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SeeHer and Horowitz Research’s Gen Z Vibe Check
Tarya Weedon – Cultural Insights Strategist, Horowitz Research
Yatisha Forde – Senior Director, Insights & Thought Leadership, ANA
Tarya Weedon of Horowitz Research and Yatisha Forde of the ANA discussed how to connect and create trust with Gen Z through accurate representation, authentic allyship and honest dialogue. This generation is redefining American culture with their views on gender, sexuality and fluidity. Champions of gender equality, they are a vocal cohort at the forefront of reversing the negative effects of traditional gender rules and stereotypes. Gen Z are hyperaware of when a campaign’s message is inauthentic or a brand does not “walk the walk.” Fewer Gen Z than other generations think advertising accurately reflects them. Tarya and Yatisha offered advice on how to pass the “vibe check” with this generation. Their study had two legs, a qualitative phase which was interacting over a two-week period with an online community with 70 Gen Zers in the U.S. The quantitative phase was an online survey among 800 U.S. respondents ages 14-to-24. Key takeaways:- Forty percent of Gen Zers said labels should be chosen by the individual, not society.
- Over 50% said both male and female identifying people can do anything from using makeup to doing manual physical labor, and from being emotional to being in STEM.
- Eighty-eight percent disagree that increased acceptance of non-traditional ways about gender and sexuality is bad for society.
- Half of Gen Z self-identify as gender non-binary, and 64% identify as sexually fluid.
- Forty-six percent said claiming support wasn’t enough. To be seen as trustworthy, a brand needs to show its support in action.
- Forty-seven percent said it felt like pandering when an ad highlighted a cause that they’re not involved in.
- Although respondents thought that all brands have a responsibility to influence perceptions about gender and sexuality, they felt some types of brands have a bigger responsibility than others. The biggest responsibility came to beauty/self-care brands (50%), clothing (49%), pharma/health (20%) and food/beverage brands (18%).
- Just 47% of respondents felt like advertising accurately reflected their generation.
- Recommendations included making diversity part of the brand ethos, reimagining gender and sexuality in advertising content, leveraging SheHer guides and GEM best practices, including more diversity and aspects of intersectionality in advertising and finding ways to open dialogue that is inclusive and without judgment.
