It can seem more and more that consumers are divided on political, social and cultural stances from brands. But for Gen Z, there is no question—they expect brands to take a stand. They also expect brands to have personas, and welcome cheeky, snarky or “bestie” voices from companies.

However, as always, Gen Z is sensitive to inauthentic statements about purpose. Gen Z wants to see brands active in social causes and being more sustainable. The companies that can align their business and marketing with Gen Z values stand to retain a loyal group of consumers.

On Nov. 29, Ad Age hosted a roundtable with members of Gen Z, where they shared their thoughts on how, when and why brands can wade into culturally—and increasingly political—topics and what influences their trust in and loyalty to companies.

Watch the broadcast above, featuring Ellyn Briggs, brands analyst at Morning Consult; Kavi Deo, senior development coordinator for the It Gets Better Project; and Maia Ervin, chief impact officer at JUV Consulting.

Follow the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook and X.

This virtual roundtable is part of Ad Age Gen Z Voices; subscribe to Ad Age to get the latest perspectives.