• by Meredith Ferguson , Columnist, May 21, 2018

Companies are always striving to capture the fleeting attention of young people. It’s part of a natural business cycle—as one consumer base ages out, companies ask themselves, “How can we attract this new cohort of loyal customers?” Many will try and fail because they make assumptions and generalizations about the demographics, psychographics, and habits of an entire generation.

So, before you launch a branded Snapchat page or hire YouTube stars as brand ambassadors, here are five myths we uncovered in “Dollars & Change” about Gen Z, today’s 13 to 25 year olds who are the most racially and culturally diverse generation in American history.

1. Young people are all liberal Democrats. Gen Z refuses to be bound by the traditional ideological boxes. Nearly half of our survey respondents said they identify as independent or unaffiliated, and 50% view themselves as moderates. While young people may be considered “liberal” on many social issues, they care more about the cause than the party who supports it. Background checks for gun purchases and universal health coverage are supported across party lines for this generation. As a company, focus on issues, not political platitudes.

2. Being woke can make up for price/quality issues.

Yes, Gen Z is significantly more likely to boycott a company that doesn’t align with their values (and support the ones that do), but that is not the only factor in purchasing decisions. They won’t buy a more expensive or lesser quality product, even if a brand is clearly superior from a socially or environmentally responsible standpoint. If you can deliver on all—good value, high quality, and proven impact—then you have won a new customer.

3. Being "Good on Twitter is impactful. There is no question that companies with a great social media presence (and by great I mean relevant, authentic, and, often, funny) can endear themselves to Gen Z. But simply retweeting your support for a cause or having a personality isn’t enough to connect. To truly stand out, companies must engage with young people and make them partners in progress You need to have social change initiatives that consumers can be a part of. That’s deep and long-lasting connection.

4. Standing up for any cause that will work. Yes, speaking up is important. And we can tell you that the majority of young people care about everything. But young people’s BS detectors are especially fine-tuned and adopting a cause that has no logical connection to the brand can appear disingenuous or opportunistic. Nobody wonders about Cheetos’ position on immigration reform. A great example of a company living its values is Dawn dish soap. Dawn has done a tremendous job highlighting how wildlife rescue workers use Dawn to clean up birds after oil spills. They’ve effectively extended their core competency, cleaning, to include the environment. And young people noticed.

5. If we don’t move, they won’t see us. Brands must remember that even inaction is a type of action. The silent acceptance of wrongdoing or the failure to do what’s right is how bias, division, exclusion, and harassment becomes normalized or swept under the rug. And young people are always watching. Brands that are seen as grossly opportunistic and sloppy will be met with swift ridicule and derision. (’Sup, Pepsi?) Those that don’t project good values will be targeted (#deleteUber). 

In the end, ask questions to find out more about this new consumer base. While Gen Z cannot be put into a box, there are enough similarities in what they expect from companies (HINT: they expect a lot!) and enough clues on how to deliver it to them—if you’re listening.