When members of Generation Z began to enter the workforce and early adulthood in 2022, advertisers shifted their emphasis to this new demographic, replacing some of their previous efforts to target millennials.
The cultural impact of the Millennial Generation
Generation Z has had a significant impact on the development of several internet subcultures, including memes and modes of online communication. They are always shifting and may significantly affect the prevailing mood of any particular era.
Additionally, Hannah Hickman, the head of youth practises at Sparks & Honey, discussed Generation Z’s shift from influencer to creator, or the shift from the gig economy to the passion economy, given that this generation seeks to forge their own identities as creators and entrepreneurs independent of traditional business structures. According to Hickman, “Gen Z are approaching what they want to achieve out of being an influencer or a creator a little bit differently,” and companies will need to adjust to this.
Use patterns of Generation Z
Similarly in 2022, the younger generation has changed from using Instagram as a platform for content publication to using TikTok. Rather than passively consuming content on social media, the millennial generation is actively seeking to contribute to it by, for example, mimicking viral dance routines. Users don’t only want to watch the tale, they want to take part in it.
Competition among businesses aiming to reach Generation Z on TikTok has heated up as the platform has been more widely used.
Yet, TikTok hasn’t managed to surpass Instagram just yet. Media publisher The Soul Publishing’s senior director of content partnerships Michael Boccacino predicts that the Meta platform will be popular in the year 2023. Nevertheless, as TikTok develops, users will find new ways to put it to use.
According to Boccacino, “TikTok shifted the utility of social media away from ‘finding things you already like’ to discoverability and Gen Z is more interested in finding new trends and opportunities, or learning things it doesn’t already know.” The company also works hard to ensure that its content is motivational, humorous, and easily applicable to its users’ lives. They tune in because they can identify with the stories being told and because they believe the stories they’re seeing will have some bearing on their own life.
Generation Z is known for its commitment to individuality and originality, a trend that is only expected to grow as members of this generation continue to act in accordance with their core beliefs.
According to Wendy Mei, the head of product and strategy at Playsee, a map-based social networking app, “Gen Z’s emphasis of sustainability and authenticity will continue to drive local centred trends” in 2022.
According to Hickman, the key to helping Generation Z in their quest for authenticity is to learn about their values, identities, and worldviews. When investing in marketing through Gen Z influencers, businesses should determine the level of authenticity they will be fostering.
Brands that are “very clear on what authenticity means to them and how they want to show up genuinely” have proven to be the most successful, according to Hickman. The author continues, “And we’ve seen a lot of companies fumble when they attempt to do too much or one that seems like they don’t have that clarity on and there’s no one perfect answer, but you have to commit to a certain form of authenticity.”