How to Actually Market to Gen Z

20s Takeover: How to Actually Market to Gen Z
We’re the generation with the most spending power in history—so why are brands still marketing like it’s 2012?

In this episode of The Spark , Gen Z account managers Noelle and Bailey step in to break down what actually works when marketing to their peers. From why traditional marketing misses the mark to how TikTok and Instagram became search engines, they cover the habits, preferences, and platforms that matter to Gen Z—and what makes us scroll right past your brand.

🎯 Why Gen Z doesn’t care about polished ads
📱 How TikTok Shops and influencer-style content drive buying decisions
🔥 Real talk on what makes marketing stick (spoiler: it’s not Google)
💡 Campaigns that nailed it—and why authenticity always wins

Want to reach Gen Z? Start by listening to them.

🔎 Get a free Feed Audit: frontburnermarketing.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

We're the generation with the most spending power in history. So why are companies still marketing like it's 2012? It's a 20s takeover on the Spark Podcast. Hi, I'm Noelle. I am a project manager and account manager at Frontburner. I am a fellow Gen Z, 25 years old, and I went to Kent State University. And I'm here with Bailey Kane.

SPEAKER_00 0:28

Hi, I am Bailey Kane. I'm 24. I went to Ohio University and I am an account manager. Perfect.

SPEAKER_01 0:35

So the reason why we're doing a 20s takeover is Jay and Kendra were looking at our marketing. They wanted to do something a little bit different with our social media. So they challenged Bailey and I to kind of take full reign of our social media and see what we can do to kind of spice it up a little bit. So we're going off-road completely from what we normally do historically, which includes uh short form video, some just more like casual, um casual marketing, and then this podcast. So that's why we're here today. And when tasked on what topic we should talk to, I think being the youngest in the room, we were concerned with what we can talk about and what we can speak to uh confidently. But when we discussed more about how to market towards Gen Z, which is notoriously the hardest uh demographic to lock down, um we thought this is perfect. We can speak to that. So today we really want to go through how Gen Z communicates and how brands can uh kind of like engage an impact with this hard to lock down demographic. Absolutely. So um, and another aspect of that is traditional marketing doesn't work the same way that it typically would for other demographics and other um other target markets. So for Gen Z, you wouldn't use Google as your primary search engine. Like the the textbook marketing that seems to be in strategies and a lot of these other companies just don't seem to be resonating with the with the demographic and with the the target market that we are as Gen Z. Um so before we get into it, I kind of want to know a little bit more, Bailey. Can you enlighten everyone on who is Gen Z?

SPEAKER_00 2:20

Yeah. So Gen Z is anyone that was born between 1997 and 2012. So that's a big age gap. That's 13 to 28, 15-year difference, um, a lot of different variations of people, what they like, things like that. Um, big age gaps. So um this generation also grew up with smartphones, social media, um, and a lot of rapid change. They can adapt to things like uh easier. Um they're also digital natives. So this is something that we grew up with. We're very common and know a lot about social media. We know a lot about Google. That's all something really easy for us to understand.

SPEAKER_01 2:57

I think I can speak for both of us when I say that our generation's chronically online.

SPEAKER_02 3:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 3:03

Uh we when we were prepping for this podcast, we did do a little deep dive into what our screen time was. Yeah. Um, all out mine. Mine was seven hours a day. Granted, I do do some work on work on my phone. Yeah. But um, I can speak for our entire generation when I say that we're chronically online. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:23

Absolutely. And we're also very like socially aware of things that are going on. We pay attention to the brands really well. Um, we kind of know what we like and what we don't like. Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_01 3:33

So then why would Gen Z, what makes Gen Z a really good market to target in like in your marketing strategy?

