While marketers had their eye on Millennials as their prize, another generation slipped into the picture unnoticed – Gen Z. While still young, this market promises to be even more influential than both Millennials and the Boomers. Not just because it’s larger, but because reaching them will be even more confounding than either of those previous generations.
While they are still young (ages 9-22 in 2019), Gen Zers are already exercising an outsized presence as influencers. Think of the Parkland Florida teens who organized the March for Our Lives, an anti-gun-violence event in Washington, DC, or the 16-year-old environmentalist Greta Thunberg who scolded the world during a scathing speech at U.N. These kids are young; they’re mad at what the rest of us haven’t been able to change and they’re armed with some of the most sophisticated communications tools the world has ever seen.
This group of 74 million consumers uses their smartphones more than any other device; consumes less TV content than their predecessors and are savvy enough on social that 41 percent of them have used ad-blocking software in the past 12 months. Marketers who want to reach them are going to have to listen carefully to them and then get creative if they want to capture their attention.
And that’s why we created The Generational Guru team. This group of Gen Zers will be sharing their loves and hates with marketers to give you guidance on reaching their peers and making them into raving fans. They are putting their considerable talents into digging into the latest research and trends among Gen Zers. Then, they’ll be telling you how that information can affect your marketing plans.
In the coming months, they will tackle such questions as:
- Who are these folks?
- What do they want?
- How are they different than the Millennials?
- Should you target this group?
- If so, how should you adjust your tactics?
- What key messages will move them to action?
Watch for the first post next week: “An Open Letter to Marketers” from Generational Guru team leader Rebecca Durante. The week after, you’ll hear from team member Pamela Laguardia on the impact of Gen Zer’s social activism.
And, if you have a question for the Generational Guru team, send it along by clicking here. This generation may be elusive to marketers, but we know where to find them and they WILL answer your questions!
