Determining a ‘starting point’ for any behavioral change associated with the internet and new forms of communication is a rather unassertive task. After all, the digital universe is vast, with multiple layers and peculiarities, and there will always be room for ‘that was already being done before,’ even if this ‘before’ was, until then, little known. But we can say that, at least from 2010 onward, the consolidation of the meme concept and viralization on digital platforms has changed how large companies develop marketing strategies to attract young people’s attention. By then, much of the so-called Generation Z – typically referring to those born between 1997 and 2012 – was at the peak of adolescence or transitioning into that phase.
I repeat: was! But as incredible as it may seem, many people, including communication professionals and, more specifically, marketing professionals, still haven’t realized that this generation has grown up and become adults. The first wave of the zoomers, as they are also known, is already around 28 years old, many with children, professional responsibilities, and, in some cases, it’s fair to say even with some financial stability.
Despite this, we still see campaigns and initiatives that insist on treating Generation Z as ‘TikToker’ teenagers, cool and rebellious. Thus, we witness a myopia in communication plans that insist on reducing an entire generation, composed of millions and millions of people, to a single profile. It’s no wonder this generation has changed its consumption relationship with traditional brands. Representation is lacking.
Here, I’d like to propose a more efficient way for marketing teams and advertising agencies to work: avoid caricatures and stereotypes. Your brand’s true consumer is out on the streets, outside the office bubble. They’re on the bus heading to work, standing in festival lines, running in the park, paying bills at home, walking through malls, drinking beer at a bar. A brand’s real connection comes from a genuine connection with its customers. Forget the idea of connecting with an entire generation—look for subgroups and their needs. That’s where the answer lies.
The ‘Instagrammable’ must give way to genuine connection. The forced emoji and artificial slang from brands that still talk to the fictitious profile of Generation Z reflect their lack of depth and authenticity. In 2025, the marketing that will succeed is that which doesn’t assume but rather seeks to truly understand the human being on the other side of the screen. Someone made of flesh and blood, just like you and me, who has problems, dreams, aspirations, and desires.
Only in this way can brands go beyond clicks and likes and start generating genuine interest in their products.
(*) Pedro Campos is a marketing executive and consultant with over 15 years of experience in Brazil and Europe, and founder of End-to-End Marketing.
