Also known as the iGeneration, Generation We, or Generation Z, Plurals include all those those born after 1996. This generation is surprisingly different from their predecessors, the Millennials, and presents a unique challenge to marketers. According to MediaPost: "Plurals have witnessed a culture that celebrated excess, and has been through a recession and fledgling recovery. As a result, this new generation is remarkably realistic about what is achievable, and feel that they must follow the math that will make them personally happy." According to Adam Rossow, head of marketing at iModerate, this group believes that happiness and the individual freedom to pursue it are more important than financial success.
Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of this generation is their reliance on technology. They are the first generation born into a truly digital world. According to Forrester analyst Tracy Stokes, "The only world they know is a digital one- where they can connect anytime, anywhere, and to anyone. As a result, they are highly promiscuous when it comes to media consumption." They are inherent multitaskers; A whopping 84% of them multitask with an internet-connected device while watching TV.
How can marketers use this information to reach this generation? Forrester offers two strategies:
1. Practice participation, not persuasion: Gen Z grew up with two-way brand conversations, so a traditional one-way sell just won’t work. Invite them to participate in your brand through new and fresh experiences that earn their trust. For example, Coca-Cola tapped into Kinect technology to create a dancing vending machine that challenges young consumers in South Korea to copy the dance moves of boy band 2PM.
2. Deliver a consistent brand experience online and offline. Gen Zers see no distinction between the real and virtual worlds. For them, they are one and the same. So your experience of your brand must provide them with the same seamless experience.
This generation is become an important player in the market. The eldest of the Plurals are entering college and the workforce. Forrester notes that these individuals are now financing more of their own brand and purchasing decisions and experimenting with new products and brands, making them a key target for many marketers seeking to forge life-long brand allegiance. The rise of this generation means that multi-platform strategies are now more important than ever.