SPEAKER_00 3:43

Yeah. Um, so this generation has a massive influence. Um, a few stats we found when prepping for this was that um Gen Z has about $12 trillion in purchasing power. That's a huge number. Yeah, there's a lot that you can do with that and a lot you could be missing out on if you're not really uh capturing that audience like you're trying to, if that is your goal. Right. Um, another stat was that Gen Z makes up about 40% of global consumers. That's almost half of global consumers right there. Yeah. So uh you're really wanting to make sure that you capture that brand and making sure you're communicating to them the correct way, if that's something that you're really trying to capture that audience. And then the last stat we found was that um Gen Z has about $360 billion in disposable income. That stat made me.

SPEAKER_01 4:30

It was like, I don't feel like we have, I don't feel like we have that much. No, it does not feel that way. But um, but that just goes to show you how important it is to it, if it's your goal to target this market, it's huge. Yeah, and if you're not doing it right, you're missing out. Absolutely. And so that goes into where to find them. Um, so TikTok is obviously uh uh one of the largest platforms that you can find us on. I think that's no secret. Um, but also Instagram is huge. Um and if I if I have to think about all of the other platforms, I think those are the main.

SPEAKER_00 5:09

Yeah, I would agree.

SPEAKER_01 5:10

Um for TikTok and Instagram, like something that they have in common that's more new, especially for TikTok, is the shopping aspect. Instagram, it's been around for a while. I've been more used to it. Where if I get a sponsored ad or if I get you know like a sponsored post, there's that shop now ribbon at the bottom, and I could go get a coach per or whatever it is, and I get it directly from TikTok shop's newer, so I granted when it first came out, I think we were all a little skeptical. Oh, for sure. Really sketched out to know what it was about. But it's blown up. Yeah. And um, I've used it myself. I know friends that have used it. Yeah. Even my mom's used it. Not the same demographic, but like it's it's it's it's completely just jumped off. Like it is, it is something that every brand who is is selling needs to be focusing on. Yes. Um, and so when we were looking through this, it was like 40, 43% of Gen Z's searches are through um through social media for purchases. So they're searching for purchases through social media. Um, and then with that, that's why you can use tools like Feedonomics, which we partnered with, um, where you can optimize your feed like listings and your product listings, yeah. Um, all in one platform, but it just helps you to optimize and like and reach the specific person you're trying to get to, depending on the platform. Sometimes it's women, like statistically for a specific TikTok, or if it's um Amazon would be more toward men, it like totally goes through everything um and optimizes that. Yeah. Um, but then going into like searches, like we use it as a search engine. Yeah. So I'm using TikTok to find out a restaurant that I want to go to.

SPEAKER_00 6:55

Exactly. We're not using Google like that anymore. If I want to find something, I'm gonna go onto TikTok or Instagram. I want to see new places in Cleveland to eat food, something like that. It's gonna be on TikTok. I'm not searching Google for that anymore.

SPEAKER_01 7:06

Right. It just goes, it goes along with the theme of when we're talking about marketing strategy, it's like meet them where they are. Yes. We're not on Google, we're not, we're not using Google or thinking of Google, maybe the same ways that marketers before us have thought about Google. Right. Um, so that's the whole point in in meeting us where we are, and along with that, since we are on TikTok and Instagram, yeah. Like how how how do we reach each other on or like how how do you reach them, engage them on that platform?

SPEAKER_02 7:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:39

Um, and that's all through like a conversational tone, like we discussed. Like uh when we're talking about like reaching someone, it's the it's the show, not tell. Yes. It's the meeting them where they are and and coming off in a very, in a very casual, not salesy tone.

SPEAKER_00 7:56

Would you agree? Absolutely. When I'm watching like get ready with me videos, I want to see why the product works. I want to see why this makeup product is so great. I don't want you to just tell me, hey, this is a great product, you should buy it. No, I want to see it. I want you to show me that, you know, this is really as great as I'm saying it is. I don't want you to just tell me that.

SPEAKER_01 8:15

Like when I when I see a TikTok video on my for you page, and in the first five seconds of me watching that video, if it seems like an ad and you're trying to sell to me, I'm scrolling.

SPEAKER_00 8:25

Yeah, no.

