How Gen Z + Gen Alpha have redefined marketing

Keynote at FUTR North America, talking on Gen Alpha and Gen Z and how they have changed the traditional marketing cycle. The talk touches on generational differences, data points, influencer marketing and overall brand and retail management.

1. Gen Z Gen Z ++ Gen Alpha Gen Alpha have redefined
marketing
How
SOURABH SHARMA

2. Today, social media is a marketplace, not a social network1.
Educate and inspire Gen Z and Gen Alpha in the research phase2.
Build a community3.
Drive loyalty with a variety of content and partners and co-creators4.
KEY TAKEAWAYS

3. Greatest Generation (before 1928)
Silent generation (1928 - 1945)
Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964)
Gen X (1965 - 1980)
Millennials (1981 - 1996)
Gen Z (1997 - 2012)
Gen Alpha (2013 - present)
Who are you marketing to?
5.5%
0.26%
20.6%
19.6%
21.7%
20.9%
11.6%

4. Gen Z and Gen Alpha have broken
the classical marketing funnel

5. exploration
education
community
loyalty
co-creation
inspiration

6. 8.25 seconds
3 seconds
9 seconds
for adults in 2024
for teenagers in 2024
12 seconds
for adults in 2000
for goldfish
... about attention spans

7. Today, social media is a
marketplace, not a social network
consumption
exploration
education
community
loyalty
co-creation
inspiration

8. YouTube
TikTok
Gamified UX
TikTok
Instagram
Networks
Gen Z
Gen Alpha
inspiration
exploration
By comparison, for millennials exploration and inspiration
comes from YouTube, TV, Amazon and Google Search

9. Technology is
‘always there’,
as a way of life
Gen Z
Gen Alpha
feel they are exposed to way too many brands
80% 87%
inspiration
exploration
The virtual and real world is
interchangeable (having never seen
life without touchscreens and AI)

10. 80%
Gen Z
Gen Alpha
prefer real life experiences while shopping
74%
shop in store versus on social media
use social media like
a search engine for research
73% 79%
67% 81%
inspiration
exploration

11. “TikTok search volume has
increased “dramatically”
over the last two years”
“Gen Z and Gen Alpha are using social
media as a search engine, to research
products they’ve seen online or IRL and
hear from others about the item’s fit,
quality, packaging and more.”
“Gen Zs said “brands often lie about
their products/services. Comments
sections are a key area of the
research phase.”
“Influencers with engaged audiences often
say they get asked questions almost as if
they were a prescriber or dermatologist.”
inspiration
exploration

12. inspiration
exploration
... its not always about sales

13. inspiration
exploration
... be creative with product and brand associations

14. Gen Z
Gen Alpha
Gen Z expects online experiences to be as
immersive and engaging as real-world ones
81%
Gen Alpha demands that real-world
experiences match or exceed virtual ones
85%
inspiration
exploration

15. inspiration
exploration
Future: Merge Real and Virtual Worlds
Technology is being driven by younger consumer demand

16. Educate and
inspire Gen Z
and Gen Alpha
in the research
phase
Meet them where they are
researching, giving them
the inspiration to explore in
the right ways at the right
times

17. say that their favorite
brands make them feel like
they’re part of a community
54% of Gen Z
education
community
co-creation
Communities go beyond the product, often
address the social media-driven mental health
issues of the generation and help consumers
feel beautiful inside and out.

18. The connection with brands
gives consumers a sense of
belonging, which is why
communities thrive so well.
Gen Z is the loneliest
generation ever
education
community
co-creation
Gen Alpha will likely follow in these footsteps,
placing value on community, authenticity in
interactions, and full transparency.

19. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Behind the Scenes, Tutorials
Hosting an event (e.g. in store or at a location)
Collaborating with other brands
Limited edition products
Active comments section on social media
Challenging norms (inclusivity, disability, non conforming ads)
Things that brand communities enjoy
education
community
co-creation
55%
55%
52%
52%
51%
45%

20. ... its not always about sales
education
community
co-creation

21. ... encourage co-creation and community building
education
community
co-creation

22. Use technology to faciliate the process
education
community
co-creation

23. Build a
community
A community reinforces
trust in your brand that
drives loyalty and
purchases

24. Let’s talk content
Educational: explain facts clearly
Emotional: strike a chord or resonate with people
Entertaining: people should want to watch it

25. UGC (User Generated Content)
Reviews, testimonials, any
videos, pictures, reviews, etc.
about your products that are
created by customers
Content that is 100%
authentic rather than content
made by your brand builds
trust among as its genuine
Educate and entertain
by often partnering with creators
Invest in edu-tainment
education
community
co-creation

26. Influencers by type
Influencers with a
reach targeting an
engaged audience
Traditional
E.g. dermatologists,
makeup artists,
trained
professionals
Professional
E.g. beauty editors,
business owners,
founders
Thought Leader
E.g. affiliates, store
associates, brand
ambassadors
Brand Advocate
E.g. PR professionals,
journalists
Connector
Famous people who
might be in other
professions (e.g.
movies, sports)
Celebrity
education
community
co-creation

27. Top of Funnel
Audience Size
MEGA
MACRO
MICRO
Brand
Ambassador
UGC
Creator
AI
Influencer
Influencers by scope
education
community
co-creation

28. Authenticity
+ Physical, Mental, and Gender Diversity
education
community
co-creation

29. “Social media influencers that are liked by
people help increase loyalty towards the
brand they are representing, often
becoming ambassadors over time.”
“More than 60% of Gen Z
and Gen Alpha interact
with an influencer at least
once a day, and 35%
several times a day.”
“41% of social media users use
influencers as a source of information
about new brands and products.”
“Influencers partner with
brands with the ability to
not just advocate, but co-
create with them.”
education
community
co-creation

30. Gen Z
Buying often
Telling others about brand
Loving a brand (without buying from it)
Visiting a brand's store
Visiting a brand's website or app daily
Following on social media Never trying a competitor
Posting about a brand on social media
0
0
0
0
0
0
56%
What are the most important ways to show brand loyalty?
loyalty
54%
40%
38%
21%
29% 28%
20%

31. Loyalty is an ongoing
relationship
not just a repeat purchase
especially for Gen Z + Gen Alpha

32. Drive loyalty
with a variety
of content and
partners and
co-creators
This will grow
your audience and
consumer base and
strengthen the loyal
relationship

33. Brands need to be where the
people are, as people are at the
center of the consumer journey
exploration
education
community
loyalty
co-creation
inspiration

34. Gen Z Gen Z ++ Gen Alpha Gen Alpha have redefined
marketing
How
SOURABH SHARMA