Marketing to Gen Z: Everything You Need to Know (+ Examples)
Gen Z is nearly 30% of the global population and they’re not “the next audience.” They’re the audience. They grew up with infinite content, infinite choice, and a built-in BS detector for anything that smells like a traditional ad.
This changes the job. You’re not “running campaigns” at them. You’re earning a spot in their feed, which means you need to be mobile-first, video-first, and culturally fluent. Gen Z rewards brands that show receipts - values in action, not values in a footer.
TL;DR
- Marketing to Gen Z means reaching digital natives who live online, value authenticity, and expect purpose from brands.
- 95% of Gen Z teens own a smartphone and 97% go online daily.
- Gen Z buyers prioritize ethics, diversity, and sustainability.
- The best Gen Z campaigns are video-first, community-driven, and often built around user-generated content (UGC).
- Winning tactics include short-form storytelling, creator collaborations, second-screen engagement, and transparent social commerce.
If you want a practical shortcut: treat your content like a creator would. Or use a tool like EzUGC to generate UGC-style ads fast, then iterate based on performance.
What Is Marketing to Gen Z?
Marketing to Gen Z is about authenticity, speed, and shared values, not traditional ads.
Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z grew up online. Entertainment, community, and commerce are all mashed together in the same swipe. They don’t “go online” - they live there.
The stats make the point: 95% of teens have smartphone access and 97% go online daily, with nearly half “almost constantly.” That’s why slow intros and glossy brand voice get punished. They scroll.
Also: values are table stakes. **86% of Gen Z expect brands to take social or environmental stands.** They don’t want a statement. They want proof - product decisions, partnerships, hiring, supply chain, whatever you control.
Where Gen Z Actually Spends Time Online
Gen Z expects you to show up where they already are. Not where your brand deck says you “should” be.
Here’s the platform reality for U.S. Gen Z teens:
| Platform | Share of U.S. Gen Z Teens Using | Primary Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube | ~93% | Learning, entertainment, product discovery |
| TikTok | ~63% | Short-form content, trends, social shopping |
| Snapchat | ~60% | Messaging, filters, private sharing |
| ~59% | Visual storytelling, influencer culture | |
| ~32% | Family and group interactions | |
| Reddit / Discord | Smaller share | Communities and discussions |
Source: Pew Research Center, 2025
Practical takeaway:
- YouTube is still the biggest surface area - and it’s not just “long form.” It’s search, learning, and product discovery.
- TikTok is the culture engine.
- Snapchat is private distribution.
- Reddit and Discord are where opinions get formed, debated, and locked in.
Generation Z vs. Millennials
Millennials helped build the modern internet. Gen Z inherited it fully formed - and they use it differently.
| Category | Millennials | Generation Z |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Behavior | Early adopters of social media and mobile shopping | True digital natives who blend entertainment, search, and commerce seamlessly, with 95% owning a smartphone and 97% online daily |
| Values | Favor purpose-driven, socially conscious brands | Expect brands to prove transparency, inclusion, and sustainability, with 86% saying companies should take social or environmental action |
| Ad Tolerance | Engage with ads reflecting experiences or aspirations | Highly skeptical of traditional advertising; prefer creator-led and user-generated content |
| Attention Pattern | Engage for roughly 12 seconds per ad on average | Scroll faster, valuing instant relevance over duration |
| Preferred Platforms | Facebook, Instagram, YouTube | TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat dominate, with Gen Z spending over 5 hours a day on social media |
| Buying Behavior | Brand loyalty shaped by lifestyle fit | Price- and purpose-driven; research products thoroughly before purchasing |
Supporting links from the original:
- 95% owning a smartphone and 97% online daily
- 86% saying companies should take social or environmental action
- over 5 hours a day on social media
- research products thoroughly before purchasing
Why marketing to Gen Z needs a different playbook
Gen Z treats brands like characters in their world. If you’re boring, you get written out. If you’re fake, you get clipped and reposted with a caption that ruins your week.
What works:
- Creator-led content that feels native to the platform
- UGC that looks like a real person made it because they did
- Values shown through action
- Fast iteration based on what’s actually performing
Examples of the Best Gen Z Marketing
You don’t learn Gen Z by reading theory. You learn by watching what spreads.
Levi’s: Buy Better, Wear Longer
Levi’s stayed relevant by tying brand legacy to Gen Z’s sustainability values.
Their Buy Better, Wear Longer campaign pushes conscious consumption and quality - keep clothes longer, reduce waste.
What makes it work is that it’s not just an ad. Levi’s backs it with circular denim initiatives and resale programs, so the sustainability message has operational support behind it. That maps to Deloitte’s findings about Gen Z prioritizing measurable impact.
- Why it works: It connects climate-conscious values with practical style. Sustainability is part of the identity, not a slogan.
Aerie: #AerieREAL
Aerie’s #AerieREAL is built around unretouched imagery and inclusive representation. Diverse body types. Customer photos. Confidence over perfection. It’s basically an ongoing community loop.
By 2024, #AerieREAL content had surpassed 10 billion views on TikTok (TikTok Creative Center, 2024). That’s what happens when UGC isn’t a tactic - it’s the product of the brand’s behavior.
- Why it works: Inclusivity isn’t a theme. It’s an ecosystem built on authenticity and user participation.
Duolingo: Duo the Owl
Duolingo turned its green mascot into a Gen Z character by acting like a creator, not a company.
On TikTok, Duo participates in trends, jokes about notifications, and responds with the kind of weird humor that feels native to the platform.
That approach helped Duolingo reach over 10 million TikTok followers by 2024 (Sprout Social, 2024).
