Brands build better engagement by digitally tilting towards Gen Z
By Felicia Nwosu
Across the globe, the paradigm of interaction between consumers and brands has significantly shifted. Brands are now digitally tilting towards the Gen Z’s platforms for better consumer engagement. However, marketing to win Gen Zers’ loyalty demands deploying technological strategies wired specifically to unify the fractured digital landscape between young consumers and brands.
Experts in the Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) space, in recent separate interviews, noted that diversity and inclusion remain the mantra of Gen Z consumers, adding that brands must leverage technology to beam their spotlight on them.
According to them, gone are the one-size-fits-all marketing days; instead, brands need to create a strong brand persona with every demographics in order to reach consumers effectively.
Lending his view on the issue, Franklin Ozekhome, a digital strategist at Insight Redefini/ Publicis One, said a brand’s mission includes looking at happenings surrounding all groups, especially Gen Z, in terms of understanding the political era of today which is very different from what it seems. This, he stated, is by understanding the events going on in the youth market, taking into cognizance events revolving around politics, religion, entrepreneurship as well as its implications for brands and businesses.
“If we compare Gen Z with millennials, we still have whole lots of differences in terms of culture and lifestyles. So, who exactly are we talking to and what does it mean for brands and businesses” How can we deep-dive into them?” he asked.
On his part, Edwin Ajogun, the Country Director of Eko Innovation Centre, revealed that globally, great opportunities lie within marketing technology for innovators to build solutions from various sectors of the economy. He charged brands to think futuristically by including Gen Z as the future key players who will be providing innovative solutions for brands through technology, while extending to the next generation of consumers. The Eko country director advised brands not to abandon consumers from previous generations just to sell to Gen Z.
“We are looking at how we can leverage technology, talents, especially from the angle of this unique experience of the Gen Zers. We engaged them to create solutions that will define how marketing is done in their time, towards them, because they are the one who will be experiencing and consuming media in the near future,” he said.
Obinna Nweke, Marketing Strategist, Axon Analytics Ltd., who also is a Gen Zer, noted that one unique attribute of the Gen Zers is that they value authenticity and honesty. He, therefore, urged brands to attune to it by ensuring that they infuse this group’s thoughts and values in every bit of their contents through storytelling approach.
Nweke advised brands to leverage technology to understand how this new generation’s views might affect the broader population and consumption. The marketing strategist also explained that Gen Zers play a unique role by creating and interpreting trends with tech. According to him, as global connectivity continues to rise, brand must constantly be vigilant with uninterrupted attention as generational shifts continue to play a crucial role in resetting behaviour than socioeconomic differences do.
“Brands and agencies need to leverage technology to make their product more holistic by employing varieties of concepts across their mediums and channels, whether in form of visuals, audio (podcasts), videos, text, pictures and others. I foresee better adoption for magazines in Nigeria, and I trust what brands like MARKETING EDGE can do.”
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