20 brands gaining Gen Z love in early 2022

Square’s efforts to reach young entrepreneurs through a YouTube series are working. The brand, which provides payment and software solutions for companies, grabbed the top spot in the latest Ad Age-Harris Poll Gen Z brand tracker, which ranks brands making the most progress with the coveted generation. One tactic that seems to be scoring with the generation is connecting to the stars of hot Netflix shows. Both Calm and Urban Decay got a “Bridgerton” boost. Brands cracking the top 20—including Whirlpool, Lululemon, Hostess and Hertz—deployed a range of marketing strategies to reach younger buyers, including working with influencers, hanging out on TikTok and highlighting their sustainability efforts. Along with Square and Whirlpool, the top five also included cosmetics brand Urban Decay, Old Spice and Electronic Arts. Conducted quarterly, the poll ranks brands by how much their equity has changed with Gen Z—that is, how much this generation’s perception of these brands is changing from quarter to quarter. Brands that dominated in the previous poll included Lexus, Ocean Spray, Gap and USAA. This second poll looks at brands making the most progress during the first quarter of 2022. It surveyed consumers ages 18-24; younger members of Gen Z are unable to answer without adult supervision, so are excluded from the analysis. Top Gen Z brands by brand equity growth Brands are ranked by change in brand equity scores among Gen Z consumers. Hover or click over brands to see more details, including factors that make up the score and gains or losses each brand made with other generations. Scroll to see the full list. Source: Harris Poll. Credit: Infographic by Ad Age. Brand equity is made up of an average of factors including momentum, consideration, quality and familiarity. These factors also reveal extra information about the particular ways in which a brand is appealing to Gen Z: for example, high “quality” numbers indicate that Gen Z thinks a brand’s products are good quality, while high “familiarity” and “consideration” numbers could mean Gen Z is just starting to learn about the brand. Square’s influencer work pays off Square, a brand under the recently-renamed parent company Block Inc., attributed its rise in popularity to its content showing younger demographics how to start their own business. The company produced videos in December 2021 on YouTube with creators in their 20s such as Elle Mills and Charlie Chang, with tips for Gen Z entrepreneurs such as how to create a career in gaming and how to go viral on TikTok. The brand’s other content included a YouTube series spotlighting Latinx-owned businesses. Square’s Global Head of Marketing and Communications Lauren Weinberg also referenced the company’s campaign in March that highlighted the range of ways entrepreneurs can get paid. One ad features a number of entrepreneurs such as a DJ. Alternative forms of payment such as using QR codes to pay online became popular during the pandemic, a trend that the brand leaned into. The software company added the choice to “buy now, pay later” after acquiring and most recently integrating fintech company Afterpay in January 2022. By the end of 2022, 44% of Gen Zers over the age of 14 will have used “buy now, pay later” at least once this year, according to market research firm Insider Intelligence. Leveraging Gen Z platforms Home appliance manufacturer Whirlpool ranked second, which it attributes largely to its presence on TikTok. The brand created an account at the start of this year after a TikTok featuring a Whirlpool microwave went viral in 2021 and is also benefiting from the #CleanTok hashtag that popularized videos featuring home appliances and cleaning. The brand also partnered with Pinterest to create a “Whirlpool Virtual Showroom” at the end of 2021 and has been working on smart appliances that include a thermometer-connected app that allows users to check whether their food has finished cooking in the oven. Other brands leaning into TikTok include skincare brand Neutrogena, which placed ninth, and Marriott Bonvoy, the hotel brand’s travel and rewards program, coming on its heels at tenth. Neutrogena has relied on influencers such as R&B artists Chloe and Halle and actor Lana Condor to promote its content, while Marriott Bonvoy launched a TikTok competition to search for “TikTok correspondents” to post about their stays at the brand’s hotels. Marriott is focusing on how “this generation values experiences above all else,” stated its senior VP of brand, loyalty and portfolio marketing Brian Povinelli in an email. Focus on sustainability and social issues Hertz and Lululemon, which ranked sixth and 16th, respectively, placed similar emphasis on efforts to become more environmentally friendly, a priority with Gen Z consumers. Lululemon launched its resale “Like New” program in April for customers to buy secondhand items. Gen Z is often described as more inclined to shop secondhand: 90% of online resale platform Depop’s users are under the age of 24, according to Business Insider. Hertz is jumping into electric vehicles. After purchasing 100,000 Teslas, the company is now set to buy 65,000 EVs from Swedish electric carmaker Polestar over the course of five years. Automotive website Cars.com came in eighth. The company highlighted its informational content on EVs as a reason for this, along with its heavy presence around NCAA basketball games at the end of 2021 and March Madness this year. Whirlpool’s social initiatives also include clothing donations and net zero-emission standards. The brand partnered with Disney on the release of “Encanto,” a film that features a Colombian family. Whirlpool believes that this tells “Gen Z that Whirlpool is an inclusive, modern brand that understands families like theirs,” according to a spokesperson. Pop culture plays Meditation app Calm came in 14th, a jump Harris poll CEO Will Johnson attributed to the company’s recent partnerships that indicate its recognition of how “pop culture references are revered and rewarded by Gen Z.” The app recently worked with “Bridgerton” actor Regé-Jean Page as part of its bedtime stories series and has also brought on Harry Styles and K-Pop singer Rosé from the group Blackpink. The app also partnered with NBC’s Peacock streaming service in early 2022 to create a soundscape from “The Office” to lull people to sleep. Old Spice, in fourth place, launched a campaign playing on Gen Z’s “affinity for nostalgia and throwback trends” using deepfake of a young Dolph Lundgren, who starred in the film “Rocky IV.” The brand also created a spot with a comedic take on the Netflix show “The Witcher” after its season two came out in late 2021. It also dipped into different marketing methods in mid-2021, opening its first barbershop to promote its hair products. Soap manufacturer Dr. Squatch—which ranked 18th—partnered with Warner Bros. to create a Batman-themed soap collection. Gaming, cosmetics and a Hostess revamp Cosmetics brand Urban Decay, a subsidiary of L’Oréal, placed third. It got a boost when one of its eyeliners was referenced by Vogue as a go-to product for “Bridgerton” actress Charithra Chandran. The brand, frequently mentioned in YouTube makeup tutorials, also launched an anti-bullying campaign partnering with influencers in late 2021. Gaming company Electronic Arts placed fifth, which Harris Poll analysts attributed to its plans to rebrand its popular FIFA game and end a long-standing relationship with the soccer organization, and its announcement of a mobile version of its battle royale game Apex Legends. The brand worked with video game influencers in late 2021 such as Twitch host KarimCheese, who made a video sponsored by the brand showing him teaching his grandmother video game lingo. Electronic Arts also collaborated with the NFL to create a virtual celebration for the Pro Bowl. It also launched a network of creators in late 2021, which gives YouTubers, bloggers and others the chance to collaborate and attend the brand’s events. Hostess, at 13th, recently underwent a corporate rebrand. It has also released new products (including a caffeine-filled snack cake Boost Jumbo Donettes) and launched its first national campaign in 10 years called “Live Your Mostess” that focuses on the little moments in life.

20 brands gaining Gen Z love in early 2022

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