How Gen-Z is Changing Brand Storytelling

Are you part of Gen Z? If you were born between 1996 and 2010, not only are you part of “Generation Z” but you’re actively changing how brands tell their story and promote their visual identity. 

This generation care about authenticity, relationships and communication; all of which will (or should!) impact how you tell your brands story. 

Why? Keep reading to find out how your branding choices, methods of storytelling and authenticity matter. As a business owner, how can you share your brands story with Gen Z?

In this article we share three key methods and themes for storytelling. 

3 methods of storytelling for Generation Z

As Gen Z are changing the storytelling landscape, we find these three methods are key to brand and marketing success. 

Short Form Video Content

Using short form video content such as Facebook Reels and TikTok is a fantastic way to share your message to Gen Z. These short form videos are ideal for the busy Gen Z generation to learn, share and engage with quickly. According to the IAB UK’s research, Gen Z have an attention span of at least 4 seconds less than their Millenial elders. 8 seconds is all you have to gain and keep the attention of anyone who is a Gen Z-er. Short form video content caters to this perfectly, and is an ideal way for your brand to show its creativity and  to show that you understand your audience.

Live Interaction

Live video options through Youtube, Twitch, TikTok and Facebook are here to stay for Gen Z, and with good reason! Live videos help brands to create community through live collaboration and engagement. Building meaningful connections through an interactive experience, is an ideal way to secure the engagement and trust of Gen Z. You can use these tools to show what matters to your brand, share your brands story and create a visual identity that Gen Z not only care about, but want to promote.

Branding

Why is brand consistency so important? Not only does brand consistency help to build brand awareness and following (which is good for any generation!) but for Gen Z, it is absolutely vital. This generation are the first digital natives, they have been seeing adverts and marketing campaigns their whole lives and as a result is hyper aware of poor or unethical business practices.

If we had to sum it up here at nooh Studio, we would say three things about your branding for Gen Z. Be ethical, be open and be engaging! Lets focus on all three in more detail, especially engaging.

Ethical

Integrity and having core values as a business matters to Gen Z. What does your business stand for? Who do you support and why? These questions all matter to this generation and must be clear in your brand’s marketing and storytelling. Gen Z want to know that they’re supporting ethical companies. Gen Z have been the first generation to see the backlash and cancel culture that is now associated with unethical business practices. Share your brand’s story by being truthful about your brand's history and through supporting worthwhile causes that are important to your business.

Open

No one likes to feel like they are being sold to, most of all Gen Z. These adults have lived their whole childhood’s seeing first hand, the rise of the internet and therefore of internet sales marketing. Gen Z can spot advertisements faster than their Gen X parents, and needs to be persuaded openly, rather than being sold at. Direct, forceful or intense marketing campaigns will send Gen Z in the opposite direction.  Don’t lead with a sales pitch, instead, show how you can support them, their community and causes that they care about.

Engaging

A new generation means a new way of marketing, and this is certainly the case for Gen Z! Ofcom reported in their 2023 news consumption report that 10% of the whole of the UK population now use TikTok as news outlet (a 9% increase from 2020!).  No longer are people turning on the TV, or even going to their favourite news providers website to keep up with current events. With 71% of 16-24 year olds, exclusively using social media channels for their news channel. Young adults are turning toward short form video and social media to find out what is happening in the world. 

All of this tells us that it’s time for brands to use new and innovative ways of communicating with Gen Z to share their story. Promoting to Gen Z has to involve content not only that they care about, but also that they can be involved in, and learn from quickly.

So how are you going to tell your brand story better to the younger generations? Next month we’ll be launching multiple gen-z projects here at nooh, so sign-up to our newsletter to be the first to read all about our process.