How To Market To Generation Z
August 7, 2019

Generation Z? It’s a whole new ball game. Batter up.

The “Golden” Standard

In 1979, McDonald’s introduced the Happy Meal. Few people stop and think just how monumental of a marketing strategy this was, but in a time when fast food was just that – food, McDonald’s decided to direct their marketing to the one place where no one expected the restaurant biz to go: kids.

Kids by themselves have no disposable income, but the first line of thinking is that their parents do. However, for McDonald’s the plan stretched far further than that. It was a multi generation-long family marketing strategy. After all, in 20 years – bam! – those same kids are now adult consumers, with their own families and their own children. Those children will grow up on Happy Meals, and eventually have kids of their own. And those kids will have kids. The cycle continues. The lesson from this now 40-year strong plan is that marketing to children is worth the investment.

The Kids of Today: Generation Z

The kids of today, “Generation Z” by scientific terms, are an enigma to some and a delight to others. By no means to be categorized with the digital-era Millennial, the currently age 19-and-under Gen Z ’er was born and raised in high technology. It’s your niece who learned to unlock a smartphone before she learned to speak. It’s your kid who doesn’t care for what’s on TV because everything is accessible on his iPad’s Youtube app.

The trick to marketing to Generation Z is compression. Your average Generation Z ’er has an 8-second attention span; consider that all the time you’ve got to work with. They’ve been born in a blue ocean of unending information and have somehow developed the ability to filter through it all. Campaigns that feel like traditional ads are ignored; messages that don’t pop only deflate. Your message has to be bite-sized but entertaining, never actually feeling like a call to purchase something or go to your website.

Here are some tips to formulating your marketing plan:

TV is Out, (Mobile) Internet is In

TV ads are not 100% dead per se, but you’ll have just as great if not greater success marketing to children online. Kids now are not just tech-savvy – they’re tech dependent. Over half of Gen Z ’ers would prefer to buy clothes, books and electronics online. You can also assume most children will have access to a smartphone because even if they don’t currently own one, their parents certainly will. How will you reach them in the period when they’re borrowing their parents’ phones? It could be as a short ad on Youtube, or maybe a sponsored ad for a free video game app. Whichever it is, keep it short, and keep it simple.

Understand the way they use social media and/or YouTube

Facebook was both pioneered by and beloved by the quintessential Millennial. Your younger Generation Z ’er, surprisingly not so much. They prefer privacy and anonymity, perhaps having witnessed the cases where social media has brought the downfall of some bigger personalities in media. Snapchat’s approach using ephemeral content garnered strong success from older Generation Z’ers as a result of this. Younger Generation Z ’s, however, sport a stronger attraction towards Youtube influencers, enjoying the regular content produced by these micro-celebrities. Kids are age-aspirational; they’ll always want to act like their older role models, and while these role models used to be televised actors or singers backed by big brands like Disney, now they’re Youtube vloggers and personalities supported by any sponsor. In this case, you will often find that these YouTube influencers are the cornerstones to marketing to children in the pre-teen to teen ages as they are the ones that these kids look up to and wish to emulate.

Know that they’re incredibly Google-adept

Generation Z grew up with Google and other search engines the same way you grew up with bottled water. Searching for answers is as natural as breathing for them. Now more than ever, your online reputation is crucial for your business. You need to be on the first few pages of Google just to reach the minimum level of trust with these kids. To do that, keep in mind that the key factor is fresh content. You need to be regularly releasing new content, new videos, and new updates for Google to rank you higher on its priority list. Ad words are nice to get you up there but know that Generation Z ’ers are smart enough to know when they’re being sold something.

And never forget about reviews. Be mindful of who’s reviewing your business, and if they gave you a negative comment, respond to it. This shows that your business listens to and considers the feedback given to you by your customers.

They crave social justice and good in the world

Growing global concerns for diversity, proper representation, and charity for the unfortunate has inevitably reached the younger generation through online conversation. This generation will be the most tolerant – yet intolerant – one yet. They will be greatly accepting of race and gender, but quickly eschew or scorn racist, sexist, or otherwise biased viewpoints. Media influencers have taught them that a single person can impact the world and make a difference, and these Generation Z ’ers are hungry to do just that. Give them a cause to believe in, and they will go out of their way to support you.

