Decoding the Gen Z mindset: Hear from the experts

It’s freezing, Michael Buble is on repeat and you’ve already indulged in more than a couple of mince pies: Happy December!

However, before we mentally clock off for the festivities this month brings, it’s time to quickly revisit November…

In this blog, we share some top tips and insights from our recent webinar with content agency Little Dot Studios, featuring Neil Price, Head of TV and Film Content Partnerships at YouTube, James Loveridge, Director of Entertainment at Little Dot Studios, and Sandrah Nasimiyu, Gen Z panelist and Social Strategist.

“I engage more with brands on Instagram than on TikTok”

Panelist Sandrah shares that she’s likelier to engage with content creators than brands on TikTok, purely because TikTok feels like a “more authentic place to engage with creators” than Instagram does.

“It’s all about authenticity”

Well, James was certainly onto something here (did you know “authentic” has been labeled Miriam Webster’s word of the year?!).

This insight was shared when being questioned on how brands can leverage trends without giving Gen Z the ick.

James noted that he often checks in with his team of Gen Zers to check that the tone of a specific campaign is right – because if anyone’s going to say it straight, it’s this bunch…

“There’s an enormous amount of content – how can I be competitive and how can I connect?”

When asked how brands can work together to have a big impact on Gen Z, Neil shared that knowing your audience is everything.

Neil emphasizes that when brands come to him, he stresses a few questions: who is it you’re trying to reach? How big is that audience? What are your expectations?

“The beauty of social platforms is the versatility you can have with video content”

We got into the nitty gritty of why video is such a powerful tool to engage Gen Z.

James shared that there’s so much scope with video: you can make it thematic, seasonal, campaign-led: the world is your oyster.

“The power of video is in the ability to participate”

Adding to James’ point, Neil touched on the community-based aspect of video.

In the modern world, videos have become a focal hub for people to communicate: you’re able to duet, remix and participate in global trends in a way that wasn’t possible ten years ago.

“Whether it’s consuming or creating, Instagram carousels are a go!”

Panelist Sandrah notes how she enjoys consuming content via Instagram through carousels: whether that’s educational, or from a creator: and when it comes to her own content, one single photo just isn’t enough to cut it anymore…

In fact, she shares that she’s a big fan of the photo dump trend, noting that it “lets people engage with you a lot more.”

We’re eagerly awaiting the December drop…

You can catch up with the full webinar on-demand here.