Presenting

Business 56 June | 2022 internet—the celebrities, the star makers. As the term "infl uencer" suggests, they suggest or recommend goods and services, doing so like a friend rather than as a faceless brand. Now, no one is suggesting you market using an A-list infl uencer like singers Drake or Cardi B. (they will work with you, but it will cost major coin!). Instead, consider aff ordable infl uencers who already share a natural affi nity for the products you sell. While such infl uencers may not have the same cachet or followers as elite celebs, an infl uencer who likes fl owers or is from your hometown and cares about local businesses will resonate with the Gen Z audience as being authentic. But is it practical? Sadly, for most of us, it may not be something we can do. It should not be someone or an agency merely capable of "sounding" or "acting" like Gen Z-ers; it must be a Gen Z infl uencer or agency speaking directly to Gen Z-ers. You know, keeping it real. NOT YOUR DAD'S WAY Social media advertising is where it's at right now. Google, for example, will place ads alongside the content people read online that appears to be relative to their past viewing habits. It's not ideal on a shared computer, but Gen Z-ers generally view content on their own smartphones and other personal devices. It's important to know that marketing on TikTok is not the same as marketing on YouTube, and marketing on either of those platforms is not the same as marketing on Instagram. You will need to create social-media-platform-specifi c ways to market your products and your business. Unless you know how to do this—possibly utilizing a burgeoning Gen Z marketer in your family or employ—you would be best served by leaving such programs to a professional agency. is generation knows when a company's main goal is to make as much money as it can—and it doesn't care for those brands. ey want to know what the brand stands for. We are loathe to suggest broadcasting your politics to provide proof that you care about the environment as a way to gain trust, for example, but your marketing messages cannot be just lip service. Gen Z wants to know what exactly you are doing for the environment, for instance. In a fl ower shop, that could include touting your sustainability initiatives, such as buying "local"; recycling (packaging, containers, etc.); using biodegradable fl ower foams and/ or adopting foam-free arrangement techniques; using only natural or biodegradable (non-plastic or petroleum based) containers and packaging materials; using electric delivery vehicles or delivery pools, to reduce fuel consumption; and so on. Because one marketing medium does not fi t all platforms, and because Gen Z is more diverse racially and ethnically, single-focus messaging is typically less appropriate and eff ective. You need to determine how to use data in such a way as to communicate with the various segments within Generation Z. at may mean having to fi nd common ground with all the Gen Z segments and catering to their core tenets, characteristics, values and morals (see sidebar on the opposite page). Generation Z believes that companies play a role in defi ning our society. Although it's 51 years old, Coca-Cola's "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" TV commercial is a perfect example. Love, peace, harmony, environment, etc. e Coca-Cola Company even donated the fi rst $80,000 in royalties earned from the song by writers and publishers to UNICEF, under an agreement with the writers. at, my friends, means looking at your brand and your products and presenting them in a way that appeals to Gen Z. You may sell beautiful fl owers and plants, but using their language, establishing a brand they can trust, using a social infl uencer voice, and creating a program they can spot on specifi c social media platforms will propel your products and company into the eyesight of the typical Gen Z consumer. For Gen Z, brands must demonstrate clear values and a clear mission; be authentic, transparent and accountable (keeping it real!); be entertaining; maintain the brand's personality; and build an online social media community. With social media at their fi ngertips, Gen Z is a savvy bunch. ey expect sellers/brands to earn their trust and to believe in the products they off er and their purpose. Gen Z is values- conscious; loves bold personalities; and loves belonging to a community, even if it is via a social media platform. A tough market to crack? You betcha. ey have lofty expectations of the brands seeking their money. On the whole, marketing to Gen Z is a refreshing change of pace, but make sure your ideals line up to theirs. And if you need any fi nal impetus to target this demographic, consider that "the cohort has $360 billion in disposable income, more than double an estimate from three years ago," according to Bloomberg, in November 2021 report.

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