROI. Action 1) Identify several niche segments that resonate with your product category and brand. Dive deep into their unique preferences and values. Evaluate Compatibility Action 2) Assess how well each niche aligns with your brand identity. Look for shared values and interests that enhance your brand’s appeal. Combine for Broader Impact Action 3) Target multiple niche segments strategically to expand your audience reach without resorting to broad, unfocused strategies. Insider Tip: Leveraging the niche-to-reach-larger audiences approach can be challenging. Sometimes, for utility or commodity products, less niche is enough. Yet, embracing diverse niches often strengthens brand power, offering a distinct competitive advantage in the marketplace. ___ Helpful? Repost it to your network & follow Gregg L. Witt ?? for more. Need to improve youth and creator marketing ROI while minimizing risk? Let’s talk! #Genz #Youthculture #AlphaGen

Ever wonder why some new brands fail to connect with Gen Z on social media? ?? Dive into Edition 61 of The Gen Z Frequency, where we break down 5 social media growth missteps to avoid when launching a Gen Z-focused brand. Understanding these pitfalls can make or break your brand's success. This week, we’re tackling: ?? Zero VidCon coverage, because Jim Louderback has you covered ?? ?? Creative Solutions: Thinking Beyond Social Media Warning Labels ?? Pinterest’s New Feature: How video is aimed at attracting more teens and YA's. ?? Snapchat's Innovations: New tools to protect teens from sextortion. ?? Social Media Self-Audit: Essential steps for brands eyeing the Gen Z market. ?? And more weekly youth market and creator economy highlights Plus, learn why: “Instagram chatbots can be handy for getting stuff done fast, like solving order issues, finding info, or pointing out cool things to buy. When brands like Benefit or Nike use them, it’s…” (Full quote inside). ?? Ashley M., age 17 | Youthvine Field Operative __ Subscribe now for your weekly dose of youth and creator marketing perspectives tailored for brands targeting the next generation. Need to effectively reach and engage young people? Let’s talk! #GenZFrequency #Newsletter #SocialMedia #GenZ #YouthMarketing #BrandGrowth

Ever wonder how digital talent, such as social media stars, especially fake or AI-generated influencers or creators, will impact your business? ?? Dive into the new realm of AI-generated “influencers”, where mastering character design and development isn't just an art—it's a core skill for the future of youth and creator social marketing. In today's reality, leveraging both digital and human talent is what we are all up against. Here's what's inside: ??Explore the 5 aspects of game character design to master for the next era of social influencer marketing. ?? Generational Insights: Learn why the founder of a Gen Alpha-centric deo brand avoids genderless positioning, and how Gen Z's shift to Reddit for product searches impacts SEO strategies. ???? Audio Loyalty Reshaped: Discover how Millennials and Gen Z are transforming podcast consumption, solidifying its role in niche audience engagement. ?? Banking on Gen Z: Understand why bank executives see Gen Z engagement as pivotal for future success, despite uncertainties in traditional metrics. ?? Creator Economy: Explore the $250 billion #creatoreconomy and its evolving impact on influencer marketing authenticity. ?? Social Trends: Stay updated on Pinterest's appeal to #GenZ, TikTok Shop's competition with Instagram, and Discord's brand refresh to attract brands and marketers. And more! __ Subscribe now for your weekly dose of youth and creator marketing perspectives tailored for brands targeting the next generation. Need to effectively reach and engage young people? Let’s talk! #aiinfluencers #aigenerated #marketingstrategy #youthmarketing #influencermarketing?

Tired of the same old daily generational data dump? ??? From unactionable Gen Z traits and trends to forecasts about Gen Alpha as they grow into teens... Let’s get real with a few, actionable steps to dominate the youth and cross-generational conversation from my recent workshop with an established QSR seeking to strengthen its market position. 5 Proven ways to win your share of the youth culture conversation (pt. 1 of 2) ?? Start and own the conversation. Be the leader in your industry. Set the tone and be a thought leader. Build a community around your brand that people want to engage with. ?? Focus on building niche culture vertical audiences. Instead of appealing to everyone, create vertical communities around passion points that align with your brand. This helps establish a strong brand identity and a targeted, engaged audience. Look at brands below for inspiration. ?? Build a cohesive brand across verticals. Develop a consistent brand presence across multiple verticals. This creates a premium environment and boosts revenue potential through product sales, user acquisition, and sponsored content. ?? Don't just tell a story, build a reality. Go beyond storytelling. Create a reality that captivates your audience. Identify what resonates with them and build upon those themes to create engaging narratives and product concepts. ?? Be guided by data and driven by culture. Use data to guide your strategy but let creativity and culture drive it. This combination helps you create brands and experiences that resonate deeply with your audience. Homework: spend time researching -> Complex NTWRK (media/publishing), Yellowbrick (education), Fud, Inc. (side hustle know-how), Welcome Skateboards (skateboard brand), DRINK WEIRD (beverage), Billionaire Boys Club & Ice Cream LLC (streetwear), STAAR Surgical (implantable eye lenses) yes this surgical company has even taken steps to "get it!" Stay tuned for part two next week where we'll dive in deeper and add more tactics to the directional strategies. ___ Helpful? Repost it to your network & follow Gregg L. Witt ?? for more. Need to improve youth and creator marketing ROI while minimizing risk? Let’s talk! #GenZ #AlphaGen #YouthCulture #Marketing

Want to fine-tune how you direct youth-relevant creator content? Here are 10 proven creator prompts to act as thought starters: Start by outlining your concept before the cameras start rolling. Your vision is our joint victory. ?? Don't be afraid to let loose a bit of controlled chaos. A dash of unhinged weirdness could be just what we need to stand out. ?? In a world saturated with high-tech gloss, embrace the lo-fi charm. It's refreshing. Our brand colors? Yes, we've got them. Use them, but subtly. We're not making a blatant ad here. Music choice is key. Decide upfront—will you rock the ready-made social tunes or compose your own? ?? Keep your content raw and genuine. Remember, authenticity doesn't mean low quality. Invite your audience to join the journey. Make them co-stars in a narrative that's seamlessly centered around you and our brand. Strive for the perfect balance between polished and authentic. Imperfections don't ruin the show, they make it real. If something feels disingenuous, don't be afraid to flip the script. Improvise, but let our script be your guide. And finally, don't forget to capture the mess before the masterpiece. Behind-the-scenes content is gold. ?? These prompts have proven to guide youth-relevant creator collaborations with leading brands like The Walt Disney Company, McDonald's, AlEn USA, Thorn, Midnight Science Club, and more. Snatch 'em, use 'em to inspire yours, and add more to the list! ___ Helpful??Repost it to your network & follow Gregg L. Witt?? Witt for more. Interested in Youth and Creator Marketing? Let’s talk! #CreatorEconomy #InfluencerMarketing #YouthCulture #GenZ