SPEAKER_01 8:26

And because TikTok is such a like a short lifespan for your video, it's if if it's not an advertisement or a sponsored post, I'm not gonna see that video anymore after I scroll. It is completely, it is out of my mind. Yeah. So when you when you're trying to when you're trying to lock in Gen Z, you need to be, you need to be engaging and not telling me what I should be what I should be looking at or what I should be buying. Like show me. I think that's where influence influencer marketing is huge. Like uh it's or even the type of videos that are like influencer marketing, but it's not a real influencer, it's just someone. Yeah. It's someone and it's a sponsored or or uh and like an advertisement on my for you page. Yeah. But because of the style and the way it is, and you approach me in a more softer tone, I'm more likely.

SPEAKER_00 9:17

It feels more genuine, more authentic coming that way rather than the brand just coming up and posting an ad on your feed. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 9:24

And authenticity, I think, is something that Jay and Kendra talk about a lot in their podcast episodes. And it's a theme that I think goes across many aspects of marketing. But in this case, it reigns true. Be authentic to you are as like a brand. And I'm gonna be more attracted to that than if you were to just like talk at me. I'm not listening, I'm not resonating with that message.

SPEAKER_00 9:47

Okay, so let's talk about that a little bit more.

SPEAKER_01 9:49

What really sticks with us then? What sticks with us? So, like I was saying, show us, don't tell us. And when we're coming up, I have three really good examples, and I'll I'll go through them quickly, I promise. But the when I was thinking about the three examples that that really hone in what we've been talking about were Walmart, Rascals Diapers. Hang on. Rascals Diapers, and and um a local, a local car dealership, actually. Not local to us, but just like a small town local car dealership. Yeah. So Walmart came out. If you guys haven't seen what I'm talking about, I implore you to watch. Um Walmart came out with this, I think it was Black Friday. It was an advertisement with Jake Shane. Oh, love Jake Shane. If you know who Jake Shane is, he is an influencer on TikTok primarily. Um his handle is Octopus Lover. And he it's like he he was he's the perfect person to bring into this, uh, into this advertisement to get us to watch. He's a fun personality. Um, Jake Shane is the main character in this, and he is an intern for Walmart. Okay. And while like Walmart, they were the whole thing, it was very meta. The whole thing was to talk about them creating, it's the process of them making an advertisement for their campaign or for their their deal that they were running. Yeah. So you know, you know the offer that they're giving you, but it's not in your face, it's just a part of the story.

SPEAKER_00 11:20

Yeah, very different, kind of feels like you're behind the scenes with them as they're creating the actual ad.

SPEAKER_01 11:24

And so you feel and it feels like you're watching a show. It feels like an episode, it feels very casual and it was entertaining to watch. Granted, they had a ton of faces in this. So like they did no, every celebrity was in this, no, no expense was spared. Um, but the whole point is is that it was it was a soft approach. Um, and then that Rascals like that too. So Rascals Diapers, why it's on my preview page, I don't know. But Rascals Diapers, they have been going on for months. Like this is this is a campaign that has been going on for at least at least three months, if not more. Okay. And theirs is more of like it is like a reality show style, and it's called Rascals Office, and there's episodes. So there's a recap in the beginning of the ad and then it goes through. Yeah. And it's all for this big launch that they're gonna do. Um, but it's more like it has cutaways, it has like it has like a dance scene in it. There's all these different things, but it's that whole purpose of like it's it's a it's an episode. You know that there's like there's some there's like a big launch that they're getting to, and what they're getting to is like a new product.

SPEAKER_00 12:33

Yeah, it kind of keeps you on the edge of your seat.

SPEAKER_01 12:35

You want to know what it's gonna be. And I've waiting for the next episode. Exactly. I've been going back to the Rascals page. I don't have a baby, nor do I need diapers personally, but I'm going back to look at these because it's in it's great marketing. Yeah. And then whenever I do need diapers in my life, children, whatever in the future, Rascals is the place I'm going because they have resonated me so thoroughly. I don't even remember the other diaper names anymore.

