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After effectively using prominent actor/director Ben Affleck in several TV commercials, coffee QSR Dunkin’ introduced in-the-moment rapper Ice Spice to a spot in 2023. Why? “Because the younger consumer actually didn’t know who Ben was,” explained Travis Freeman, Chief Media Officer of Dunkin’ parent Inspire Brands, during a public speaking engagement last year.
These days, brand marketers all want to target Gen Z. But we’re more than just a single target audience — and yes, we did say “we,” because we’re not just kids anymore, we’re your colleagues and partners (as well as the authors of this report). We already command $9.8 trillion in spending power globally, and that figure will grow substantially as we continue to enter the workforce.
As with every generation, there’s a lot of nuance within Gen Z. We act, think, say, believe, and choose things that make us unique and complex. But we’re constantly shopping and looking for brands that meet those unique, complex needs, so marketers need to get on board with how we behave to win us over.
This playbook was designed to provide a general sense of who Gen Z is and present some considerations that should be applied to foster best-practice marketing. But remember: at this life stage, Gen Z is still discovering who we are, and brands will need to learn alongside us — so expect to keep changing and adapting.
