How Gen Z teens are becoming social influencers against gun violence

On March 22, 2012, I got a Facebook message with a simple call to action: “Today, walkout, 1st lunch, justice for Trayvon.” Within the hour, I marched alongside more than 300 of my peers out the doors of our Florida high school in protest of the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, who was once a student at our school. We were devastated but walking out made us feel triumphant and energized. That was the first time I’d seen how social media could mobilize and build power among young people, but it was far from the last. I think of that day often as I work to empower young people to use their social media prowess to reduce gun violence. Because despite all the marching and organizing that has happened in the years since an angry armed man killed Trayvon, our gun violence crisis has grown dramatically. Today, gun violence is the leading killer of children and teens in the U.S. Ad Age Gen Z Contributor Column We welcome Gen Zers to submit fresh takes exploring Gen Z within the ad industry Learn more here These solutions don’t require older adults to get on board. Instead, they empower young people to lead the change we need to stay safe. Gen Z has the power to leverage our social media know-how to change gun culture for good. Today, through large-scale social marketing campaigns and a growing network of Gen Z content creators, teens are getting and sharing the message that they’re safer without a gun. So far, in just three years, one in four American teens has seen this peer-driven message on their phones. And I can tell that it’s working. My optimism comes from working directly with teens. I run a community partnership program fusing social media marketing fundamentals with firearm risk education. Most students join these programs skeptical about their own power to make change. Many have personal experiences with gun violence. During the program, they delve into the day-to-day responsibilities of advertisers and content creators, including storyboarding, script writing, graphic design and videography. Students also discover how media and pop culture have reinforced false messaging about guns. On TV, the dangers of guns are rarely portrayed. But in real life, the danger is hard to ignore. The presence of a gun in a home doubles the chances of homicide and triples the risk of suicide. And for every 10% increase in gun ownership in a state, the rate of mass shootings increases by 35%. These facts are eye-opening for teens, and for many, it’s only the beginning. By the end of our time together, teens are often ready to take their newfound skills to move their online and offline friends and communities away from gun use. Teen-powered change has overhauled and redefined culture before. In 2000, more than one in every five young people smoked cigarettes. The Truth Initiative launched a public education campaign spanning billboards, print ads, TV commercials and in-person events. It brought information to places where youths already were spending free time, whether flipping through channels or gathering at stadiums and music venues. The content wasn’t preachy and included few, if any, adults. Ads featured young people sharing the real harms and encouraging their peers to take the driver’s seat of their future. Gen Z Career Forum Get practical advice on launching your career and excelling in the industry Register today The campaign transformed the way millennials thought about tobacco. Teens decided on their own terms to stop lighting up. In just two years, 300,000 fewer teens smoked. Today, youth tobacco use is at a 25-year low. Like the Truth Initiative, the gun violence prevention movement can look to the youth-centered influencer marketing playbook. We can update it for the modern marketing world, where social media advertising can reach Gen Z at a fraction of the cost of a TV spot. It can shift the narrative and rise above politics to shift perceptions. Over time, these perceptions influence behaviors and reset community norms. Amid the sponsored posts hawking protein powders or lip gloss, digital advocacy has a place in the scroll, too. If peer-powered influencer marketing can inform Gen Z’s buying decisions, it also can strategically activate online communities of young people who haven’t made up their minds about using guns. Back in high school, I never realized the power in my pocket. Now, I see social media as a catalyst for education, creativity and saving lives. Super Bowl ad review The best and worst commercials from the Big Game Click here

How Gen Z teens are becoming social influencers against gun violence

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