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Hi Recruiters!
Successfully targeting the GEN-Z demographic can be one of the most elusive accomplishments in modern marketing. It’s exhausting if you don’t know what you’re doing. Luckily, you have me.
Think of me as your GEN-Z David Attenborough. The calm, knowledgeable voice of guidance on our journey to discover the mysterious GEN-Z consumer in its natural habitat (the internet lol).
So… what draws GEN-Z to a brand?
Community
People are drawn to people (go ahead, introverts, let me hear it), and they want to be involved with things that they see other people enjoying.
What I’m talking about is the importance of creating the feel of community in your branding.
The reason why Word Tonic works so well is because it is absolutely swimming in those sweet, sweet community vibes.
Need another example? Think about this:
What are you more likely to want to buy?
A snack that you see people totally LOVING or a snack that is sitting all alone on a table with no one to sing its praises?
The poor isolated little snack does not seem like the better buy here-- even if it could be based on quality!
If you’re marketing something as a social experience (“this product brings people together”), people-- and GEN-Z especially --are more likely to want to buy it.
Fun, Youthful Energy
To market to GEN-Z, you have to try to understand GEN-Z.
This is HARD, I totally get it. Our generational language, points of reference, and the memes we make with them are shifting CONSTANTLY. We’re constantly trying new things-- and so should you!
Here are a few tips to keep you afloat while your fancy new GEN-Z copywriter does the rest. After all, who knows GEN-Z better than GEN-Z?
First, here’s your Word Tonic-issued primer on GEN-Z. You’re welcome. ;)
Second, the best way to get GEN-Z to trust you is to think about it this way:
Walk with me for a second--
GEN-Z is this tiny stray cat outside of a McDonalds and you’re a person trying to interact with it.
This tiny, baby kitty is going to be skittish and take a while to warm up UNLESS you do the right things. This is how GEN-Z operates in the consumer world.
SO-- what are the right things?
I’m here to tell you!
Matching energy: GEN-Z is fun and youthful. Those qualities can be the starting point of your social media voice, but the specifics are a bit more involved.
Do you want to tap into GEN-Z’s sense of humor and energy with memes and cultural references?
Do you want to be snarky and quippy alongside GEN-Z to cultivate a shared sense of understanding?
Do you want to be the chill, cool-person brand to align yourself with GEN-Z’s newest trends?
With all of this in mind, it’s incredibly important to stay authentic. GEN-Z can smell B.S. from miles away and it’s not a good look.
To get that tiny kitty (GEN-Z) to trust you, we need to create some emotional investment.
Emotional Investment
Remember that snack example from a minute ago? We’re bringing it back.
Building emotional investment can be the difference between selling a product and not. The key is to get GEN-Z to CARE.
A lot of GEN-Z members try to be purposeful, ethical consumers, so if your brand focuses on sustainability or is cruelty-free, you might be naturally in luck here!
“Oh, but Maddy,” you say. “How can you get someone emotionally invested in a snack? It’s just an inanimate object and no one cares about how eco-friendly a Cheeto can be!”
Oh, dear reader, you are so wrong here.
With the right strategy, GEN-Z can get emotionally invested in a lot of things. Even you, snack brand.
Does your snack remind them of the snacks their mom used to pack for school? (Dunkaroos are being sold in stores right now… Who do you think is buying them?)
Does your snack have a weird little inanimate object personality that you showcase on the internet? INSTANT GEN-Z BUY.
I’m not kidding.
The Internet
Speaking of the internet,
If you aren’t making good use of your social media platforms-- you absolutely should be. Social media marketing is such an important aspect of advertising to GEN-Z. Instagram, Twitter (X, ugh), and TikTok are ALL super important platforms to be utilizing.
The chances of a GEN-Z consumer finding your product and developing an interest in your brand skyrocket when you have a fantastic social media presence.
The internet is where you combine all of the things we just talked about (along with hiring the GEN-Z copywriter of your dreams) to create THE perfect advertising campaign.
✨ Take those community vibes, stir in a liiiiiittle something to inspire emotional investment, sprinkle in that dash of fun, youthful, electric energy, and BAM! ✨
A GEN-Z marketing strategy for the ages… and something that will get GEN-Z to use Apple Pay for you.
Finally,
You might be wondering: Who are you to talk, Maddy, 23-year-old copywriter from Word Tonic?
I’m Maddy, a 23-year-old copywriter from Word Tonic, and the reason why I feel so confident putting all of this helpful information out here for you is because of how awesome Word Tonic is.
Our copywriting community and founder Carolyn are trailblazers in the marketing world-- just ask these. lovely. publications.
We’re coming to you as GEN-Z experts to make your brand the best it can be.
And there’s more where that came from in our GEN-Z insight newsletter.
We don’t gatekeep here. ;)