How Brands and Publishers are Reaching and Engaging Gen Z
Brands and publishers alike have catered to the habits of Millennials for some time, but the next influential generation, Gen Z, is now shifting into the limelight.
Researchers say this generation of digital natives is comprised of those born from the mid 1990s to the mid 2000s.1 Currently, Gen Z makes up a quarter of the population, and by 2020, will account for 40 percent of all consumers.2
Accordingly, as Gen Zers begin to reach young adulthood, join the workforce and gain more purchasing power, digital publishers, advertisers and brands are shifting their focus. Here’s what they’re taking note of.
Reaching Gen Z
Technology is ubiquitous in this generation. As digital natives, Gen Zers are constantly consuming media through their personal devices, and spend significant time engaged with social media apps.
In fact, about half of Gen Zers are connected online about 10 hours a day.3
When targeting Gen Z, digital publishers are paying attention to which social platforms they are flocking to the most.
According to a study conducted by digital agency Deep Focus, 29 percent of Gen Zers think that Facebook isn’t “cool” anymore. Instead, they have a preference for “creative” platforms. Over 56 percent regularly use messaging apps such as Snapchat.4
Recently, Teen Vogue launched Woke Letter, a weekly news and politics newsletter directed towards the interests of Gen Z.5
Since launch, the biggest influx of its subscriber growth has come from Instagram Stories. What’s more, Teen Vogue’s Instagram content is up 93 percent year over year – reaching a high of over 3.5 million engagements in June.6
Similarly, another Gen Z female-focused publisher, Obsessee, has also turned to social media to reach its desired audience.
Interestingly, Obsessee doesn’t have a website; instead, all of their content exists on social media platforms – 10 to be exact.
“When we launched, we wanted to create content for where people were already consuming it,” said Alex Taylor, president of digital at Obsessee’s parent company, Clique Media Group.7
“Instead of using social media to achieve mass scale, or as an instant growth play, we get to evolve and grow where our Gen Z girl goes,” Taylor continued.8
For Gen Z, media consumption is not just entertainment, it is a lifestyle, and their personal devices are viewed as extensions of themselves.
“What we know about them is that they were born with phones in their hands… If you want to get personal with them, you’re going to have to reach them through their personal devices,” said Matt Rosenberg, svp of marketing at 140 Proof.9
Advertising to Gen Z
In addition to learning about where Gen Z is consuming content, many brands want to know how they can successfully market to this digitally obsessed generation.
In Obsessee’s case, collaborations with brands are native to both the publication and the channel, and blend seamlessly into social feeds.10
What’s more, research conducted by Kantar Millward Brown suggests that Gen Z prefers innovative advertising formats like native ads and branded content over other digital advertisements like banner and display ads.11
Gen Z also appreciates when advertisers respect their digital space, responding positively towards mobile rewards video and skippable pre-rolls – which achieved a net positive score of 41 percent and 15 percent, respectively, in the study.12
In contrast, non-skippable pre-rolls and pop-ups are the most negatively received ad formats among Gen Z – likely because of screen clutter.13
Overall, Gen Zers expect advertising experiences to be both experiential and rewarding; they are not wooed or easily impressed by extravagant or intrusive advertising campaigns.
“I think publishers have to figure out how to get media into the experiences Gen Z has, and not in a way that is an interruption, but in a way that becomes a valuable part of the experience itself,” reaffirms Jerry Rackley, chief analyst with Demand Metric.14
Indeed, Gen Z is prompting a real shift in how digital publishers and advertisers alike think about, create and serve content.
1. Liffreing, Ilyse. “Move over, millennials: Gen Z agencies are on the rise.” Digiday, 10 Aug. 2017. Accessed 22 Aug. 2017.
2. Rampton, John. “7 Ways Marketers Can Reach Gen Z.” Entrepreneur, 10 Mar. 2017. Accessed 21 Aug. 2017.
3. Granados, Nelson. “Gen Z Media Consumption: It’s A Lifestyle, Not Just Entertainment.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 22 June 2017.
4. Dua, Tanya. “Four things brands need to know about Gen Z.” Digiday, 9 Apr. 2015. Accessed 22 Aug. 2017.
5. Willens, Max. “How Instagram Stories became the growth engine for Teen Vogue’s Woke Letter.” Digiday, 14 Aug. 2017. Accessed 23 Aug. 2017.
6. IBID
7. Main, Sami. “This Gen Z-Focused Publisher Only Uses Social Platforms (10 of Them) and Doesn’t Even Have a Website.” Adweek, Adweek, 5 June 2017. Accessed 22 Aug. 2017.
8. IBID
9. Dua, Tanya. “Four things brands need to know about Gen Z.” Digiday, 9 Apr. 2015. Accessed 22 Aug. 2017.
10. Main, Sami. “This Gen Z-Focused Publisher Only Uses Social Platforms (10 of Them) and Doesn’t Even Have a Website.” Adweek, Adweek, 5 June 2017. Accessed 22 Aug. 2017.
11. “Brands Get Ready – Gen Z Are Growing Up and Ready to Challenge Says Kantar Millward Brown.” Millward Brown. Accessed 22 Aug. 2017.
12. IBID
13. Tode, David Kirkpatrick and Chantal. “Study: Digital ads are least preferred by Gen Z.” Marketing Dive, 11 Apr. 2017. Accessed 22 Aug. 2017.
14. Martin, Erik J. “Gen Z is Not into Your Digital Ads: Here’s What to Do About It.” EContent Magazine, 19 May 2017. Accessed 22 Aug. 2017.