Get Real – Lopez Design

Get Real

By Sujatha Shankar Kumar

Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2010, is seen as a pivotal force shaping brand futures. This generation has been pegged as ‘fickle but fascinating’ with good reason. They're discerning consumers who prioritize information and ethics, yet aren't particularly brand loyal. Despite valuing careers and learning, they're prone to job hopping for varied experiences. Sustainability matters to them, acknowledging the environmental challenges left by previous generations. Demographic shifts in the USA, with Gen Z outnumbering Boomers, are reshaping markets, while TikTok significantly impacts their buying habits. However, in India, where TikTok is banned, and Boomers aren't as prominent, Gen Z's influence takes a unique trajectory. Our firsthand survey unveils intriguing deviations in Indian Gen Z behavior, offering insights into their evolving impact on brands and future markets. In all:

Brands will need to think independently
AI will push brands to continuously evolve to stay relevant
Brands will need to be emotional in their messaging
Comfort, durability and convenience will play major roles in trends-setting
Brand will have to be genuine in their explorations
Brands will have to walk the talk
Brands will need to make an honest impression in very little time

Here’s our understanding of Gen Z traits and how they affect brand behavior.

1. Gen Z values independence and they tend to procrastinate.

Young designer Arushi Sharma, 21, does not subscribe to the media frenzy over beauty products. Influenced by her upbringing in London, she is drawn to conscious living and consumption and has a love of Indian craft. Arushi seeks inspiration from influencers like Mat Voyce, Ben Marriot and Austinbauwens. These searches have also led Sharma to her interest in Crypting and Motion Design.

Image credit: Instagram

“People should learn how to think for themselves. They should be educated on more topics instead of feeding into a certain narrative just by scrolling,”

believes Amber Chourishi, 20, a third-year BCom student at Dyal Singh College, Delhi University. While his generation is not the key TG for brands, once they gain financial independence, Amber knows that they will steer brands.

Typically, this generation shapes choices according to their own preferences, seeking validation through peers, social media sites, and Instagram influencers to make an informed decision. Mohammed Ashar Mushahid, 25, a BCom graduate with specialization in Sales and Strategy, admits, “I procrastinate before making a decision. I know a lot of others who do as well. We plan a lot but are the worst at execution.”

Brands are using Snapchat to be inclusive to the Gen Z audience

Image credit: rawpixel

What this means for brands: This informed and discerning audience will push brands to think independently

Brands will need to think independently, not just following trends or mimicking others. They will need to integrate diverse elements and find innovative ways to combine information to effectively convey their message.

2. Zoomers value AI experiences and integrate it into their lives

In 2014, the ‘terrifying’ MTS Telecom ad for 3GPlus Network became one of the most viral (23.6 million views on YouTube). A just-born baby out of his mother’s womb is able to use the father’s tablet and even cuts his own umbilical cord. This resonated with the collective imagination of Indians — our babies are born with a knowledge far more superior than ours.

For this first generation of truly digital natives, AI and online tools are second nature. Purely because they are so comfortable with exchanges, research and online programs, they navigate this space with ease to make maximum use of it.

What this means for brands: The adept use of AI will in turn push brands to evolve

Whether it’s common now to GPay (right from your kirana store to coffee at a swish café) or talk to ChatGPT to make sure you’ve done something right, it’s the younger generation’s desire to have convenience, save time and get reliability at their fingertips that paves how we experience a brand, and this will continue.

Chatbots have replaced real humans to resolve many issues

Image credit: Newsweek

3. The cognizant and emotional Gen Z is a different breed

Arushi Sharma says,

“We have an emotional tendency to look at life in a certain way. There is greater emphasis on mental health in general. My social media is full of this concept of gentle parenting.”

Amber Chourishi appreciates niche slow-paced films where he can experience real life perspectives, such as Masaan, which deals with trauma, grief and discrimination. “Our generation is more politically activated,” he says. If older generations were stoic yet over-the-top, soppy, melodramatic yet practical (a need to save combined with romanticizing over a Bollywood film), here is a generation that is well-informed and therefore cognizant of the role of emotion. Amber derides the time spent online, saying, “I have personally grown out of the online world. I want real life experiences. Real human connections.”

What this means for brands: Emotions will play a central role in brand speak

“If you’re in love, show me!” sings Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady’s unforgettable refrain, and that’s what Zoomers ask of brands: Don’t hide your love away. Brands will need to engage with zest, making the interactions caring and purposeful to retain their audience. This need for real experiences will shape future brands.

Emotional disconnect is now catching up with this “lonely generation” that is looking for real connections.

