How Brands are marketing to Gen Z and Millennials

To reach a Gen Z and Millennial generation, it pays to take time to understand them.

Here’s a few things to consider before targeting a younger demographic

  • Both Millennials and Gen Z are highly open about their mental health and societal struggles. Honesty is always the best policy with them. Reality isn’t sugar-coated and you shouldn’t pretend like it is.
  • They have been constantly inundated with bad news from every angle since they were children. Nihilistic jokes and surrealism are popular niches due to this.
  • Growing up with new technologies, such as social media in their day-to-day, has made both Millennials and Gen Z are incredibly savvy about advertising tactics.

How do you leverage this audience?

Be real with your imagery and product

Millennials are smart and will see through a campaign that isn’t genuine.

By all means, hire a photographer and take a good picture. However, don’t doctor things and show something you can’t live up to.

Talk about the struggle

Mental health, stagnant wages, and political turmoil. They’ve grown up with it and you should reflect the reality of today in your advertising.

If you have something to say on the world we live in today, share it.

Do something that benefits the world

You’re in a position of power, as a business, that can be used to influence the world at large in a positive way.

Don’t just talk about helping, show it by using your company to contribute to important causes such as homelessness or the environment.

Sticking to values and doing what you can to benefit those will help others to value you.