Gen Z Doesn't Hate Advertising. They Hate Being Advertised To.
Gen Z does not hate advertising. They have become extremely good at filtering it. Growing up with Instagram, YouTube, short-form video and influencer content has given Gen Z the…
Gen Z does not hate advertising.
They have become extremely good at filtering it.
Growing up with Instagram, YouTube, short-form video and influencer content has given Gen Z the ability to distinguish between the real connection seeking companies and those that only aim to sell their products.
The numbers support this claim.
Google and Kantar discovered that Gen Z in India values authenticity and transparency, with 93% of surveyed Indian Gen Z viewers believing YouTube creators' content is more trustworthy than that of other platforms. On the other side, Snapchat's Gen Z research discovered that 80% of surveyed Gen Z viewers trusted influencers' relatable content more than celebrity endorsements.
So, how does this apply to brand advertising?
Gen Z Has a Filter for Advertising
A polished advertisement is able to get Attention.
However, this does not mean that attention is the same as trust.
Gen Z has learned to ask questions like:
Is this fake?
Is this useful?
Does this brand deliver on what it promises?
As such, a well done brand campaign may lose out to a simple creator video, product demo or customer review.
The best advertisements are ones that seem useful or interesting to the consumer, rather than blatant advertising.
But there is one other factor that many marketers are missing.
Good Advertising Needs a Credible Brand Behind It
Imagine stumbling across a great Instagram ad for a skincare brand you've never heard of before.
The ad itself is well made and you find yourself interested in the product.
You go and look on the brands website, read some reviews, fact check the company and look over the product page.
The ad convinced you to look into the company, but the credibility of the company itself will ultimately decide if you buy the product.
This is incredibly important for newer and D2C companies who must compete in an oversaturated market.
When many companies are competing for consumer attention and making similar claims, consumers need ways to differentiate between companies.
This is where Visionary Brand comes in.
Making Brand Credibility Visible
Visionary Brand is built around independently evaluating businesses across areas including authenticity, transparency, professionalism, reliability and overall business credibility. Businesses that meet its evaluation standards can receive Visionary Brand recognition, which can be displayed across websites, marketing materials, packaging and customer communications.
In a market where consumers are exposed to similar brand claims. Brands should be able to prove their credibility.
Instead of telling consumers to trust them, a company should display their authenticity.
A trust signal can help to strengthen the message far better than a company telling you their claims.
Gen Z Doesn't Need Brands to Stop Advertising
They need the brands to give them a reason to believe what they're advertising.
Make the advertisement entertaining, informative or useful.
Make the actual product genuinely worth purchasing.
Not pretend to be something they're not.
Be transparent and open about what they have to offer.
And, if there is credibility behind the brand, make it known.
Since Gen Z isn't avoiding advertisements, but is instead filtering them.
The brands who will succeed are those who utilise both great creativity and great credibility.
Jenil parmar
Marketing consultant
Visionary Brand
Contact - 8169773708
Innov8 Co-working, R City Mall, Ghatkopar, Mumbai
Don't just rent attention. Build people who believe in your brand.
Make credibility visible.
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