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ATTENTION BRANDS: GEN Z IS MORE NUANCED THAN YOU THINK


Steven Denekas
Global SVP of Experience at DEPT®
Length
6 min read
Date
6 December 2023

In 2024, brands will need to continue their push to connect with the unique Gen
Z audience on the platforms they prefer—TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat—and make
sure they are taking into account just how nuanced and authentic this generation
is. 

To help inform marketers’ Gen Z strategies, we decided to go straight to the
source. We asked nearly 3,000 members of this one-of-a-kind generation how they
feel about their portrayal in the media, what it means to be labeled as the
generation that will “save the world,” how they approach interactions with
brands, and what their social media habits look like.

Here’s what we found.




PORTRAYAL IN THE MEDIA

Sixty-eight percent of people we surveyed feel they are very accurately or
somewhat accurately portrayed by the media. However, 52% feel the media portrays
them more negatively, while 28% feel their portrayal is balanced. 

Interestingly, 67% believe the media accurately or somewhat accurately
represents diversity within Gen Z, including factors like ethnicity, gender, and
socioeconomic backgrounds. Thirty-seven percent feel indifferent about being
labeled as the generation that will “save the world,” while 27% feel proud and
motivated and another 27% feel stressed and scared. Ten percent went on to call
it an unfair burden of their generation. 



When asked about how they would like to be portrayed in the media, 50% said as
regular individuals with diverse interests, while 33% said a combination of that
plus change-makers and innovators. 




BUYING HABITS & ENGAGING WITH BRANDS

When buying a product, Gen Zers rank price and quality as most important – 39%
prioritize quality, while 36% are focused on price. Carbon footprint and
sustainability came in at just 16% followed last by brand reputation at 7%. 

When asked which type of advertising resonates most with them, 27% of
respondents ranked personalized ads on platforms like YouTube and Instagram as
their top choice, followed by influencers and brand’s social media at 22% each,
search ads at 12%, television advertising at 9%, billboards and outdoor digital
signage at 4% and print media at 3%. 

Fifty-seven percent also said they are more likely to buy from a brand when they
feel the shopping experience is highly personalized to their needs, interests
and past purchases, while 23% said they don’t actually care much about
personalized experiences. 

When deciding which brands to engage with, we asked how important it is to
support brands with a social or environmental mission. Seventy-eight percent
said it is important or very important.




SOCIAL MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY

We asked respondents how often they spend time online in a typical day, and the
top choice was 2-3 hours (44%), followed closely by 4+ hours (40%).

When asked which platforms they spend most of their time on, 59% said Instagram,
55% chose TikTok, 32% voted for Snapchat and 28% selected Facebook. The rest of
the votes were split across Discord and X (both 19%), Reddit (18%) and BeReal
(8%).  



Additionally, when asked how they keep up with recent tech innovations, 54% said
via social media, followed by an even split between news outlets, industry
publications, online forums and word of mouth. 

Not surprisingly, 65% said they are more tech-obsessed than other generations. 

Finally, 40% said they are scared about the rise of AI and frequent headlines
about how it will replace jobs in the near future. Interestingly, 24% said they
are indifferent to AI, 22% said they are optimistic about its potential impact
on their future careers while 14% said they are angry.




40% OF GEN Z ARE SCARED ABOUT THE RISE OF AI AND FREQUENT HEADLINES ABOUT HOW IT
WILL REPLACE JOBS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.


TAKEAWAYS FOR BRANDS

Maybe none of this data is surprising to you—or maybe it is. What stands out to
us is the fact that nothing about Gen Z is cut and dry.

In 2024, here are a few things brands can keep in mind to better connect with
this unique generation:

01 Throw out tradition

For advertisers, your traditional media buys and ATL campaigns just won’t cut it
moving forward. Brands stuck with C-Suites who hold on to the way things are (or
should be) will fall out of favor and fail to connect with tomorrow’s consumers.

02 Gen Z won’t fix our mess

In some way shape or form, each generation fills in the gaps and cleans up for
the generation before them. Brands need to understand that the mechanics that
hold up our capitalist society are being challenged by Gen Z. We might just have
to imagine new levers that define businesses’ success beyond just dollars and
cents.


03 There is only one planet

No amount of money paid to lobbyists or PR campaigns that downplay the impending
doom of our world makes these campaigns resonate with Gen Z. Science will win in
this instance, so you should consider the implications and impact you make on
the world and implement changes to demonstrate your commitment to our planet’s
future if you plan to win with Gen Z and beyond.

04 AI is more than just the name of a company

OpenAI has offered the world a glimpse into technology that has the potential to
shift the entire outlook and future of our world. While Gen Z is curious about
the technology, many are scared/hesitant to fully embrace it as a viable plan to
evolve our world.

It’s clear that behind the curtains within the industry, there are very
differing points of view and emotions are running high. Gen Z is asking the
industry to look at the implications of mass adoption from all sides versus
letting short-term monetary gains guide our path forward.





RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research conducted by DEPT® was distributed in November 2023 to 2,922 users
in the United States, aged 18-26, 63% of which identify as female and 37%
who identify as male.




TRENDS


DEPT® TRENDS FORECAST ’24


Explore the most defining trends within technology, marketing, and society as a
whole. Using case studies, real-world examples, and documented research, we
offer strategic insight for your brand to join us in pioneering this
interconnected, culture-driven digital age.


download the report


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Global SVP of Experience at DEPT®


STEVEN DENEKAS

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