Every generation will have a grumble or two about the next one. But like it or love it, they’re growing fast and will make up more and more of the core consumer base with each passing moment. There’s much to be excited for with Generation Z and their incredible aptitude for technology, and with that the limitless marketing possibilities. However, know your target audience and pinpoint what appeals to them, and you could have yourself a jackpot Happy Meal winner too.

Ready to take a hand at making your own video content? Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert. Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

Thanks to the following sources for some of the information in this article!

  • http://www.thedrum.com/news/2016/06/03/marketing-moment-67-mcdonald-s-launches-happy-meal
  • http://www.cmo.com/features/articles/2015/6/11/15-mind-blowing-stats-about-generation-z.html#gs.fZ=nASc
  • https://www.mni.com/generation-z-marketing.html

 

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Advocate for Diabetes Canada

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"Volunteer advocates are at the heart of Diabetes Canada’s efforts to bring about positive change. They represent the voice of the 11.7 million Canadians living with diabetes or pre-diabetes and speak for those who cannot speak up for themselves. Advocates help raise awareness of diabetes and the daily burden of living with the disease. They participate in Diabetes Canada advocacy campaigns and events across the country, and they help influence public policy by building relationships with elected officials in their ridings and promoting Diabetes Canada’s policy recommendations through their personal and professional networks. To support and grow this vital community, Diabetes Canada launched a new advocacy training series designed to make it easier than ever for people to get involved: Speak up & speak out Getting involved is easy Introducing Diabetes Advocacy 👉 Watch the videos and learn more here: DIABETES CANADA Bringing Advocacy to Life With Video Arc + Crown Media partnered with Diabetes Canada to help bring this important advocacy training to life through strategically designed animated videos, we helped make the training: 🎥 Clear and accessible Animation helped break down complex concepts into simple, visually engaging sequences, so viewers instantly grasp key ideas — like what advocacy is, how it works, and how they can participate. 📈 Action-oriented and motivating The pacing and progression were intentionally structured so someone watching could move from curiosity to confidence — ready to take action. 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How Arc + Crown Media Can Help Your Organization At Arc + Crown Media, we specialize in strategic video production that helps organizations educate, train, and inspire their audiences. Whether you’re working with: Volunteers Clients or customers Employees and stakeholders Advocates or community members …we can help you build animated and live-action video series that turn complex ideas into clear, compelling content. We specialize in corporate and nonprofit video production that supports long-term communication strategies, not just one-off campaigns. Organizations work with us to create: Animated explainer videos Training and onboarding video libraries Internal communications from leadership teams Culture and employer branding videos Educational and advocacy content This is especially valuable for companies and nonprofits that need to communicate consistently across departments, locations, or audiences. For many of our clients, video becomes a recurring communication asset — helping them save time, improve message clarity, and increase engagement. Here’s what we bring to every project: ✨ Message strategy & script development 🎬 High-quality animated and live action production 📊 Content designed for multi-platform use 🤝 Collaborative creative process tailored to your mission Video isn’t just storytelling — it’s a strategic communication tool that scales your training, expands engagement, and aligns audiences around your mission. Ready to Make Video Work for You? If your organization needs: Training and onboarding content Advocacy or awareness campaigns Educational or mission-driven storytelling Animated explanation videos …video can be one of the most effective ways to communicate. Looking for Animated or Training Video Production in Canada? If your organization is planning: Volunteer or employee training programs Advocacy or awareness initiatives Internal communications strategies Educational content for clients or stakeholders Professional video production can dramatically improve how your message is understood and remembered. Arc + Crown Media is a Canadian video production company specializing in animated and live-action video content for training, internal communications, and advocacy. We help organizations communicate complex ideas clearly and connect with their audiences authentically. 👉 Contact Arc & Crown Media to learn how video can support your communication goals. Arc + Crown Media creates video content that helps organizations communicate clearly, connect authentically, and scale their impact. Let’s talk about your next video project and how we can help you achieve your goals.
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