Gen Z is the largest, most diverse and most geographically untethered cohort in history, making up 40% of all global consumers and holding earnings of about $7 trillion.

By 2031, Gen Zers' income will reach $33 trillion, surpassing that of millennials. And while every generation has sought to mold the world in its image, Gen Z is doing so through both individual and collective digital action. Gen Z’s connectivity allows for greater immediacy and intimacy, making it easier for Gen Z individuals—not just the roar of Gen Z itself—to be heard. But within this cohort, people value radically different things, at different times, from different sources.

This means that as Gen Z continues to amass economic and cultural influence, brands must decide which unique interest points and needs to focus on to build trust, community and achieve impact with their target users. Above all, to win with Gen Z, brands must be willing to share—share their brand, share their resources and share their future.

More than any previous generation, Gen Z wants to be involved in the ideation and curation of culture-led participatory moments with the brands and people they care about. In order to build a lasting bond with Gen Z, you will need to become a brand that shares: one which not only allows for, but has in place, a digital and physical infrastructure that encourages youth to co-create and help shape the direction of the business at all levels.

This requires galvanizing Gen Z to collaborate on shaping your brand and the impact it creates in the world—from brand purpose to community management and user support and everything in between. Sharing is about co-creating a continuous value exchange for both parties; at its best, sharing engages Gen Zers in shaping what the brand means to them, while the brand itself grows into something new.

The business case

Sharing and co-creation have long been associated with a narrow definition of sourcing product ideas (e.g., “Vote on the next flavor!”), feedback from existing customers or launching creative campaigns with celebrities or popular influencers. However, becoming a brand that shares requires a much wider scope of the word and a much more integrated investment. Through this new definition, firms can create novel relationships, customer experiences and wholly new product categories, as well as avoid costly market missteps.

Shifting toward a sharing mindset

Gen Zers are hyperconnected individuals, inherently comfortable expressing themselves through digital creative tools. Valuing creativity is a core belief among many of them. Gen Zers believe they’re more creative than previous generations, and they uniquely describe creative pursuits as essential, meaning they don’t see creativity as a side outlet but rather a core attribute of daily life. In the digital age, creative expression is seen as vital to successful relationship-building, self-realization and, increasingly, the ability to make a living. This creative emphasis fuels Gen Z’s distinct desire to share and be involved with the brands they interact with at all levels.

As part of the drive to start thinking of Gen Z users as co-creators, you may need to reframe your brand’s own role in the relationship, from sole fixer with all the answers to collaborative facilitator and creative partner. Sharing your brand at all levels means your brand is less a finished, perfectly defined character and more of a growing co-star, supporting youth in their own ambitions and individual purposes. You’ll need to think of co-creation as an ongoing process for Gen Zers to help shape your brand offerings around their own goals. So, while your own brand purpose will certainly be critical to growth, so too will providing tools and opportunities to Gen Zers that allow them to make their own purposes known to the world.

The long-term success of community-building, the precursor to sharing, will depend on a brand’s willingness to interact with Gen Z in a way that is consistent, transparent and personal. It’s not about pushing products or asking users to take a poll; it’s about giving them a voice (even when it means silencing your own) and shining a light on their ideas, experiences and beliefs.

According to “Get Together,” a handbook for building community by the agency People & Company, “The secret to getting people together is this: Build your community with people, not for them.”

Brands need to design thoughtful, engaging and creative opportunities that encourage shared ideation and longer-term partnerships for their community members. And business leaders must grow comfortable co-creating and giving up complete ownership to gain the next—and largest—generation of potential new users.