How to be Authentic to Win Gen Z: 5 Lessons from Samsung

Most brands would describe themselves as authentic. But most young consumers would not. There's a clear gap between what brands and young consumers view as "authenticity" in a brand.

As young consumers are moving away from public commenting and into "private" engagement—through DMs or passive lurking—it has never been harder for brands to know if their message is actually landing.

At a recent exclusive event hosted by Pion, Germana Mitrani, the Affiliate Marketing Manager at Samsung, shared how the tech giant navigates these waters. Samsung’s strategy isn't about flashy, top-down messaging; it’s about hyper-relatability and strategic affordability with this overstimulated, budget-conscious generation.

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1. Authenticity Over "Influencers"

The era of the "celebrity influencer" is shifting. Gen Z often prefers seeing real people who mirror their own lifestyles. Germana highlighted Samsung’s shift toward a more democratic brand ambassador model, where followers count for less than genuine passion.

"Last year we launched a program where we give anyone with 1.5 K followers or more the chance to be a brand ambassador for Samsung... You don't need to be an influencer or a famous integrator. You can just be you." –Germana Mitrani, Affiliate Marketing Manager at Samsung

By empowering micro-influencers, Samsung bypasses the "robotic" feel of traditional influencer collaborations and enters the private social circles where Gen Z actually spends their time.

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2. The Power of "Stop-the-Scroll" Relatability

With the rise of content saturation and private engagement, a brand has only a fraction of a second to capture attention. Samsung found that high-gloss corporate assets often performed worse than content that looked like it belonged on a Gen Z feed.

To solve this, Samsung tested organic-style photo shoots featuring Gen Z models in vibrant locations (like a colorful Airbnb) against their standard key visuals. 

And what does that lead to? 

A 59% higher click-through rate (CTR) for the organic assets.

"People only stop the scroll when they see themselves in the ads."  –Germana Mitrani, Affiliate Marketing Manager at Samsung

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3. Solving the Premium vs. Discount Paradox

Many marketers fear that offering discounts will "dilute" a premium brand. 

However, Samsung treats affordability as a utility rather than a devaluation. By hosting a dedicated student website with discounts ranging from 10% to 30%, they capture the segment that wants the best tech but faces financial scrutiny.

Surprisingly, this doesn't lead to a "race to the bottom." Germana noted that when given the choice, young consumers still lean toward high-end products.

"People think that students buy budget products, but actually they always choose premium... most of the time when I look at my report, we sell budget phones and we sell premium phones, and students tend to choose premium."  –Germana Mitrani, Affiliate Marketing Manager at Samsung

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4. Create Cultural Moments, Not Just Campaigns

Paid ads are another tricky realm to dip your foot in with Gen Z. Ads often feel intrusive to this generation–especially when it comes to product placements in their favourite TV show or in a ‘Day in the life’ video from an influencer they love. If it’s noticeably an ad, it feels too forced, but when it’s subtle it feels 

But if anything the viral Katseye x GAP collaboration or the new Dr Pepper TikTok-inspired jingle has taught us, it’s that young people can fall in love with ads! And it can make them want to buy from your brand.

The key, as always, is timeliness and cultural relevance. 

Samsung’s Soho experiential takeover is a strong example. Instead of pushing transactional messaging, the brand created a space for Gen Z creators and students to engage, capture content, and win products.

“We weren’t asking anything for this. We just wanted people to engage.” –Germana Mitrani, Affiliate Marketing Manager at Samsung

That shift from selling to facilitating fuels organic sharing.

Experiential activations generate:

• Social content
  
  
• Influencer coverage
  
  
• Peer-to-peer distribution
  
  
• Earned media
  

All of which offset paid media reliance.

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5. Premium Still Wins If It Feels Different

UK 16-24 year olds have mastered portfolio thinking: shop premium when it matters, shop practical when it doesn’t. But here’s what makes the UK market distinct — the brands winning aren’t just budget or premium. 

They’ve created something new in the grey space between categories.

“Students tend to choose premium… and they also tend to choose something that is different.” –Germana Mitrani, Affiliate Marketing Manager at Samsung

Many marketers assume youth equals budget. Samsung’s data suggests otherwise.

Young consumers are price-sensitive, yes. But they’re also sensitive about building and showing their identity, whether that’s through distinctive clothes and hair, unique media consumption or trendy accessories. Devices like foldable phones become social signals. They’re conversation starters.

In an environment where ad costs are rising, distinctive products reduce the need for heavy persuasion.

Differentiation lowers performance pressure.

"Before there was this misconception that you need to fit in to be a cool... But now, Gen Z wants to stand out and be different and the campaigns that work the best for us are those campaigns with products that people are not very familiar with, that look different."  –Germana Mitrani, Affiliate Marketing Manager at Samsung

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Unlock the Full Top 100 Brands Insights

Samsung’s success is just one piece of the puzzle. 

How are brands like Greggs, Netflix, and KFC weaving themselves into the high-utility lives of young people? 

What can a global fashion giant learn from a local food-on-the-go service?

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