Digital natives: understanding Gen Z
Gone are the times when we could talk generally about Youth Culture. In fact, we have found that the mindsets of Generation Y (Millennials) and Generation Z are poles apart.
MILLENNIALS
In many ways, Millennials are a mass of contradictions: they have a thirst for progress but perceived minimal avenues in which to achieve it; they are seen as world focussed, and yet are often called Snowflakes and accused of being egocentric; and they have a sensible side, but are seen as escapist and fantasy-driven. Their ideology is often pessimistic, due to a sense of disillusionment and dissatisfaction, coming of age as the internet exploded and with the backdrop of world events such as 911 and world recession.
As if to escape this, their signature choices when it comes to technology are all about fantasy and escapism, embodied best by the Oculus Rift. Early use of Instagram focused on the selfie, and minimal discussion with others, Facebook used to be about having as wide a circle and big a friend’s list as possible. It is no surprise that the world became a lonelier place, with a BBC study in 2018 finding that 37% of 18-35 year olds felt ‘lonely or very lonely’, and a 2017 Relate study found that 1 in 8 young people reported having no close friends, and most had only 2 or 3.
GEN Z
Labelled ‘Generation True’ by McKinseys in 2018, they have a more pragmatic approach to the world and have come to value and aspire to genuine human connections and friendships. Whilst they value uniqueness they place great importance on being a team player, and do not see tribe membership as being contrary to individualism. There are two key ways they have impacted on how we communicate. Firstly, they have added a sense of purpose to group online connections (and social media): with gaming clans, social media tribes and global communities all have their own shared goals and purposes, where young people come together and ‘belong’ under an umbrella of shared values and goals. Secondly, they have shown a love of (and aspirational towards) physical face-to-face interactions. Increasing participation in survival courses, escape rooms, ‘acted’ board games and even friend finding sites reflect this.
The fascination with and desire for intimacy with other people has made ‘stories’ the way of the future and video has become king. Gen Z use this medium to communicate with one another, be entertained, kept up-to-date, to learn new skills and to feel a sense of belonging with their friends and global communities. Short bursts of content often cross cultural and language barriers, and bite-sized content is preferred. If we look at the type of video content that resonates most for Gen Z: the fascination with every day routines (morning and evening videos), videos around primitive tech and shopping videos, they reflect Gen Z’s desire for real and human content.
Going forward, the most successful media providers will show an understanding of Gen Z’s mindset and their values, and feed them the real, human content they seek. Interactive formats will also become important, where viewers have the ability to decide outcomes (much as per internet shopping videos where the viewer chooses which mall the vlogger will visit or which outfit they buy). Diversity/inclusion and global content is expected as standard by this generation, but an authenticity is required in depicting other cultures and ways of being. Above all, rather than using content as escapism (like Millennials) they look for content to inform, engage and reflect reality and the real human condition.
