If you’re wondering why creativity is so important to Gen Zers (compared to other demographics), it could be because they regard themselves as the
most creative generation yet.
They are also the most
diverse and educated, meaning that they have a wide array of interests and needs.
As this generation enters adulthood and adolescence, it's easy to see that they are continuing to grow in their purchasing power and influence. And, as they highly value creativity, they’ve shifted their ideals regarding this as well.
Here,
media update’s Taylor Goodman takes a look at three ways that Gen Z has impacted brand creativity on social media.
Let’s get the creative juices flowing:
1. Gen Z inspires brands to use creativity for a good cause
Gen Zers are easily one of the most
politically active generations, and they require the brands they support to advocate for social causes — online and in their day-to-day operations.
This ‘woke’ group can sniff out phoney corporate activism from a
mile away, so brands have needed to find creative ways to spotlight causes that are important to them.
Rare Beauty, a Gen Z favourite brand, regularly advocates for mental health awareness and uses creative visuals to support its brand messaging. It also generates awareness for the cause on social media.
What's more, this brand doesn't just create graphics that spread awareness for the cause — it also acts behind the scenes.
It does this
by donating "1% of all sales to the Rare Impact Fund and [raising] additional funds with philanthropic foundations, corporate partners and individuals in [its] community to increase access to mental health services in educational settings."
And this is what Gen Zers expect: Put your money where your mouth is. Any brand can create a simple infographic advocating for a cause, but it's doing so in a creative way that makes the
real difference.
2. Gen Z wants brands to be creative in their storytelling
In this day and age, social media users are inundated with brand messaging on every platform they visit. For this reason, these brands need to find ways to be creative to truly capture their audience’s attention and
keep it.
Gen Zers are a key driver in inspiring brands to be creative online because "they self-identify as courageously creative in their self-expression. So brands need to do the same," according to
SXSW.
Take TikTok's success for example. On this platform, billions of users are making creative and quirky videos on a daily basis. This then puts the onus on brands to throw their hats into the ring and create out-of-the-box content as well.
3. Gen Z encourages brands to use creativity to educate
Think about the last time you learned something new from social media — it probably wasn't too long ago,
right?
Well, Gen Zers are partially responsible for why many brands don't just use social media as another marketing tool but as a means to
educate and
connect with their audience on a deeper level.
This is because Gen Z is big on brands adding value to their lives when engaging with them online — be it by
educating, entertaining, or inspiring them. This is necessary as it all circles back to the sheer volume of businesses in the digital space and how they can set themselves apart from their competitors.
Moreover, as Gen Zers are self-expressive and
unapologetically themselves, they are socially conscious — shedding light on:
- body positivity
- racial inclusivity, and
- LGBTQ+ representation.
As social causes are important to them, they expect the brands they
love to use their platform to raise awareness and to subsequently engage in CSI initiatives uplifting these communities.
You go, Gen Z!
How do you think that brands can be more creative on social media? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Image courtesy of Unsplash