- Why it works: They committed to a voice Gen Z recognizes. No corporate polish. Just consistent creator energy.
Spotify: Wrapped
Spotify Wrapped is personalization plus distribution built into one product moment. They turn your listening data into a story you want to share.
Started in 2016, Wrapped became one of the most popular annual social media campaigns, generating millions of shares and likes across TikTok, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and other platforms.
The receipts: the release of Spotify Wrapped drove 425 million Tweets in just three days at the end of 2022. People share stats like being in the top 1%, 0.5%, and 0.05% of listeners.
- Why it works: It turns data into identity and community, which drives Gen Z loyalty.
Best Practices for Marketing to Gen Z
Gen Z doesn’t need more ads. They need reasons to care.
Lead with values
Gen Z chooses brands that stand for something meaningful. They expect action - sustainability, inclusivity, fair treatment of people.
This only works if it’s consistent. If your values show up in one campaign and disappear in the product, they’ll notice.
- Tip: Values shouldn’t sit in your mission statement, they should appear in every campaign, caption, and product update.
Be genuine
Gen Z spots performative marketing instantly. They reward honesty, humor, and vulnerability over polished perfection.
Empty activism backfires fast. If your words and actions don’t match, your comment section will do the audit for you.
- Tip: Authenticity isn’t saying what Gen Z wants to hear. It’s showing who you really are.
Be entertaining
Entertainment is the entry point. Gen Z scrolls through fast-paced, funny, visually dynamic content that feels spontaneous.
Short-form video is the default format now. High production value matters less than pacing, clarity, and a strong first frame.
- Tip: Hook them in the first three seconds with emotion or entertainment.
Choose the right platforms
Gen Z’s world revolves around TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels. Snapchat still matters for messaging. YouTube still matters for long-form and discovery.
Don’t spread thin. Pick a few and get great at them. Then repurpose intelligently.
- Tip: Create for the platform first, then adapt. TikTok humor doesn’t translate 1:1 to YouTube.
Encourage conversations
Gen Z values community more than broadcasts. They want brands that reply, interact, and invite participation.
Polls, Q&As, comment threads, duets - these aren’t “engagement tactics.” They’re how you earn belonging.
- Tip: Treat every comment as a chance to co-create, not to correct.
Personalize the experience
Gen Z expects relevance without feeling watched. Personalization works when it’s useful and respectful.
AI and creative testing make it easier to personalize visuals, tone, and timing. The key is transparency - be clear about how data helps and how privacy is protected.
- Tip: Personalization builds trust only when it respects boundaries and adds value.
Social Media Tips and Strategies for Gen Z Marketing
“Post consistently” is table stakes. The feed is crowded. You need creative systems that produce volume and learn fast.
Creator partnerships that build trust
Gen Z trusts creators more than companies. Partner with influencers, customers, and employees who actually reflect your values, then let them speak in their own voice.
Smaller creators often outperform celebrities because the relationship feels like a friend, not a billboard.
- Tip: Choose partners for alignment, not audience size.
If you want to scale creator-style ads without the coordination tax, EzUGC is built for generating UGC-style video ads quickly, then iterating based on what’s working.
Video storytelling that hooks fast
You get seconds. Lead with motion, a question, a reaction, a pattern break. Then earn the right to mention the product.
Use lo-fi storytelling, strong pacing, trending sounds, and bold on-screen text. End with a payoff that feels satisfying.
- Tip: If the first frame wouldn’t stop your own thumb, re-shoot it.
Community and conversation as the new loyalty
Gen Z wants belonging. Brands grow faster when the audience helps shape the brand.
Do live Q&As. Run polls. Reply in comments in a human tone. Highlight fan posts. The goal is to make people feel seen.
- Tip: The most loyal Gen Z customers are the ones who help shape your next idea.
Social commerce that converts
Gen Z shops inside the apps where they hang out. Make discovery and checkout frictionless with shoppable videos, creator storefronts, and transparent pricing.
Show the product in use - demos, reactions, reviews. Clarity converts.
- Tip: Treat every post as part of the funnel.
Continuous experimentation
Trends move hourly, not quarterly. Test weekly. Measure hook rates and shares. Keep what works, kill what doesn’t.
Document learnings so you’re reacting to data, not opinions.
- Tip: Build a repeatable testing loop - launch, learn, adapt, repeat.
Measurement and Iteration Framework
Creativity wins attention. Data keeps it.
Use this framework to test and iterate fast:
| Step | Goal | What to Measure | How to Adapt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hypothesize | Define what your creative should achieve (awareness, engagement, conversions). | - | Write one clear goal per test. |
| 2. Launch | Release 3-5 content variations per theme. | Hook rate, 3-second hold, click-through rate. | Track which message or tone grabs attention fastest. |
| 3. Analyze | Review data within 48-72 hours. | Saves, shares, comments, completion rate. | Double down on content that sparks conversation. |
| 4. Iterate | Refine visuals, pacing, or tone based on what performed best. | ROAS, engagement rate, retention. | Drop weak creatives and remix top ones. |
| 5. Scale | Amplify what works through paid and creator partnerships. | Cost per engagement, conversion lift. | Repurpose proven ideas across platforms. |
The Bottom Line: Marketing to Gen Z in 2026
Gen Z redefined the rules because they control the distribution. They’re connected, creative, and selective. They choose brands that feel human and consistent.
The playbook is simple, but it’s not easy:
- Lead with purpose.
- Speak with authenticity.
- Entertain without pretending.
- Listen more than you promote.
If you’re building a Gen Z creative engine and want to produce more UGC-style variations without burning your team out, start with EzUGC and keep a tight testing loop. If pricing matters, it’s here: EzUGC pricing.