Gen Z… in the New Communications Economy

In the fifth of our article series, Eloise Laver – Front of House at EssenceMediacom – describes growing up as a digital native and how brands can connect with Gen Z the right way.

Hey, my name’s Eloise and I’m 19 years old.

Ergo, fairly new to the industry!

Over the past seven months, I’ve been asked repeatedly how brands can better appeal to “my generation” (and then immediately lump Gen Z and Millennials together - overlooking the significant differences between a 12-year-old and a 43-year-old!)

Now, I don’t claim to speak for nearly 2 billion people, nor do I have the years of experience in advertising and media that many people reading this will, but hopefully a Gen Z perspective on the misguided assumptions, the predictable solutions and (for balance) an analysis of the brands getting it right will hopefully make an interesting read <3

1. Genericccc Descriptions Miss the Mark

All too often briefs rely on broad stereotypes about Gen Z (“tech savvy”, “purpose driven”, “avoid advertising”), leading to one-size-fits-all solutions that inevitably don’t resonate with us.

Probably the most important thing to remember about Gen Z is just how native we are when it comes to technology; our formative memories were with (and captured by) technology; sharing the birthday of YouTube (2005), to the creation of Blackberry, Wii Sports, without the safety strap on, and the Nintendo DS in “Hot Pink.” This was childhood for us.

And in the same way we’re digital natives, we’re inherently content natives. We’ve been creating content for as long as I can remember. We’re not just passive users of platforms like BeReal and TikTok; we’ve driven their evolution and growth - i.e. made them.

Now with the instant access to content and information at our fingertips, we've grown up in a world where getting what we want, when we want it, is the norm. This isn’t about entitlement or brattyness— it’s simply a reflection of the seamless digitisation we've come to expect. Unlike older generations who were tied to Walkmans (what is that btw?) and TV schedules, we’ve been raised on free-ranged technology and instantaneous content.

Brands that don’t get this context (technology + content + access = a really high bar) are effectively trying to solve a puzzle with pieces from another box.

We’ve set an OOO, and the automatic reply is “nothing new.”

2. Focus on 'What' Over 'Where'

Brands are often prioritising the platforms they’re on rather, than the content they create. Just having an Instagram or TikTok page and spamming it with generic content leads us to hit the “Not interested” button prettyyyyy quickly. But just being present isn’t enough. Reach without relevancy is redundancy.

Okay so, we use social media as our primary search engine. Cool - instead of traditional research methods, our bibliographies are filled with TikTok links, portrait screenshots, and Pinterest boards (well mine are). So, the focus shouldn’t be on merely where the content is posted, but on what the content is. We aren’t interested in recycled memes from 2019 or meticulously-timed posts. What matters is contributing to the culture of the platform with content that is entertaining, informative, and relatable. Which is why you’re seeing more blue comments and less online searches.

3. What brands ‘get it’

Let’s start by cancelling a myth; we like brands. Yeah, I’d argue we’re more attuned to brands than generations before us because we all have to manage our personal brands online every day. So, who’s getting it right?

Brands like Ryanair, Lionsgate, Duolingo, and Hay Day have mastered the art of being part of the platform culture. They create content that’s intentionally rudimentary or ironic, blending humour with authenticity. This breaks down the traditional barrier between “consumer” and brand, making the brand feel like just another user on the platform.

My little Case Study: Liquid Death X E.l.f. Cosmetics

Take the recent collaboration between Liquid Death and E.l.f. Cosmetics. Inspired by 90s/00s nostalgia (linking to adverts from Lelli Kelly), they merged themes like black metal and traditional girly pink, creating something unexpected that sparked conversations and controversies. We connected over the nostalgia and commentary in the comment sections and “nudged” each other’s reposts.

The brands that ‘get it’ aren’t just advertising; no, they’re creating output with personality – moreover, CONFIDENCE! It’s not just about being “authentic”; it’s about having a distinctive personality that will resonate.

Last paragraph I promise xx 

Finding a way to credibly and creatively contribute to the platforms we inhabit requires being a bit ‘out there’. Mess about with things,-do stuff that might feel uncomfortable. But if your brand is staying sane in this industry, that’s a risk in itself.

 -brat.