How NY and NJ Brands Market to Gen Z: Strategies That Work

You’ve probably heard a lot about Gen Z: they’re digital natives, they’re always on their phones, they’re anxious about climate change, they can’t write in cursive. We don’t like to generalize, but if your brand’s goals include marketing to Gen Z, it’s crucial for you to understand this unique cohort and what drives their buying choices.

Instead of a list of stereotypes (plenty of young people can write in cursive!), here are the facts: Generation Z, commonly known as Gen Z, is generally accepted to be the population born between about 1997 and 2012. As of 2022, just over 69 million Americans are members of Gen Z. This is approximately the same number of Baby Boomers alive in the U.S. the same year. Gen Z makes up about 20% of the U.S. population, and they are the most racially and ethnically diverse generation of Americans.

So how can your brand successfully market to them? Use these four tried-and-true strategies for marketing to Gen Z:

Engage Like a Peer

Gen Z doesn’t expect your brand to speak and act in a super-polished, professional way that sets you apart from “regular people” on social media. In fact, it’s a turn-off for them. This is because they expect authenticity and transparency…and brands that feel disconnected, corporate, and overly produced are providing the opposite.

Take a look at this example of McDonald’s commenting on TikTok like an individual:

By responding like a peer—and that includes the all-lowercase, no punctuation format—McDonald’s joined the conversation without acting like an out-of-touch teacher trying to dress like their students for “cool cred” (which never works, by the way).

Make your Brand’s Values a Focal Point

Remember when we said Gen Z expects authenticity and transparency from the brands they purchase from? If you’re talking the talk without walking the walk, they won’t hesitate to call you out!

Hydro Flask is one brand that showcases their commitment to sustainability through total transparency on their website. Instead of vague promises and feel-good claims, Hydro Flask publishes stats and facts like:

• Their elimination of single-use plastic packaging in more than 90% of their products
• 50 million reusable Hydro Flasks in consumers’ hands, reducing the consumption of single-use water bottles
• Use of paper packaging from well-managed forests

Show consumers your values by putting them front-and-center in your marketing. Make those values your unique selling point—by doing this, you’re communicating that through buying from your brand, the consumer is living up to these values.

Position your Offer as a Wise Investment

Put yourself in the average Gen Z-er’s position. You’re a young adult, a few years into your career at most, and:

• Rents are soaring as wages remain stagnant
• Inflation is high
• The federal student loan pause is coming to an end

Chances are, you’re going to be pretty frugal with your spending. Only the smartest, highest value-to-expense purchases are worth your money.

That’s how your brand needs to think when you’re marketing your offer. Demonstrate why your offer is a smart, safe, responsible purchase, rather than something that’s simply frivolous and fun. For example, look back to Hydro Flask. An individual Hydro Flask is somewhat expensive for a water bottle: $40 for the 32-oz tumbler, $50 for the 40-oz version. But a Hydro Flask isn’t a one-off purchase, it’s an investment that enables the purchaser to live true to their own values, like commitment to sustainability by cutting down on single-use plastics.

Keep it Short

Finally, keep your messaging short and sweet. With video content (which performs better with Gen Z consumers than other types of content—so lean into it), aim to hook the viewer within the first three seconds. Make use of short-form formats like Instagram Reels, TikToks, and Youtube Shorts.