How to market to Gen Z

Gen Z is the next generation of consumers and they are very different from the last. This quick guide to your future customers will show you how to start preparing now.

Have you heard about Gen Y or Millennials? Unless you’ve had your head under a rock for the last decade or so I’m willing to bet you’re familiar with the tech savvy, socially motivated and lifestyle aware characteristics of this generation of consumers.

You’ve probably spent some time working out how to market to Gen Y, but don’t get too comfortable because Gen Z are nipping on their heels and early reports suggest that the next generation of consumers are going to be very different to the last.

If you want to get ahead of the marketing game now’s the time to start thinking about how you can pitch your products and services to appeal to this up and coming young generation of buyers.

So who exactly is Gen Z?

Born between 1996 and 2010, Gen Z are the ones who are starting to come of age right now. They are the kids and teenagers of today and unlike previous generations they have never known a world without the Internet.

"You’ve probably spent some time working out how to market to Gen Y, but don’t get too comfortable because Gen Z are nipping on their heels."

They may be just entering the workforce now but, by 2020, it’s anticipated that Gen Z will make up 40% of all consumers in the US and a similar percentage here in Australia. That’s almost half your future customer base.

What are the main characteristics of Gen Z?

Just like Millennials were different from Gen X, Gen Z are very unlike their predecessors. They are more comfortable with technology, and used to streaming and subscribing as a way to access services. Many of them are not keen on traditional advertising and find it disruptive when they are consuming content. They are:

Money motivated: Gen Z appears to be more motivated by money than their predecessors who rank work/life balance higher than salary. Price is a factor for Gen Z when they are choosing products and services, and in employment, they are more likely to be motivated by the size of their paycheque. They don’t consider themselves big spenders in comparison to Millennials and are more trusting of big banks than previous generations have been.

Appearance conscious: Image is also important to Gen Z and they are likely to choose products based on aesthetics over other qualities. Gen Z also seeks comfort and luxury in their services, choosing more traditional hotels over the Millennial favoured Airbnb type accommodation when on holiday.

Social media savvy: Gen Z lives in a world where borders between countries matter less than they ever have before. They are also more likely to want to live their lives privately and avoid public social media platforms than the previous generation. Getting in touch with Gen Z requires Snapchat over Facebook and they value trusted influencers more than random brand spokespeople or social media managers.

Similarities between Gen Z and Gen Y

In spite of their differences, there are some similarities between Gen Z and Gen Y. One of the main ones is the desire for positive social change. Like the previous generation, Gen Z wants to have a positive impact on the world, and they want to work with brands that do measurable social good. Like Gen Y, interactivity and user-generated content are great ways to engage Gen Z and they love virtual reality.

They might be young, but Gen Z are here and if you can get in early and engage this up and coming demographic, you can set yourself up well for the future.

Have you given much thought to Gen Z when it comes to marketing?

https://www.flyingsolo.com.au/marketing/market-to-gen-z

Jo Macdermott is a well known thought leader when it comes to all things Marketing. Jo is the Founder of Next Marketing, a well established Marketing Agency based in Melbourne. Jo is looking to connect with Marketing Managers, Entrepreneurs (in funded start ups) and Small and Medium Sized Businesses (with a marketing budget). Need some marketing help? With a commercial bent? Get in touch with Jo here