How To Successfully Market To The Tech-Savvy and Experience-Driven Gen Z Demographic by Understanding What They Want

While everyone was busy talking about how to market to millennials, the younger Generation Z developed completely different shopping habits. As Generation Z, which covers anyone who was born between 1995 to the mid-2000s and makes up 32% of the global population, gets older and becomes the target consumer audience, brands are starting to choose carefully when deciding how to market themselves to attract those ages 12 to 24. 

First and foremost, it is known that Gen Z is the most tech-friendly generation, but it is important to note that they are looking for an experience. The need for experience may be because they want interesting content to post on Snapchat, but it still creates a demand for brick-and-mortar locations. It was reported that  42% of Gen Z members surveyed prefer in-store shopping to online, while just 23% prefer only shopping online. The younger generation wants to spend their money on a story they can tell later and if a brand can find a way to make their store or service Instagram-able and relevant, Gen Z will show up.

The Gen Z familiarity with the online universe means they're keenly aware of deals and prices, so transparency is vital, and because they were born into a world where online opinions abound, seeking out ratings and reviews is part of their DNA. Nowadays, a good website or Yelp review can make or break a business—41% of Gen Zers read at least five online reviews before making a purchase.

In terms of social media, brands should prioritize humor, good music or a good story if they what to hold the attention of younger customers. Gen Zers view their phones as an extension of themselves and therefore don’t want them bombarded with non-personal ads. This is creating a much more personalized approach to social media marketing in the franchising industry and beyond. Whether it be Chipotle’s notoriously funny and sardonic Twitter, Jimmy John’s Snapchat Lens or Starbucks’ Unicorn Frappucino on Instagram, brands are fully embracing the Gen-Z-facing approach and the results speak for themselves. 

Don’t forget about video content. With 85% of teenagers actively using YouTube, video advertising has proven to be the perfect way to get Gen Z’s attention if the approach is right. A prime example is Chipotle’s #GuacDance TikTok challenge earlier this year, which generated 250,000 video submissions and 430 million videos—TikTok’s highest performing branded challenge ever. The hashtag brought results in the real world as well, with the chain’s avocado usage jumping 68%. The brand continued the success with a six-day #ChipotleLidFlip campaign, which ran in early May, generated 104 million video starts. 

If brands can tap into the interests and desires of the Gen Z audience and deliver the authentic content and marketing this generation craves, they have the opportunity to grow their audience with unprecedented speed and success.