How to market to Gen Z is one of the biggest challenges brands face today. As the first truly digital generation, Gen Z is redefining how people engage with content, make purchases, and express brand loyalty. Born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, this group values authenticity, creativity, and social impact more than any other demographic; reshaping marketing as we know it.
As consumers, Gen Z is highly influenced by what they see online. As professionals, they already make up a quarter of today’s workforce, with growing influence over purchasing decisions and workplace standards. For brands, ignoring Gen Z means ignoring a demographic that is both shaping culture and driving market trends.
Why Learning How to Market to Gen Z Matters in 2025
Gen Z isn’t just another consumer group; they’re a force that’s reshaping the marketplace. Their spending power is rising quickly, giving them more influence over industries and brands than ever before. At the same time, they’re selective: Gen Z values authenticity, transparency, and social responsibility. They’re more likely to support brands that align with their values and walk away from those that don’t.
This presents both an opportunity and a challenge. Companies that lean into sustainability, inclusivity, and genuine storytelling can thrive. But businesses that rely on superficial or purely profit-driven campaigns risk being called out or ignored.
Authenticity Is the Key to How to Market to Gen Z
Forging authentic connections is critical. Gen Z wants to know the story behind a brand, not just the products. They respond to narratives that highlight human experiences, sustainability efforts, or diversity and inclusion initiatives.
When it comes to marketing tactics, user-generated content (UGC) and influencer recommendations hold huge sway. This generation trusts what real people have to say. A peer review, a TikTok unboxing, or an influencer they follow showcasing a product often carries more weight than a traditional ad. In fact, research shows Gen Z considers familiar labels important, with 58% saying brand recognition influences their purchase decisions.
The Role of PR in Reaching Gen Z
Traditional PR alone won’t cut it for this demographic. While mainstream media still plays a role, it’s through social platforms that Gen Z consumes, shares, and amplifies stories. PR efforts targeting this audience need to prioritize social media, influencer partnerships, and creative campaigns built for mobile-first audiences.
Balancing Values and Value
While Gen Z is socially conscious, they are also highly pragmatic. Price and value matter. Surveys indicate that 62% prefer buying clothes on sale. This means that while purpose-driven branding is essential, companies shouldn’t lose sight of highlighting cost savings, value, or utility in their messaging.
How Can Brands Effectively Connect with Gen Z in 2025?
In 2025, Gen Z stands at the center of cultural influence and economic power. Born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, this generation is reshaping how brands think about marketing, communication, and engagement. They are digital natives, hyper-aware of inauthenticity, and driven by values that go beyond consumption. Connecting with Gen Z requires more than catchy campaigns, it demands a fundamental shift in how brands build trust, deliver value, and create impact.
Unlike millennials or Gen X, Gen Z approaches brands with higher expectations. They want companies to be transparent, socially conscious, and digitally seamless, while also entertaining and useful. To engage this generation effectively in 2025, brands need to master several key strategies.
1. Authenticity Is Non-Negotiable
For Gen Z, authenticity is not a buzzword, it’s a baseline requirement. They can quickly detect insincerity and are skeptical of overly polished campaigns. Instead of celebrity endorsements that feel staged, they prefer real people: relatable creators, employees sharing genuine experiences, or even customers posting unscripted product reviews.
Brands that thrive are those that “walk the talk.” If you claim to be sustainable, your supply chain should reflect it. If you promote diversity, your hiring practices should prove it. Gen Z respects brands that are consistent in both messaging and action. This is why user-generated content (UGC) resonates deeply, it feels raw, unfiltered, and trustworthy.
2. Meet Them on Their Platforms
Gen Z doesn’t just use social media, they live on it. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are where they discover products, explore culture, and make purchase decisions. Unlike traditional advertising, the content they consume here is participatory. They don’t want to be passive observers; they want to remix, react, and co-create.
Brands must shift from one-way promotion to two-way conversations. Engaging with comments, running interactive polls, and encouraging creative challenges are powerful ways to build rapport. In 2025, the most successful brands will integrate themselves into Gen Z’s online culture rather than trying to force traditional marketing tactics into these spaces.
3. Design for Short Attention Spans
With endless content competing for their focus, Gen Z has developed a sharp filter for relevance. Brands have only a few seconds to grab attention, which means visuals, hooks, and value delivery must be immediate.
This doesn’t mean Gen Z won’t engage with long-form content, they will, but only if it feels rewarding. A quick TikTok that sparks curiosity can lead them to a deeper YouTube video or even a brand’s blog. The key is designing layered storytelling: short, snackable content that pulls them in, and longer, meaningful content that keeps them engaged.
4. Prioritize Mobile Experience
For Gen Z, the smartphone isn’t just a device; it’s the gateway to their world. Every interaction, whether shopping, learning, or socializing, happens on the small screen. If a brand’s website isn’t optimized for mobile, or if checkout takes too many steps, Gen Z will move on instantly.
Mobile-first design in 2025 means:
- Seamless navigation with minimal friction.
- Fast-loading pages to match their shorter attention span.
- Integrated payment options like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or digital wallets.
- Vertical-first content tailored to mobile consumption.
Brands that treat mobile as the primary (not secondary) touchpoint will capture Gen Z’s loyalty.
5. Stand for Something Meaningful
Gen Z gravitates toward purpose-driven brands. This means values must be embedded in the DNA of the brand, not just slapped on as a marketing campaign. A mental health initiative, for example, should be backed by real workplace policies and community support, not just hashtags.
When done right, purpose-driven branding doesn’t just earn Gen Z’s trust; it transforms them into advocates who amplify your message organically.
6. Embrace Social Commerce
For Gen Z, shopping and social media are intertwined. Platforms now act as digital marketplaces where browsing and buying happen in the same space. TikTok Shop, Instagram Checkout, and even livestream shopping are redefining e-commerce.
Social commerce thrives on immediacy, seeing a creator use a product, clicking a link, and making a purchase within seconds. Brands that streamline this process, making the path from discovery to checkout frictionless, will win big in 2025.
7. Offer Sustainability Options
Environmental consciousness is a defining value of Gen Z. They care deeply about the climate crisis, waste reduction, and ethical production. Brands that ignore sustainability risk alienating this generation entirely.
Offering options like circular economy models, resale markets, or eco-friendly packaging can make a tangible difference. Gen Z doesn’t just want to buy a product; they want to know its afterlife. Companies that design with sustainability in mind will appeal to both their values and their wallets.
Measuring Success with Gen Z
The good news for brands is that Gen Z is vocal. They readily share opinions online, participate in polls, and engage with interactive campaigns. Social platforms like TikTok and Instagram also provide rich analytics that allow brands to measure what resonates, from popular products to price sensitivity.
Engagement tactics such as referral bonuses, contests, or exclusive discounts not only drive participation but also help companies collect valuable feedback and customer insights.
Kespero in a Gen-Z Market
Gen Z is not just another target audience; they are a generation setting new rules for brand communication, consumption, and corporate culture. To win them over, brands must balance authenticity with value, embrace digital-first PR, and focus on building communities rather than running one-off campaigns.
The brands that will thrive with Gen Z in 2025 are those that see them not just as consumers but as individuals navigating a complex digital ecosystem. They value authenticity, demand transparency, and reward brands that meet them where they are while standing for something bigger than profit.
We help brands achieve exactly this, from leveraging user-generated content for growth, to designing integrated PR campaigns, to crafting data-driven content strategies that resonate with Gen Z’s values and habits. Our solutions are built to help businesses connect authentically, stay relevant, and grow sustainably in a Gen Z–shaped marketplace.
