5 Ways to Meet Gen Z Consumers Where They Are

Generational marketing isn’t easy. Getting it right requires expert knowledge, consistent monitoring of trends and a willingness to make unexpected pivots. With five generations of consumers now in the marketplace, and with Gen Z on track to become the largest cohort of consumers in the near future—performance marketers must sharpen their pencils now or risk getting left behind the generational marketing curve. That’s because each generation has its own set of beliefs, preferences and shared experiences, all of which influence the way they think and act. These factors also impact how they buy, interact with brands and consume products and services. Attitudes and habits for Gen Z specifically are different and influenced by social impact. Whether they’re watching videos or BuzzFeed reviews to see the latest tech gadgets, looking for recipes online that they can make at home or using interactive technology to color their own hair, younger consumers expect a similar experience online and offline. Where to watch In late 2021, YPulse surveyed about 1,200 weekly social media users aged 13-24 in the U.S. and produced the 2022 Instagram Trend Report. “We tapped into the minds of Gen Z to learn more about the rising Instagram trends across categories including music, fashion, creators, beauty, social justice and so much more," YPulse states. Here are five top trends that all performance marketers should consider when developing campaigns and strategies that meet younger consumers where they are: PJs are being replaced with “real” clothing again as consumers get back out into the world. After spending two years in athleisure, young people are making bold moves with their style choices, using fashion as a vehicle for joy, optimism and self-expression, YPulse reports. “Expect to see alt-fashion (think Goth, Dark Academic, Goblincore, etc.) reach its peak as people spend more time together.” Natural beauty is in. YPulse’s survey found that 33% of young people are interested in learning more about and buying “clean” makeup and skincare in 2022. This includes plant-based skincare, vegan makeup, using less products on their skin in general (i.e., skin minimalism) or more manufactured from “clean” ingredients. Games are the new malls. Quarantine fueled a boom in video games, and this isn’t slowing down anytime soon. “More young people are spending more time inside playing games, especially in those that also double as social spaces,” reports YPulse, which says 40% of teens and young adults expect to see more video game trends in 2022, and that 3 in 10 expect to livestream others playing video games. Young consumers like the DIY approach. When quarantines kept them home, consumers across all generations learned to lean on themselves for services that they would otherwise outsource. Knowing this, companies like L’Oréal are coming up with new innovations that feed the DIY trend. At CES 2022, for example, it introduced Colorsonic, a brush-like concept that aims to make home hair coloring easier, and Coloright, an AI-connected system for salon stylists, which allows virtual try-ons and the creation of custom shades. Technology continues to proliferate. This is happening in response to customer demand for innovative products—and because vendors have the resources needed to bring their ideas to reality. It’s been nearly a decade since the original Oculus Rift was born. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets have been slowly improving since then, as evidenced at this year’s CES show. Some of the newer entrants include Sony’s PS VR2 headset, HTC’s Vive Wrist Tracker and Shiftall MeganeX’s ultra-lightweight headset. Performance marketers should keep these trends in mind as they plan their campaigns for the rest of the year and seek out new ways to reach Gen Z consumers where they are. Whether these young customers are gaming at home, buying natural makeup products, doing their own hair or testing out the latest gadgets, marketers should focus on establishing meaningful connections and trust with this valuable consumer group, which already boasts an estimated collective buying power of $150 billion. The Future of Commerce Is Already Here