Fast Company’s

statistics predict that by 2020, this new generation will account for 40% of

all consumers. They already make up a quarter of the US population. Globally,

Generation Z numbers to approximately 2.52 billion -- larger than Generation Y

and X which number up to 1.72 and 1.44 billion respectively.

While Millennials are known for

easily adapting to the latest technology being pushed out constantly in the

market, Generation Z is born into the digital world. They are digital natives,

so to say.

How many of the old generation had

phones shoved into their hands while they were in elementary school? This new

generation has had a smartphone between their fingers before some of them were

even old enough to

go to school. Theirs is a mobile generation.

For this reason, Gen Z is known to

use many social media sites simultaneously, as opposed to Millennials who

bounce from one to the other at certain times.

It’s time to take them more

seriously too, especially teenagers. They aren’t just their parent’s

dependents. Their spending power amounts to $200 billion. And furthermore, 9.7%

of adults say that their children influence 100% of what they buy.

Millennials are known for their

short attention spans. Gen Zers’ are even shorter. With an eight-second filter

hardwired into their complex brains, how will you reach this new breed of

consumers?

Tell them a story

Traditional marketing won’t hold

much sway over this new generation’s attention. Much like the Millennials in

this matter, Generation Z is quite notorious for ad blocking. They don’t have the

patience to sit through a minute-long ad; they skip it at every available

chance.

The moment Gen Z’s anti-ad radar

picks up on a sales pitch from their favorite platform, they opt for muting it

out. Rather than having the usual promotional tactic, do a

non-promotional approach.

Engage this new audience in

storytelling that will tug at their heartstrings, or evoke action from them.

Back in July 2017, Converse launched

a back-to-school video campaign that was aimed at teenagers and kids. The video

was called “First Day Feels,” starring Millie Bobby Brown. Or perhaps you’d

know her better as

Eleven from the

Netflix hit,

Stranger Things. Combining

several GIFS to capture the emotion of every student during their first day,

Converse’s campaign was nothing short of #relatable to its target audience.

Relying solely on traditional

marketing ads will put your brand at an evident disadvantage. Find out what

your new audience cares about, and build your campaign around it.

Support what they love

Generation Z is more inclusive than

any other generation because they came of age in a diverse society. They grew

up recognizing that people of all races and genders are different, and each one

should be accepted as they are.

A study conducted by Fuse Marketing revealed interesting

statistics about Generation Z’s behavior and reaction towards social

responsibility. 85% of Gen Z believes that brands have an obligation to help

solve social problems. And after learning that a brand supports a social cause,

• 85% of Gen Z is more likely to trust the brand more
• 84% would purchase the company’s products

• 82% would recommend the brand to their friends or family members.

Eliminating gender stereotypes is

one humanitarian concern that many Gen Zers are passionate about. Axe’s

#PraiseUp Campaign was all for defying the stereotype that men rarely ever show

emotion. This, in turn, means that men have a hard time complimenting and

praising other men.

Axe challenged its audience of men

and boys to eradicate this stereotypical belief by posting their praises on

social media. To up the ante, the famous body-spray brand hired sports icons

Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors and Marcus Stroman of the Toronto Blue Jays

to set the example and kick-start the campaign.

When you find a way to give your

audience an interesting challenge that will raise a good cause, your brand will

harvest the advantages of a well thought-out strategy.

Meet them where they live

Generation Z’s eight-second filter

is what attracts them to Snapchat. And their tendency to prefer video content

over text is what makes YouTube appealing.

They watch twice as many videos on

their mobile devices, and 70% of them watch an average of 2 hours of YouTube

videos per day.

A study conducted by Mobile Marketer reports that this

generation is on Snapchat 11 times per day.

• 71% said they turn to Snapchat six or more times a day
• 78% revealed they use Snapchat daily.

Queries posed to Gen Zers revealed

that 88% use Instagram and Snapchat often, versus 81% for Facebook and 66.6%

for Twitter.

This attraction to video-sharing

sites also mean that Generation Z is more affected by their peer influencers

rather than traditional celebrities. 70% of teenage subscribers say they relate

to YouTube creators more than Hollywood celebrities. And influencers nowadays

are known for having millions of followers across social media platforms -- a

trait rivaling traditional celebrities.

The Takeaway

Generation Z is still an untapped

market, but the attention is gradually beginning to shift towards this new

generation of consumers. A new set of traits and characteristics come with this

new generation, and companies are left with no other choice than to adapt or be

left behind in the dust.

Don’t approach them in the same

manner in which you have approached Millennials. They are a different

generation all together.