Generation marketing – Generation Z

Generation Z: The digital natives

Understanding the stage of life they are in, their current life circumstances and the attitudes that their experiences are shaping for them is essential to understanding consumers and developing a marketing strategy that targets them.

Z generáció: kik ők, hogyan élnek, milyen fogyasztók és hogyan dolgoznak?

Generational marketing is based on segmenting different age groups according to the dominant influences, needs and expectations of their members. Generation Z is quite different from Generation Y before them, with all experts agreeing that never before have two successive generations been so different, in terms of learning, employment, personal relationships and media consumption habits.

Kik a Z generáció tagjai?

Between 1995 and 2010, they were the first generation to be born into the world of digital technologies, living as digital natives in the era of rapid changes. This continuous transformation is comfortable for them, and they specifically demand a faster pace.

They have grown up with the rapid advancement of technology and have adapted to it, playing a significant role in their lives. A life without digital technology is unimaginable for them.

As a result, their human relationships have undergone a transformation. While members of Generation Y view the digital world as an extension of the physical world and use it accordingly, for this age group, a significant portion of their personal relationships is fulfilled in the digital space.

It’s natural for members of this generation to connect with almost anyone, anytime, anywhere. The majority of their daily communication is conducted through digital devices. That’s true, and it’s not only limited to their interpersonal relationships. They often share content with a wider audience through social media as well.

Absolutely, their excellent technical sense and virtual social presence are more likely to take center stage in various aspects of their lives. The online world broadens their horizons and significantly influences the development of their identity. They are actively present on multiple platforms simultaneously.

Indeed, personal freedom, social responsibility, eco-consciousness, and reducing their ecological footprint are important values for them. Exactly, they prefer those who share similar values, whether it’s in personal or business relationships.

They are the first generation to transcend global boundaries: they experience and are influenced by similar factors (such as social media, music, movies, etc.) across the world’s most diverse locations. Moreover, they are interconnected with each other through the internet and their knowledge of the English language, allowing them to overcome physical barriers.

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A Z generáció mint fogyasztó

What, where and why is Generation Z buying?

Hozzá vannak szokva a gyors információáramláshoz és annak befogadásához, figyelemmegosztási képességük kifejezetten jó, más szóval a multitasking a mindennapjaik része. Ezt elvárják a szolgáltatóktól is, vagyis ha valami nem gyorsan és azonnal történik, felmerül bennük a gyanú, hogy hiba csúszott a gépezetbe.

Hogyan kommunikáljunk velük?

1. In short: the right interface with the right message.
2. They require user-friendly platforms, it is crucial that these interfaces are up-to-date – yesterday’s news is no longer news – and responsive websites are essential.
3. Their media consumption is selective: they watch what and when they want, so television is no longer attractive to them, and they experience time and unwanted advertising as a constraint. A különböző szpotok szinte alig hatnak rájuk, ehelyett a vásárlásaik jelentős részét az internet, a közösségi média és ezzel szoros összefüggésben, az általuk hitelesnek vélt influencerek ösztönzik.
4. They are also receptive to audiovisual content (short videos, GIFs) and humorous content that resonates with the message.
5. Because they live in a constant information flood and the impact of technological tools has reduced their concentration time compared to the 2000s, we can address them with direct and immediate communication, with concise messages and informal messages.
6. Product features should be simple and pithy, and a strong headline can be more effective than a long text, as they don’t have the time or the need to absorb longer messages.
7. As even the very young are comfortable with digital technology, we need to make sure we communicate with them. It’s important to gain the trust and brand loyalty of prospective consumers as young as possible.
8. Ahhoz, hogy a Z generáció tagjaival sikeresen kommunikáljunk, legyünk:
   
   • interactive
   • present in the digital space – especially on social media
   • up-to-date – both in technology and information
   • credible
   • environmentally aware
   • complexes

Fontos, hogy külön kezeljük a különböző generációk tagjait?

Yes. Vital for most brands.

One of the golden rules of communication is that you can’t talk to everyone at the same time, you can’t talk to everyone about the same things in the same way. But you don’t have to. By targeting our messages to the right, narrower audiences, we can create a more personalised dialogue between our brand and our users.

Today, target group segmentation has become an inevitable marketing decision.

For a campaign to be successful, it is essential to incorporate our knowledge of different age groups into strategy and communication.

Just as they want to know everything about our brand, we need to try to get to know them as well as possible.

What are they interested in? Where do they get their information? Where and what do they buy? On what platform and with whom do they communicate? How do they work?

A Z generáció mint munkavállaló

As mentioned in the introduction, members of Generation Z are very different from previous generations, and this is even more true for their appearance and functioning in the labour market.

Their needs are different, their methods are different, so as employers we have to adapt, changeour approach and methods if we want to count on their commitment. To employ them for the long term, we need to effectively integrate the youngest generation of workers. This can give us both a livelihood security and a competitive edge.

Their behaviour and preferences

When choosing a job, they focus on creativity and a good working atmosphere, have realistic self-esteem and are more willing to compromise to get a job.

To understand their habits and behaviour – whether at work or in their private lives – we need to understand that, because of their age, they have little personal experience of everyday life before the digital age. Most of their interpersonal relationships exist in the online space, but they don’t devalue physical encounters either, they simply take advantage of the opportunities technology offers.

They are extremely open to innovation and self-development, they see the ever-evolving digital world as a huge potential, and as employers it is our responsibility to value, use and support their growing skills. These knowledge and skills are becoming increasingly valuable as technological innovations increase the market value of the worker.

Generation Z members are digital natives, using the latest smart devices at a high level of proficiency, learning quickly, sharing attention easily between tasks. But unlike previous generations, they are less loyal.

They do not experience retraining and career change as alien, but as an opportunity to develop themselves in line with the needs of the labour market. At the same time, work is also mostly an end in itself, the aim being to increase their own skills and knowledge as well as their livelihood. As employers, we can play our trump card by supporting their aspirations and providing them with opportunities to learn and progress.

As well as being good at managing and demanding variety, this age group is the most at risk of burnout, which can be risky for them and for us at work.

Corporate culture

A significant difference between Generation Y and Generation Z is that the latter are more receptive to innovation, especially when it takes place in the digital space.

They acclimatise easily to the digital workplace and all its changes, even taking on an educational role towards older colleagues. They are keen to build on previously proven systems and workflows, so in addition to optimising, they can experiment and occasionally take risks.

They need personal and constructive feedback, they also value honest relationships with their managers, they are motivated and helped by frequent appraisals and, if these are consistently positive, by financial rewards. They like teamwork and good relations with their colleagues, they usually do not need a regular and long-term home office, they prefer to go into the community.

Generation Z members are flexible with working hours and space, and typically expect the same from their employers. The classic eight-hour working week is perceived as outdated, but they are more open to working outside of this, either at weekends or at night. As company directors, we should not take advantage of this, but we should keep it in mind and treat it as appropriate.

Acquisition and retention

It’s a cliché, but it’s true: it’s not enough to get good workers, you have to be able to keep them.

The key is personal contact and providing opportunities for personal development and fulfilment. This can be achieved through effective communication andby ensuring good working conditions .

Generation Z members are more likely to take less time to consider a job change and make a decision quickly. If the employee is valuable to us and we want to keep them, we need to take steps to make sure they decide to stay. They are motivated by freedom and self-fulfilment, so if we can compromise on these and develop a satisfying personal relationship with them, we can expect a good chance of a long-term partnership.