Marketing to Gen Z in the USA and Canada

A major component in comprehending Gen Z is the idea that this group cannot be merged into one; rather, Gen Z should be viewed as a mosaic of various colors and textures that come together to form a striking picture of originality.

We were able to assess the demographic makeup and characteristics of Gen Z by doing research with Wattpad's youth panel

Generation Wattpad, which included hundreds of Gen Zs. (For a more in-depth look, see the Gen Z Census: United States or Canada reports). Change is the one constant in our quickly changing world, and each new generation has its own set of expectations for how they want their story presented.

While it is encouraging to see the types of stories being told broaden and shift, Gen Z does not believe businesses are keeping pace.

For example, in terms of marketing representation, 47% of Gen Z in the United States reported feeling underrepresented. Yearning for in-depth and well-executed coverage of crucial themes such as sexual orientation, racial/ethnic identification, and gender expression, their identity is fluid, ever-changing, and unable to remain static. To really portray people, you must first comprehend who they are.

Summarizing Generation Z is a difficult task. While it is impossible to portray Gen Z with a single brush stroke, this generation appears to share some characteristics.

Sexuality

Gen Z was among the first generations to collectively dispute sexuality and gender categories, and they are also more fluid in their identities.

Unlike any other generation before them, nearly half of Generation Zers in the United States identify as LGBTQ+. Their sexual characteristics are as follows

Bisexual: 19%.

Questioning: 9 percent.

Straight/heterosexual: 52%.

Pansexual: 8%.

Asexual: 6%.

Lesbians: 4%.

Gay: 1%

Other/Prefer not to say: 1%.

Even if they do not identify as LGBTQ+, this generation has told us that they know people who identify with a variety of identities. For example, 47% of Generation Z know someone who identifies as transgender, 35% know someone who identifies as non-binary, and 32% know someone who is gender fluid.

Pronouns are also an important factor, with 43% of Gen Z knowing someone who uses gender-neutral pronouns like "they", "them", or "ze" and 5% choosing to use gender-neutral pronouns themselves. Given this, it's not surprise that they don't feel adequately represented in the media. After all, appropriately exposing transgender and gender nonconforming people is a relatively new concept.

To understand how Ben & Jerry's engaged the LGBTQ+ community on Wattpad, listen to Pressboard's The Science of Storytelling podcast.

Political stance

While it was once socially acceptable to avoid discussing politics at dinner, Generation Z is willing to engage politically across both the table and the timeline. Generation Z leans liberal, with 44% of Wattpad users identifying as "very liberal to moderately liberal," 42% as "centrists or no strong opinion," and 14% as "very conservative to moderately conservative."

Race

In recent years, there has been a lot of discussion on the necessity of understanding racism, microaggressions, and how those themes overlap with others. Half of Generation Z identifies as a minority, with the following race breakdown:

In terms of ethnicity, 16% are black, 6% are East Asian, 18% are Latinx/Hispanic, and 1% are Middle Eastern.

White/Caucasian: 50%; Native American/Indigenous: 5%.

South Asian: 3 percent

School and Work

If you've worked with Generation Z in the past, you may have seen how they're already transforming the face of the workplace. The oldest generation in this cohort has only recently entered the workforce, but they are bound to change it in the long run.

Gen Z has experienced enormous pressure from society, teachers, parents, classmates, and even themselves to thrive while also pursuing a solid employment. Despite the need for stability, 26% of Generation Z want to work for themselves as freelancers, where they can determine their schedule and work-life balance without the towering figure of a boss.

Teens are growing up and earning money in new ways than previous generations

In reality, many youngsters have decided to start their own businesses and earn their own money. While traditional data shows that the number of youths working part-time is decreasing, it does not account for the increase in those exploring entrepreneurial ambitions through self-employment.

We've all heard that the gig economy will rule the future of employment, yet many members of Generation Z believe that pursuing freelance work full-time is a career risk in terms of stability and durability. This, combined with societal pressure to have traditional careers, may push them to seek stable full-time work while pursuing their passions as a rewarding side business.

Nearly half (47%) of Generation Wattpad aspire to work in the arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media. Only 12% expressed hesitation about what they planned to pursue, indicating that the vast majority are confident in their future plans. Surprisingly, 12% stated they want to be influencers, a very new professional path. Morning Consult found that 54% of young Americans would consider becoming influencers if given the opportunity.

Social effect is the most important motivator for Gen Z's job; 29% indicated they want to make a difference by working for a company that actually cares. The least important? Power and influence were cited by only 3%. It appears that even among people who aspire to be influencers, more altruistic motivators are at work.