Image credit: Midjourney

4. Gen Z desire reliable, affordable and quality solutions

Mohammed Ashar Mushahid on a project for Google, feels that social media can be a waste of time. Ashar, who checked out several reviews before purchasing his current laptop, says, “I personally value aesthetics and quality a lot. For example, the laptop I am using has a bezel-free display, and I said to myself — this is very pretty and I need to get it.”

Image credit: TechNetDeals

Amber, who is not a big consumer (he buys things that last a long time) points out the ‘sneaker craze’*, a trend that arises from the need for comfort, style and affordability. Ashar concurs, “Everyone wants to own a pair of Jordans,” adding how no one found sneakers this desirable 5 to 7 years ago.

*According to Statista, the sneaker market in India is forecasted to generate a revenue of $2.8 bn in 2024, with the volume of the segment reaching 65.97 million pairs by 2028.

Arushi resonates, admitting her love for comfort food and product choices that speak practicality. She says,

“I do not stick to any brand, but a lot of the brands I use have a sense of comfort and are reliable such as Decathlon — a brand that gained my trust and at an affordable price, comfort and durability.”

Image credit: Medium

What this means for brands: Trends will come from comfort, durability and convenience

Because of the age bracket of Gen Z, we find that trends will come from their love of ‘style meets substance’. Their stance on quality and wanting to deep delve, will mean brands have to create durable yet desirable statements.

5. Holistic, sensible and relevant experiences

Arushi recalls the ability to connect even through the distanced atmosphere of the Covid-19 pandemic, and concludes,

“A lot of my opinions are based on what’s happening in the world right now. Businesses, data policies, cyber security — we are in a better place than before.”

Gen Z’s understanding of the world can influence their parents, as Amber notes, “In the long run my mother should get a good phone rather than an inexpensive one.”

Arushi talks about how her going out into the world has changed how her family experiences food and healthy eating. “Our relationship with food has considerably changed. We are much more exploratory about what they want to eat.”

Gen Z influence the older generation in their buying choices

Image credit: Midjourney

“I prefer saving time over money. Going by Metro may be economical, but if taking a cab or car gets me on time, I’d rather do that,” says Ashar. He gives another example of sensible spending. “I saw a YouTube video on how people are hesitant to pay a $20 subscription for ChatGPT. This is a barrier that separates the doers from the losers. If you are willing to spend, you can gain from it.”

What this means for brands: Brands will explore in genuine ways

We also found that the millennial attitude of valuing financial independence has influenced them, yet they simultaneously look at experiences holistically. This generation sets trends for looking at experiences in totality, weighing their options to judge how they can win overall, not just by a short yardstick. Most GenZ move on the motto of YOLO (you only live once), liking to spend on experience, but their understanding also influences others in their circuit deeply.

6. Influencers and Information open up possibilities

The BPC industry is being shaped by this generation according to several reports, but in our interviews, we found beauty is only skin deep. Discerning Gen Z respondents are far more concerned with discovering the real thing. “People used to make memes on the same template. Every month there would be a wave,” says Amber who accepts that things are not stable.

While Ashar is not addicted to social media, he seeks out sites that give him the information he is looking for such as TheWallStreetSkinny, as bank investments are up his street. He cites the example of American YouTuber, Marques Keith Brownlee, known professionally as MKBHD, giving an unfavorable review of an electric car, which may have led to the company going bankrupt. Ashar looks for a brand which can make a great product at a relatable or affordable price. He says that Gen Z hates cold calling and pitches, and they anyway won’t answer the phone if they don’t know the number. “Make the product worthy as your audience is the kind to subscribe to several newsletters or portals and won’t be seduced easily!”

Influencers have a real impact on brands because they are genuine in their intent to share real information

Image credit: Analyticsindiamag

What this means for brands: Brands must walk the talk

Gen Z not being brand loyal makes brands work extra hard to get there. The reality that nothing will stick or be stable, means that brands will have to constantly innovate. Just like micro-influencers have to be funny to get attention, brands have to pay attention to micro-managing their marketing, making it relevant and interesting for the times.

7. Gen Z appreciates honesty and quick bytes of information

The entire shift to online communications has affected the world. We no longer have time for extensive reading, and everyone is addicted to quick shares of information. In fact, the Zoomers simply don’t have time for dishonest pitches. There’s enough sharing out there for every falsity to be picked up such as marketing manipulations. Further, we have a generation that does not really care about being brand loyal or stuck on one influencer — they are looking for performance and what they can actively gain from information.

“Someone good looking may have 100k followers today but that’s eventually going to fall off,”

says Amber.

What this means for brands: Brands need to be transparent and impactful in less time

In this Age of Impatience, how truthful a brand is alone won’t matter, but how it delivers genuine intent in a small slot of time. Brands need to connect with their audience very quickly, justifying their stance and their product or service instantaneously. This idea of genuine impact will become a litmus test for brands, defining how they perform and therefore, how they last.