THE STATE OF PLAY
Of the generational cohorts, none are more sought after by brands today than Gen Z. These 12–24 year olds are more than just digital natives; they have quickly become the most technologically empowered, connected, and creative generations we’ve seen. At the same time, there is loads of data showing Gen Zers are the most stressed out and at-risk of major burnout. Between part-time jobs, side-hustles, schoolwork, and purposeful activism, Gen Z places immense value on stability and trust. This presents a unique opportunity for brands to authentically connect with them; however, Gen Z’s bullshit detector is keenly attuned to the various hues of colorwashing, or what I like to call the “Rainbow of Brand Bullsh*t”
As a result, we’re seeing more and more brands engaging in brand slacktivism as opposed to transformative action and with that more instances of Gen Z calling them out. As natural “hacker-creatives,”Gen Z has all the tools and platforms to (very publicly) expose brands who are faking the funk — no matter how many times your brand calls itself “Sustainable,” “Ethical,” or any number of other buzzwords that ring false to Gen Z.
THE LAW OF EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE
“Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost.”
Anime tropes aside, many brands would benefit from keeping the concept of equivalent exchange front-of-mind when developing purpose-driven activations. This goes deeper than a Vaynerchuck-ian right-left combo. Gen Z is looking to bring positive change to the world, not just maintain the status-quo. Therefore, if your brand wants to tap into this ethos, Gen Z needs to see your brand take action, which in turn will simultaneously affect your bottom-line and create real, positive social change. There are no quick fixes or easy solutions here, building lasting brand affinity means exponentially higher ROI over the long-term, however forging that kind of meaningful relationship means making real sacrifices.
5 WAYS TO GET BRAND ACTIVISM RIGHT
LOOK IN THE MIRROR FIRST
The first and most important step is to really examine your organization and operations and make sure everything therein aligns to your brand’s values before engaging in any kind of purpose-driven activation. It’s important that Gen Z sees you walking the walk before talking the talk — make sure your brand embodies the change it wants to make.
BE COLLABORATIVE
Gen Z is looking to make an impact that brings their values to life. Invite them to be a part of your ideation and decision-making process in a meaningful way. This inspires a sense of ownership that (at scale) will inspire Gen Z to drive your goals forward. Show your trust in Gen Z and they will repay you in kind through both evangelism and their wallets.
BE HUMBLE
Gen Z doesn’t care if you’re the first to do [insert superficial action here], they want to see real movement on the issues aligned with their value system. Being first does not equate to being the best so focus on the quality of your actions over speed or scale.
FOCUS ON NOW
It’s all too easy for brands to set long timelines for seemingly ambitious or unrealistic goals. “We’ll be carbon neutral by 2030” means zip to Gen Z when climate change is having real world impacts today. Instead, focus on setting smaller monthly or annual goals that ladder up to larger initiatives. This shows Gen Z your brand is thinking strategically about serious change right in the here and now.
BE ACCOUNTABLE
Trust is a two-way street, so if you want Gen Z to trust your brand, you need to be forthright and transparent at all times. This may mean copping to falling short of ambitious goals. Gen Z will actually show more compassion and support for brands that authentically attempt but may fall short over those who never put in a real effort in the first place.
WRAPPING UP
It’s undeniable that brand purpose and values are key attributes to Gen Z when they ask themselves, “why should I buy?” However, stating your brand values is only the beginning; Gen Z will hold you to your words. Trust is the new currency and Gen Z’s trust cannot be bought with cheap tricks or empty gestures. Right now Gen Z is in the middle of forming the attitudes and preferences towards brands that they will carry for decades. When we also account for Gen Z’s loud voice, desire to drive meaningful social change, and their expectation that brands can and should play a meaningful role in that change; it’s easy to see how thin the margin-of-error really is. Trust is the most valuable currency here, and Gen Z’s trust is hard to earn, yet easy to lose. This presents brands with both a massive opportunity and an equally massive risk. The real question is, what are you willing to do to win Gen Z’s trust?