What Does Gen Z Want?

06 December 2023

Have you been thinking about Gen Z more than usual lately? If not, you might want to start. It’s become a common discussion point lately as we’ve been working on some Gen Z focused campaigns and projects. In this economical climate, it's hard to think too far ahead, but if I can for a moment, transport you to the *fuuuutuuureee* (read in a dramatic voice) it might save your business’s butt.

Ok, so it's 2034, and your brewery and/or distillery has been in it for the long haul (well done you), but sales have been trickling down for the past 5 years at a steady rate (not so well done you). On-premise and off-premise wholesale customers seem bored with your brand which isn’t moving much and you’ve noticed significantly more people coming into your venue with gray hair who nurse a drink for an hour or two and then leave. These people are millennials. Millennials are the oldies at the bar in 2034. They aren’t putting away beers like they used to in the good old days, and don’t have that disposable income the boomers enjoyed as they aged. Your branding and marketing as been ultra focused though, it just hasn’t haven’t shifted from targeting Millennials….see the problem here? ‘Zoomers’ (Gen Zs) are in their 20s and 30s, they’re now well into their working life, most won't have had kids just yet, so they still have the time and money to spend on your brand. Only they aren’t, because you didn’t think about bringing them into your branding and marketing plan until it was too late (and you could have even been labeled as Chuegy, heaven forbid).

Let's bring it back to 2023. Current day Gen Zs are in their teens and twenties. They are starting to show us what they want, and what they dont want with their wallet as well as online engagement. From some first hand observations through our work, and reading some interesting studies, here’s what we have found they value, and what your business could do to appeal to them:

Gen-Z drink in moderation.

On average 20% less than Millenials, who also drink less than the previous generation, mainly because of an increased awareness of the dangers and effects of alcohol and the rise of health-consciousness as a lifestyle - Forbes June 2023.

Are you offering low alc and/or non alc options? Could you create a sub-brand or line extension for these that could promote a ‘better for you’ theme?

Diversity and gender neutrality.

Not just the graphics on your product packaging, but extends out to the people you include in your marketing campaigns and in your choice of words you use on your socials and website.

Study your social grid, are the people who feature clearly gendered? Do they have a range of skin tones? Are you using gender neutral language in your comms? Are your campaigns promoting diversity in general? If not perhaps it's time to bring diversity into your marketing plan

Brands being ‘Proactively Local’.

Brands who are actively involved in the community, supporting causes they believe in (climate change is a big one for Zoomers who will feel the effects more than their older generations) and collaborating with other brands deemed ‘fire’ will attract Zoomers. Green washing/diversity washing is easily spotted with this generation, these brands show how they are genuinely passionate about a cause. They don't just want to know who you are, but also what you stand for.

How involved are you in the local community? Do you support a charity or cause? Do you sponsor a sports team? What outside brands are you aligning yourself with? Are you showing the world what you stand for through your support and collaborations?

Zoomers value value, as well as lower ABVs.

They aren’t willing to spend $20 on a 500ml can of 12% IIIIIIPA, but more likely to get across a carton of session style beer that is on the cheaper side of craft.

Do you have a ‘value’ offering that meets this need? A product or sub-brand that you can sell for less that doesn’t cost as much to produce?

Gen Z are acutely aware of being marketed to.

They are more likely to purchase products being recommended to them, and rely heavily on online communities and Tik-Tok style videos to help them make their purchasing decision rather than a glossy marketing campaign.

Are you on Tik-Tok? How's your content looking? Are you talking about what you stand for and support as well as how good your drink tastes? Is there a way you can engage an online community with a campaign that has a special message?

Basically, Gen Z can smell the tiniest speck of BS from a mile a way. Being authentic by sharing what you care about and how you make the world a better place is going to go a lot further than a heavily photoshopped photoshoot with gorgeous models. Good news here is, it's a helluva lot cheaper to produce! Bad news is creating ongoing engaging content takes up a lot of time, I don’t have to tell you!

The other important thing to note, is if your current branding is focused hard on Millennials and Gen X, you run the risk of diluting your brand if you chase after Gen Z, leaving your current customer base in the dust. Planning is the key here. Can you tweak your messaging and run campaigns without losing your traditional audience? If not, perhaps consider creating a sub-brand that targets Zoomers with a laser focus? As always, only take on what you can with the resources you have, baby steps will go a long way to ensuring the lifespan of your business.

In creating and marketing a brand that will be successful with Zoomers, we have to completely change the way we think in our approach, and shove old methods that worked for previous generations aside. It's a creative challenge, and we have to expand our horizons to take it on. But if you have been running a business through the pandemic to now, you are no stranger to challenges, pivots and thinking outside the box. You can do it, and if you need a little help, we’re here for you too.

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