SPEAKER_00 13:00

Right.

SPEAKER_01 13:00

It's competing with those big names that maybe And they are a smaller, they're a smaller company, like pampers, huggies, stuff like that. Yes. So they are they their advertising, it really is focused, I think, towards like the younger parent, maybe, which is why I'm in this demographic. But it's hitting me, it's hitting home like so well. All of the advertisements. And then so those two clearly have a bigger budget. Yeah. Like they they are bigger companies, so they're there's a production behind it. Yep, definitely. But Montauk Chevy, if you've seen on TikTok, they are they did it all organically. They didn't, they didn't advertise, they didn't do any TikTok ads, they didn't do any sponsored posts. This is all organic. And the whole premise of it, their TikTok or their marketing girl is like our age. Like she's in her 20s. Wow. And it sounds like she kind of maybe had a a small team, if not just her. And what she would do is she, it's like the the show, The Office. It's completely that style. Oh, love that. So it's like she's she's talking into the camera, there's a lot of dry humor, and then it cuts away to her doing something in the office. Um, she always plugs in their their uh their cars and like maybe their offerings. So like a 2025 model, she'll like do like advertisement, but it's all like kind of behind the scenes. Again, there was no there was no money put behind it to get this launch, to get this out. And they grew to like 160,000 plus followers. Wow. Which is insane.

SPEAKER_00 14:34

That's a lot for a small little dealership, a local dealership.

SPEAKER_01 14:37

Think of your think of like your local Chevy dealership. Like this is them, like it wasn't anything big, and they like grew to the point where like corporate, corporate Chevy, yeah, got in on it and they did episodes together, corporate and like Chevy Montauk with like this this girl, our age. And in the show, like in these like TikToks, she gets a job at corporate. But I believe in real life, she also got a job at corporate because of just like her her interesting approach to like like no other, no other car dealership was doing that.

SPEAKER_00 15:14

Right. And it kind of shows you that when you try to connect with your audience, they were probably connecting with people Gen Z. They love to show the office. If you're making something similar to that, people are really gonna resonate with it, they're gonna stick. That's their hook. It's keeping them in.

SPEAKER_01 15:26

Exactly. So, like, that's like an amazing success story. Yeah. The whole point of this is just to be like, to be authentic, is to is to show me, don't tell me.

SPEAKER_00 15:40

Yeah, definitely. So um a common theme that we've seen with all three of these stories is that um you really want to be authentic, like you had just mentioned. Show me, don't tell me. Um, tell us why we should care. Or show us why we should care. I'm sorry, don't tell us why.

SPEAKER_01 15:56

Don't want to see it.

SPEAKER_00 15:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:58

No, I agree. I think I think if I could, if I could take away anything from this podcast, it would be to be authentic and to meet you where you are, meet us where we are. Don't tell me, don't tell me what to do, basically. Like I'll be stubborn. Don't tell me what to do. Don't tell me what to do. Just uh as Gen Z, we can we know where to find all the things. Yes, we're price sensitive, it's it's the age we are.

SPEAKER_02 16:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:26

But I know where to I know where to find all the comparisons. I know how to do all the things. I think maybe with like our parents' generation, they resonate more with that with that advertisement.

SPEAKER_00 16:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:34

My mom's a sucker for a TikTok ad. But if I I have all the things at my disposable, so like disposal, so don't tell me, don't tell me why. Show me why.

unknown 16:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:45

Make me relate to it. Yeah. I think that I think that sums it up. Yeah. So thank you for watching us. I hope we did well as during our 20s takeover. Um, and if you're interested in what we were talking about with feed enomics, um, to optimize your feed, uh your feed listings or your product listings. Um, we do have a free feed audit offer on our website so you know where to find it. Um, but other than that, I guess let us know how we did in the comments. Yeah. Do we do a good job?