Everyone seems to be talking about Millennials, including us. But don’t be surprised if brands begin to shift their attention to this generation’s younger sibling: Gen We. Also known as Generation Z, iGen, Zeds or Post-Millennials, Gen We refers to people born between the mid-90s to 2010. But don’t underestimate their youth.
Gen We has an annual spending power of $43 billion and they influence another $150 billion in purchases. There’s no doubt they play a huge role in consumer purchases. So if your brand hasn’t already started developing a strategy to market to this generation, it’s time to get started.
Whether you’re trying to win their brand loyalty or looking for ways to reach them during the holiday season, here are five things you need to know when marketing to Gen We:
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Gen We likes all things mobile.
This generation can do just about everything on their phones, and they’re making sure brands keep it that way. Gen We receives more than 3,000 text messages per month, favors social media apps that are mobile-only, loves online shopping, and watches more videos on their mobile devices than any other generation. If you’re brand is looking to reach this mobile generation, create a marketing strategy that’s mobile-friendly, including digital ads that appear on their devices, opt-in text messages and videos.
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Gen We prefers different social media platforms.
You won’t find Gen We on Facebook. Twenty-five percent of 12-17 year olds left Facebook in 2014 and joined social media apps that exclude posts from their embarrassing parents. As previously mentioned, this generation loves mobile-friendly (if not mobile-only) social media apps, with Snapchat ranking at the top, followed by YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Whisper. These social channels are their main form of communication, which allows them to see what their friends are doing at all times – a quick cure for their FOMO (fear of missing out). To reach this generation, don’t put your marketing dollars toward promoting Facebook ads. Find creative and visual ways to reach them on their favorite social media platforms instead.
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Gen We kids have short attention spans.
Want to catch this generation’s attention? You have approximately 8 seconds to win them over. Gen We consists of multitaskers, who split their attention across an average of five screens (TV, phone, laptop, desktop and tablet), they use emojis instead of words and they are in the habit of “liking” instead of taking the time to comment on posts. These habits reveal their ability to download information quickly and their preference in receiving a message in short forms. Unlike Millennials, who enjoy the build-up of a good story that emotionally connects; this generation requires a connection right away. Your ads need to have hooks and attention grabbers to really win them over.
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Gen We’s perspective on family, race and gender is nontraditional.
It’s a common thing for this generation to not only see, but also be a part of a family that consists of multiracial or same-sex marriages. In other words, they’ve witnessed the celebration of diversity and the deconstruction of traditional gender roles. To resonate with this target audience, your brand should find creative ways to implement diversity and stay away from gender marketing based on traditional stereotypes.
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Gen We wants to change the world.
They’re not completely different from their older siblings. Just like Millennials, Gen We is inspired to make a positive impact in the world they live in. Sixty percent want a career that can make a lasting impact, and although they’re young, Seventy-six percent worry about humanity’s impact on the planet. To win favor with Gen We, brands must do more than show what how their product or service can impact this audience. They have to show how they’re impacting the world, too.
There’s a lot that still needs to be discovered about this generation, but keeping these facts in mind can help your brand connect with Gen We. Do you have any insights on this audience? Let us know in the comments below.
