I was reading a great article the other day Gen Z and the Promo Products Industry by Christopher Ruvo with ASI who was discussing how we must rethink our marketing strategies to engage the new and upcoming generation, Gen Z. Here are my takeaways from this very informative article.

Move over, millennials….there’s a new generation in town! How do we define Gen Z, you ask? It’s the new up and coming generation of young people born in the years 1990-2000. They are digital natives with a ton of influence and buying power. They are 83 million strong and have $44 billion in buying power. The may not bring home the bacon but they are outspending millennials and have a huge influence over parental purchases.

Personalization a Must

This is a generation that has grown up on social media, had targeted web ads customized just for them, and they have been able to gain information online with just a few clicks. As Tiffany Price, VP of marketing at Top 40 distributor Boundless states, “This group will expect personalized experiences that speak to them and feel relevant.” Personal and emotional connects are a must with this generation. When promoting your brand or promotional products to this generation, it must be relevant, customized, cost-effective, have an emotional connection, and a quick turn time on production.

Paying it Forward

Issues that are very important to Gen Z is social justice, corporate responsibility, and protecting the environment. Brands that give back in meaningful ways carry a strong appeal to this generation. Marketers need to consistently convey their brands’ emphasis on these issues through social media, blogs, videos, and company websites. Gen Z wants to purchase and support companies that give back and make a positive contribution to the world while minimizing waste and human impact.

Communicating in the Digital World

Gen Zers grew up with the internet, smartphones and other digital devices from birth. They spend an average of 10 hours a day in front of screens browsing through social media and watching videos on their mobile devices. In order to reach them with your branding, you must meet them in their digisphere. They would rather text or email than to discuss anything over the phone. This generation sees videos as the best medium for communicating and learning so in order to reach them, you must utilize video and shape the content to the platforms Gen Zers are using. Your digital brand must offer valuable tailored content, be entertaining, and offer branded giveaways.

Unique Brand Experiences

To make your brand relevant, it’s important to weave products into unique brand experiences. The experiences need to be fun and interactive while providing Gen Z with a personalized and memorable experience. Videoing the experience and posting it on social media is a powerful and unique relationship between real-world experience, a branded product, and digital promotion.

As Gen Z increasingly shakes up the marketplace, we are going to have to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. It’s about going above and beyond with customized packaging, variable print, interactive-digital products, AI and VR kits, and products with a social purpose.

Facts & Stats

About half of Gen Z in the U.S. belongs to what’s traditionally been referred to as minority groups, making the generation the most ethnically diverse in American history. Takeaway: Emphasizing diversity and inclusion will be essential internally and in marketing/sales outreach.

8 Seconds – Average attention span of a Gen Zer. Takeaway: Your marketing content better grab their attention immediately or they’ll keep scrolling.

96% of 16- to 20-year-olds in North America own a smartphone, with 52% saying it’s their most important internet device. Takeaway: A mobile-focused marketing strategy will be essential to success.

4 in 10 Gen Z shoppers say they provide feedback often or very often. This includes giving their opinions on social channels, like Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat. Takeaway: Social listening strategies could help brands obtain valuable information about Gen Z. Also, it’s pivotal for brands to keep members of this generation happy, as they won’t be shy about publicly airing complaints if you fall short.

41% of Gen Zers have positive reactions to mobile ads that offer rewards. Takeaway: Sometimes those rewards can be promotional products. Sources: Census Data, Mediakix, GlobalWebIndex, Accenture, Hootsuite