The Value of Branding to Gen Z

What Makes Branding Relevant to Generation Z

Generation Z are individuals born between the mid-1990s and the early 2000s (ages 10-25). They grew up in an era where media and technology were growing and becoming more accessible.

Media consumption plays a huge role for Gen Z, as they are a younger audience influenced by the brands they see. From the moment they wake up, they view all kinds of brands. Whether it’s on their ride to school or outside the windows of their workplace. 

Gen Z wants to feel connected to brands that showcase their needs and interests in authentic and unique ways. According to data from the Sprout Social Index, half of Gen Z consumers are more likely to buy from a brand that they resonate with. 

How Gen Z Impacts Brands and Businesses

Gen Z represents the age of fast and easy consumption, as well as short attention spans. With a whip of the hand, anyone can pull out their phone cameras and record, snap, share, and create content. 

The use of social media websites, online marketing and apps creates attention and can cause almost anything to trend. Because of this, young people can influence their peers and what is trendy. Their public and personal responses determine the success of a brand.

Generation Z is impactful because of its fast-growing economic power is worth over $140 billion. They are set to earn $33 trillion by 2030.

Branding Trends That Attract Gen Z Audiences

One of the best ways to attract a younger target audience is to commit to social issues, such as diversity, climate change, or world hunger. Gen Z wants to know that brands care about their future, as well as the future of generations to come. 

The world is becoming more diverse than before. Show that your brand is inclusive and reflects real-life people. Create designs that feature diversity will bring in the Gen Z audience.

Generation Z is the most creative generation; they want to see intentional branding. Aesthetics play a huge part in creativity. Visual communication is important because Gen Z loves something satisfying and pleasing to the eyes. 

A fantastic example is Glossier. Glossier is an American skincare and makeup company with phenomenal brand design. They have grown their Gen Z audience by using pale pink. 

Marketing your brand as fun, fresh, and exciting build more attention. A dull logo with minimal colours and shapes might not attract younger audiences or get a great reception from them. 

Starface, a company that sells pimple patches, uses a bright yellow smiley face as its logo. It’s common for Gen Z to experience acne and pimples on their skin, so the product is already geared towards this demographic of individuals. Getting rid of pimples isn’t always pretty. Starface uses warm, youthful colours in its branding, which is appealing to its millions of Gen Z followers.

Types of Gen Z Branding Techniques

Visual content/social media

Younger consumers strive to connect with brands. Using digital marketing and social media apps like TikTok or Instagram is a great way to get engagement from them. A strong online community builds more engagements, which builds more followers. These followers turn into customers, which grows business. 

Branding is very important in these instances because Gen Z will recognize your brand from curated logos, images, and videos. The plus side of this is that you can still cater to other target audiences at the same time.

Entertainment

Using popular culture and influencers will get Gen Z audiences interested in your brand. An influencer is anyone with a large social following who promotes or endorses your product or brand. Getting a feature on mainstream media on channels watched by younger people is a great PR boost.

Want to Attract the Next Generation?

Paper Lime Creative is your full-service Edmonton, Alberta graphic designer that can help your small business build a brand that is Gen Z friendly. Contact us today for your free consultation!