How to Market to Gen Z in the Philippines: Do’s and Don’ts
Your brand misses out on a hugely influential market if it isn’t catering to Generation Z. Gen Z, or those born in the years 1997 through 2012, are known for their preference for digitally present brands that are authentic and socially responsible.
Gen Z is interested in things that reflect their values. Filipino Gen Z, for instance, are more particular about reducing their environmental impact than previous generations, so this means they are more receptive to brands that have similar priorities.
Another thing about Gen Z is that they are very online. 81% of Gen Z-ers from the Philippines regularly use social media, so you absolutely must be online if you want to reach them.
But how exactly do you reach a generation that is so digitally adept and so particular about the brands they support?
The Near team has a few simple do’s and don’ts to make your brand’s marketing efforts more appealing to Gen Z.
Do: Entertain and inform.
Gen Z grew up having the internet, so they don’t have the same fascination that previous generations had with the novelty of all things digital. They are hardwired with the ability to tune out content that feels flat or uninteresting.
So how can brands break through the dwindling attention span and increasing aversion to “typical” content? Be fun and educational. Gen Z-ers possess a lot of curiosity, but they also get bored easily, so mix up your social media content to include a range of entertaining and informative posts.
Here’s a post from a campaign we did for Ellips Hair Vitamins, in which we had to drive awareness of the product as essential in a person’s hairstyling routine.
Blossom’s reel was effective because it was cute and quirky, and also gave a practical example of how to use Ellips’ hair products!
Another example is singer-entrepreneur Halsey’s “90 Seconds with Halsey” reel to promote her beauty brand About-face’s availability in Ulta Beauty stores. It was a getting-to-know-you video in which she plugged her favorite things about About-face in between questions about her life as a musician.
Don’t: Rely on educational content.
Yes, educational content gets people interested in your brand and products. However, it shouldn’t be the only kind of content your brand has, especially if you want your marketing campaigns to lead to conversions.
Liven up your content buckets and get creative by showing people that you know what you’re talking about and that your product is the solution to their problems.
Take a look at the Cadbury UK Instagram feed, where they have a tasty mix of recipes, product features, behind-the-scenes reels from ad shoots, and more to offer followers a wealth of material to get to know their brand!
Do: Create a community.
Gen Z-ers aren’t passive internet users. They love to connect, engage, and feel like they’re part of a community.
There are several ways to accomplish this, but one good way is to feature the everyday people who share their love for your product. Highlight happy customers on your socials! Real faces appeal to Gen Z more than upfront ads, and these genuine testimonials show your audience that your product is legit and trusted by many.
Tip-Top Chicken has a “Tagged” highlight on their Instagram page, which features customers and influencers who have tagged them in various stories and posts that feature the brand and its products.
When you do collaborate with influencers, make sure you choose those whose platforms are interesting, relevant, and meaningful to your market. These influencers are usually the ones with distinct personalities and have their own highly engaged online communities.
For instance, luxury brand Celine teamed up before with fashion influencer Ashley, aka bestdressed, for a self-directed and edited ad for their brand. This setup guaranteed that Ashley could add her own flavor to the content, and the result was amazing.
Don’t: Misrepresent culture.
A misunderstanding of culture leads to a misrepresentation of it. Falling victim to this is an easy way for a campaign to fail.
The 2023 Balenciaga Gift Shop campaign created buzz for all the wrong reasons when it released photographs of children with destroyed teddy bears that appeared to be in bondage gear. Naturally, there was an uproar about the juxtaposition, and the company apologized for the insensitivity of the campaign.
Generation Z is in tune with current culture, so much so that encountering brands that offend it turns them away. So if you want to successfully market to Gen Z, you have to understand what they are paying attention to and pay attention to it, too.
Remember the TikToker who went viral for complaining about how her waterproof The North Face coat did not actually keep her dry? The brand smartly turned the situation into a marketing success by delivering a new jacket to her via helicopter – a move that also went viral.
As an influencer marketing agency, this culture-first mindset is important for our partnerships. If our goal is to capture the Gen Z market, the content creators we tap should not just align with the brand we’re working with. They should also have personalities that are relevant and interesting to Gen Z.
Do: Know thyself.
Celebs and influencers aren’t the only ones who stand out because of their distinct personalities. Even brands can do this! And Gen Z loves brands that are Not Like Other Brands.
Take the time to understand the personality of your brand and develop its voice. This way, you can portray a strong and cohesive brand personality that is true to your identity and differentiates you from competitors.
Coke is one example of a brand that has effectively reached the Gen Z market while staying true to its personality of youthful joy and refreshment. In 2023, the brand launched several efforts to reach Gen Z, including a limited-edition “Dreamworld” flavor that “tastes like dreams” and the Y3000 flavor, which was co-created with the help of artificial intelligence. These efforts piqued the curiosity of this generation because they scratched the very Gen Z itch for new and unexpected experiences.
Don’t: Be rigid about curating your feed.
Having an organized Instagram feed is cool, but don’t let your grid dictate your digital content! For Generation Z, cleanness and aesthetics are way less important than transparency and authenticity.
There is so much your brand can do when it isn’t trying to maintain a polished and perfectly curated image. Gen Z prefers content with an unfiltered and self-aware yet funny vibe, so the challenge is to find the balance between catering to this while still asserting your brand’s unique voice.
Take it from TSA. (Yes, we mean the Transportation Security Administration.) One would expect a formal, boring feed from a government agency’s socials, right? But a quick look at their Instagram shows that they get their point across with lots of fun reels and the occasional dad joke.
Key Takeaway
Marketing to Generation Z is more than just going with the latest TikTok trends. It means getting deep into the culture and understanding what they value before making your brand campaigns. Dare to be honest and creative to create a marketing strategy that captures the attention of the unique and dynamic Gen Z.
Want to build a winning influencer marketing strategy for your brand? Contact us at Near Creative to learn more!
