Understanding Gen Z: What the new generation truly wants

At #SMLive 2023, industry experts share insights into the evolving landscape of marketing to Gen Z, aiming to debunk myths and highlight key takeaways for marketers.

With Gen Z becoming a dominant force in the marketplace, it has become important for brands to understand their mindset, preferences, and expectations. The panel of industry experts helped us decode the distinctive characteristics of this cohort, speak about marketing to Gen Z, and shared valuable takeaways for marketers looking to capitalize on this demographic.

The Panelists

• Sunder Venketraman, Head of Content, Creator, and Monetisation, Josh
• Devesh Rohmetra, Associate Director, Social Media and Creative, Shaadi.com
• Neha Bareja, Brand, Social Media and Influencer Marketing Expert
• Vatsal Kanakiya, Principal & CTO,100X.VC
• Moderator: Keren Benjamin, Lead, Research and Strategy, ‘Capital Z’, a Gen Z research lab by White Rivers Media

Authenticity vs Fakery

Benjamin explains that Gen Z seeks authentic brands that embrace diverse identities and lifestyles. They value genuine representation and individual expression. She believes that Gen Z has a sharp eye for inauthenticity and is not afraid to voice their opinions and call out brands that are being inauthentic. To connect with Gen Z, brands must go beyond superficial marketing and need to be transparent and authentic.

Gen Z comes in with a built-in fakery filter, so they can totally see a brand and tell you exactly what you need to do right and how you are not following through on what you're meant to do. 

Keren Benjamin

Distinguished Mindset 

Gen Z, as a generation, has a unique mindset and Kankiya believes that it sets them apart from previous generations. They are born in an abundance environment and have grown up in a digitally connected world. This has shaped their preferences and expectations as consumers. Marketers need to recognize and understand this mindset in order to effectively reach and engage with Gen Z.

Gen Z's are born in an abundance environment, which means their worldview is largely different from ours.

Vatsal Kanakiya

Also Read: #SMLive: How to build a bridge between AI and HI

Fashion Choices

Bareja emphasized that Gen Z's approach to fashion is characterized by individuality and creativity, setting them apart from previous generations. They reject traditional norms and mainstream trends, choosing to express their unique style and personal identity through clothing. 

She explained that while social media platforms have democratized fashion, allowing Gen Z to showcase their style, discover trends, and seek inspiration from influencers, they also embrace second-hand clothing as a way to create distinctive fashion statements and contribute to a more sustainable fashion industry. They actively support brands that prioritize environmental responsibility and social impact. 

Gen Z wants to look fashionable, but they are extremely value-conscious. They don't like to follow the masses when it comes to fashion choices.

Neha Bareja

Realistic Approach to Relationships

Rohmetra explained that when it comes to relationships, Gen Z's approach to love and marriage is more practical and individualistic. Unlike previous generations, they don’t adhere to exaggerated Bollywood portrayals of romance but instead focus on building authentic connections based on compatibility and personal growth.

Marketers need to acknowledge this change and adjust their strategies accordingly when creating campaigns that revolve around relationships.

GenZ is much more practical as compared to the previous generations. We've grown up learning from Bollywood how relationships, love, and marriages are. And the idea has always been too exaggerated for it to be relatable.

Devesh Rohmetra

Cultural Awareness

From a Bharat perspective, Venketraman explains that it is evident that Gen Z has a clear understanding and is aware of the cultural, religious, and spiritual understandings. Religious practices and beliefs hold significant importance for this group. They actively seek experiences that align with their spiritual and religious inclinations. Campaigns and marketing efforts need to cater to these specific interests and provide meaningful experiences for this audience.

He emphasizes that there is a noticeable difference in the attributes that are valued compared to their counterparts in India.

Gen Z truly believes in religious practices, they believe in the spiritual world, they know what they're seeking and that's the kind of experience that they want from most of the campaigns.

Sunder Venketraman

These experts believe that it is essential for marketers and entrepreneurs to embrace the uniqueness of the Indian Gen Z audience. By tapping into their preferences, values, and aspirations, brands can create engaging and culturally relevant content that resonates with this demographic.

Contrary to common myths, Gen Z is a value-conscious, individualistic, and socially aware generation. They challenge brands to be authentic, transparent, and purpose-driven. As brands and marketers, understanding and catering to the specific needs and aspirations of Gen Z will be important for success in the evolving marketing landscape of consumer engagement.

This session was moderated by Keren Benjamin at the 7th edition of #SMLive, Social Samosa’s marquee virtual conference, organised on World Social Media Day.