- Tension: Brands want to connect with Gen Z, but their marketing often feels forced, outdated, or tone-deaf to the realities this generation faces.
- Noise: Advice on Gen Z marketing is full of clichés and trend-based prescriptions—treating them like a monolith instead of a nuanced, values-driven audience.
- Direct Message: Gen Z isn’t allergic to marketing—they’re allergic to insincerity. To reach them, stop imitating their culture and start understanding their context.
To learn more about our editorial approach, explore The Direct Message methodology.
A few years ago, I was in a brainstorm for a fast-growing tech brand trying to “crack Gen Z.” The whiteboard filled quickly: emojis, TikTok, influencers, irony. One creative even suggested we make the brand look “more unhinged.” It was sincere in its enthusiasm, but none of it felt rooted in actual understanding. It was mimicry.
That meeting has stuck with me—because it wasn’t unique. I’ve seen dozens like it, across industries. And what they all reveal is the same thing: a gap between how brands want to be seen and how Gen Z actually sees them.
This is a generation that has grown up digitally native, yes—but also emotionally exposed. They’ve come of age amid social unrest, climate anxiety, and economic volatility. Their fluency with platforms isn’t just fun. It’s self-protection, self-expression, and sometimes survival.
So when brands treat Gen Z like a vibe instead of a viewpoint, the disconnect is immediate.
Where brands confuse trends with truth
Marketing to Gen Z is often framed as a style problem. Be edgier. Be casual. Use lowercase fonts and memes. But the expectation-reality gap emerges when these visual choices are not backed by real alignment.
Gen Z doesn’t reject marketing outright. They reject messaging that feels manipulative, performative, or pandering. A pastel infographic about mental health won’t win them over if it’s followed by a toxic workplace review. A sustainability campaign won’t land if the supply chain is murky.
This generation is fluent in contradictions—because they live them. They want both irreverence and accountability. Humor and depth. Brands that acknowledge that duality—and reflect it honestly—stand out.
What doesn’t work? Over-personalization that feels invasive. Trend-chasing that feels desperate. Brand voices that shift weekly, hoping something sticks.
In my work with companies trying to reposition for younger markets, I often ask one question: would a Gen Z audience voluntarily share this? Not because you incentivized them. But because it felt true, useful, or affirming. If the answer is no, the work isn’t ready yet.
The clarity that changes everything
Gen Z isn’t allergic to marketing—they’re allergic to insincerity. To reach them, stop imitating their culture and start understanding their context.
What Gen Z really responds to
When we stop chasing aesthetics and start exploring values, the picture gets clearer. Gen Z responds to:
- Transparency. Not performative transparency, but real talk. That means showing the process, not just the polish. Owning your brand’s limitations. Naming your missteps before someone else does.
- Humor that punches up, not down. This is a generation fluent in irony, but also hyper-aware of power dynamics. They notice who your jokes center and who they exclude.
- Brands that do something, not just say something. Especially when it comes to sustainability, equity, or mental health. Activations matter more than taglines.
- Space to co-create. Gen Z doesn’t just consume content—they remix it. Invite them in. Give them tools. Let them surprise you.
None of this requires a complete rebrand. It requires a mindset shift: from broadcasting to listening. From aesthetics to alignment.
During my time working with tech companies in California, I saw this play out in unexpected ways. A small brand that publicly sunset a failed product—and explained why—grew their Gen Z following more than when they launched it. Another that let young employees take over the company Instagram once a week built credibility faster than any influencer partnership.
Because for Gen Z, credibility doesn’t come from polish. It comes from proximity. If they can’t see themselves inside the brand, they won’t engage with it.
What this means for marketers
The brands winning with Gen Z aren’t the loudest. They’re the ones that lead with clarity.
That means:
- Choosing a few core values and living them across channels. Not just in content, but in culture.
- Treating Gen Z not as a trend to decode, but as a generation navigating very real, very layered realities.
- Building feedback loops that go beyond surveys. Think DMs, live chats, creator collabs—ways to keep your ear to the ground.
If you’re marketing to Gen Z, the question isn’t: “What should we say?” It’s: “What are they already feeling—and how can we meet them there?”
The brands that get this right don’t just market to Gen Z. They build with them. And that’s where the loyalty begins.
