4 Gen Z marketing trends from 2023

Gen Z’s thoughts and feelings around brands were a hot topic this year, as marketers looked to connect with this diverse and skeptical generation. See our Year in Review stories here Below are some Gen Z trends and stances that popped up in 2023.(You can hear from Gen Zers directly through our Gen Z Voices series, and check out our Gen Z roundtables on workplace culture, brand purpose and AI. Check out our next Gen Z roundtable, on shopping, on Dec. 13.) Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs Dupes Gen Z loves a good dupe. Many younger consumers looking to save in a challenging economy seek out dupes as a way to look trendy without having to pay too much. It helps that it is socially acceptable, and even a point of pride, for thrifty shoppers to use knockoffs instead of authentic items. Brands leaned into the trend—Lululemon hosted a “dupe swap” where people could bring in a pair of knock-off leggings to get a pair of the athleisure brand’s customer-favorite black Align High-Rise Pant. Olipop has positioned itself as a dupe alternative to sodas such as Sprite, while Whole Foods made a TikTok showing how its house-brand 365 products can replace Fruit Loops or Oreos. @wholefoodsmarket Life is all about compromise (hi, legal team!) except when it comes to these dupes. #dupealert #wholefoodsfinds #snacktok ♬ Hey It's Me - Official Sound Studio In a similar vein, de-influencing had a moment this year, with creators highlighting products that didn’t work for them, or sharing their dupes of more expensive items. Sustainability and climate change Consumers of all generations say they are five times more likely to buy from brands that address climate change, according to Edelman’s 2023 Trust Barometer report. And 90% of Gen Zers say that they are personally concerned about climate change, according to The Harris Poll. That same poll found that 73% of Gen Zers and millennials say they seek out environmentally conscious brands and that they would boycott brands that deliberately harm the environment. But even though Gen Z cares about sustainability, economic factors are stronger, and Gen Zers still purchase dupes or clothes from fast-fashion brands. A June survey from ICSC found that 53% of Gen Zers want to support mental health and 47% want to support sustainability, but when making purchases, the majority of the group cite price as the most important factor. Social justice issues Many Gen Zers also want brands to take a stance on social justice issues. According to The Harris Poll, 82% of Gen Z teens agree that “There is still so much to be done in the fight against racism, this is just the start.” Also, 76% of Gen Z women want to see more women of color embraced in companies’ services and products, not just their marketing campaigns. The Edelman report also found that consumers were more than four times more likely to buy from brands that commit to ending racism and promoting gender equality. According to a Morning Consult report, 73% of Gen Zers say that corporations should issue public statements around race, compared to 56% of the general population. This generation is also one of the most diverse, and more likely to identify as LGBTQ+. According to an Ad Age-Harris Poll survey conducted earlier this year, 34% of consumers between the ages of 18 and 34 said they would be more likely to buy from a company that supports LGBTQ+ rights during Pride Month. (Many brands pulled their campaigns after seeing the backlash against Target and Bud Light.) Ad Age Gen Z Contributor Column We welcome Gen Zers to submit fresh takes exploring Gen Z within the ad industry Learn more here Podcasts In a world of short-form content, Gen Z still has an appetite for longer work, especially podcasts. In the first six months of 2023, Gen Zers consumed almost 900 million podcast streams on Spotify—a 48% increase over the number of streams the cohort drove in the first half of 2022, according to Spotify’s Culture Next report. Gen Zers’ increased interest in podcasts partially has its roots in the same force driving the meteoric rise of the creator economy: the trust and sense of connection the audience feels toward the creators at the heart of the podcasts they’re tuning into on a weekly, or even daily, basis. Also read: What Gen Z’s podcasting habits can teach brands See our Year in Review stories here

4 Gen Z marketing trends from 2023

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