From Value to Values: The Gen Z Blueprint for Modern Marketing

The Process 
To uncover in-depth answers, we held interviews with a few Generation Z individuals, to understand their buying habits and brand preferences, as well as what companies can learn from these factors. We allowed them to answer without restriction, encouraging them to name any products, industries and brands of their choice. Although most people know that Gen Z is more digitally native than any generation before, there are further nuances that should be considered equally when advertising to them. Through the interviews, we were able to draw certain conclusions that will inform the way we guide our clients through the process of tailoring their advertising efforts targeted at Gen Z. Below we present our findings along with relevant recommendations for brands on how they can specifically alter their marketing efforts.  
 
The Findings 
Weather all condition and last long 
To begin with, across all interviews, subjects emphasised the importance of quality and durability to them. This helps us understand that brands should focus on clearly showing these characteristics in the way they advertise their products, for example through user-generated content (UGC), especially that which focuses on customer testimonials, in addition to influencer endorsements, and creative content created by the brand to showcase the product thriving under various conditions. 
 
Every Rupee Counts 
Value for money was another desire expressed by the interviewees. Considering Gen Z’s struggles with rising costs and staggering wages, brands should focus on the value for money their products provide. Examples of this in a marketing context can be offering student discounts, loyalty programs, regular sales and relevant advertising content. This can include playful, funny content related to budgets, showing transparent pricing strategies, and content showing the long-term cost-benefit ratio, while emphasising quality and durability as these also remain important to Gen Z. 
 
Ethics, Trust and Transparency 
As a generation that is accustomed to companies competing for their attention in digital spaces, they want brands that can not only do this successfully but that can also gain their trust. They want to be able to trust that the brands respect their ethos for social responsibility, which includes privacy of data and labour practices, and their purchasing habits reflect this ethos, as these concerns were especially reflected when talking about fashion and technology brands. Making labour practices and data usage clear in the brand’s marketing efforts is key: for example, with technology companies, data usage practices should be explained in depth and customers should always be given a choice when it comes to their data privacy. Similarly, fashion brands should be transparent when it comes to labour practices and ensure their audiences that their products come from a responsible production process.  
 
Sustainability: For the long run  
In the same vein, Gen Z also cares deeply about companies’ sustainability practices, as they are directly facing the consequences of climate change. They want brands to acknowledge their responsibilities when it comes to sustainability practices, and make these apparent in their advertising efforts. Specifics can include showing through their content their usage of eco-friendly materials and their sustainable production processes. They can also show their active community engagement and how they give back, directly show how customers are benefitting the environment by choosing that specific product or brand and show real results of the brands’ sustainable practices.  
 
Make It Quick and Make It Count  
As a generation with a lower attention span and numerous brands competing for their limited attention, they prefer products that simplify their complicated lives by being functional and convenient. Brands should thus emphasise ease of use, seamless integration into everyday life, multifunctionality and time and money saved, and simplification of everyday life tasks, through their content.  
 
All Things Social 
Similarly, as the most digitally native generation with purchasing power at the moment, social media is a critical medium required to reach this audience, and Instagram is one example of such a platform, we discovered through the interviews. The interviewees additionally also valued overall brand presence and word of mouth. This means, again, that brands can leverage tools such as influencer marketing and user-generated content. Community managers can play a key role here as they can moderate the online conversation around the brand. Further marketing methods can include ‘giveaways’ on social media, encouraging people to leave reviews and feedback on products via social media, thus efficiently facilitating peer recommendations and word-of-mouth advertising.  
 
Conditional Loyalty 
Due to the large variety of options at their disposal, Gen Z’s brand loyalty is not unconditional. If they find that a brand does not deliver what they need, or they disagree with its practices, they will switch brands. Brands need to engage Gen Z audiences positively, through some of the ideas mentioned before, such as loyalty programs (with tangible benefits for customers), explicitly displaying the practical benefits of their products via their content, and providing regular updates on new products and changes so that customers can stay connected to the brand. A community manager is key here again as they can decipher, from the online conversation around the brand, what can be done better in the future. Deep customer research and constantly updating products and services to keep up with trends and technology, can additionally help, and brands’ social media presences should reflect this.  
 
Choices And Customisation 
Gen Z embraces their individuality, and this is reflected in their desire for customisation. With a variety of options at their disposal, they want to be able to further personalise their products to reflect their individuality. Brands should therefore promote the variety of options they offer, the different uses of this array and their actively engaging customisation offers. They should also present tailored product recommendations for customers through their marketing channels, such as email marketing. They should also remain open to making relevant aesthetic changes or offers based on the conversation around the brand.  
 
 
Conclusion 
To conclude, brands should align themselves via their advertising efforts to Gen Z, by focusing on their values, such as value for money, the importance of quality, and ethical social practices. The need for transparency, the power of social media and the importance of convenience and functionality are all factors that should be considered when marketing to this generation. By understanding and catering to these requirements, brands can create a lasting impact on their Gen Z customers through their marketing efforts.