We’ve talked a lot about the value of strong design, how it can improve everything from your content to your bottom line. But design isn’t just about making things pretty; it’s a tool to help you communicate effectively and create a better brand experience. It can even be the key to cultivating a long-lasting relationship with an entire generation. Seriously, it’s a way to connect with Gen Z.
If you’re a marketer, you’ve probably spent the last decade chasing after Millennials, tailoring your content, Twitter presence, and even product colors to their particular tastes. But millennials are about to be overtaken by an entirely new generation — one that marketers struggle to engage with. Enter Gen Z.
According to consulting firm Altitude, this new generation will account for 40 percent of consumers by 2020, yet many marketers still find them a mystery. What do they like? What do they care about? How can you make an impression on them? Luckily, research is uncovering interesting insights that can help you better communicate with them, particularly through design.
First, Who Is Gen Z?
As defined by Pew Research, Gen Z includes anyone born after 1997. There are an estimated 71.1 million Gen Z-ers in the U.S., and they will soon outnumber millennials. This is where the trouble lies.
Many brands assume that Gen Z is just an extension of Gen Y, but this generation of digital natives has a different perspective than millennials in many ways. Most importantly, their unique upbringing and experiences affect how they interact with brands and how they expect to be interacted with. Understanding these nuances is crucial if you want to connect with them and deliver what they need at every touch point, whether through content or other forms of communication.
