Millennials are, smashed avocado with balsamic reduction eating, forever renting, debt machines that won’t move out of the house. Apparently though, the oldest Millennial according to some statistics agencies turned 37 this year. Millennials have grown up and are getting old. So, the new kids on the block (A millennial reference by the way) are those pesky Gen Z people.
GenZers, Post Millenials. Or as I read somewhere YouTube kids with perfect text fingers, mobile screen consumers. Born after 1997. The GenZrs are here and they’re a different. Unaware of the global fear and insecurity of 9/11, relatively unaffected by the global financial crisis of 2008. They casually identify a floppy disk as a 3D print of the save logo. They’re digitally savvy, self-aware and happy to create change in the world they see around them. They’ve had smartphones and google’s infinite information engine in their hands since they were teething. They expect things to get better and improve, embrace new technologies and are already past social media. They’ve been there and done that.
GenZers have already segmented their social media presence into specific uses, snapchat for social communication, Instagram for self-expression and curation and Facebook for the family. No need going through the awkward learning stages of myspace and Bebo, they’ve already figured out what social media is for.
The stuff they are into
- There is, even more, call for authenticity and social awareness.
- Their peers really are their tastemakers. Ask any young person who their favourite media presenter, content creator or celebrity is and chances are they will be a video game streamer, youtube star or instagram influencer.
- They’re not going to let Gen Xers or millennials pressure them into housing anxiety or debt avoidance, they’ve known the system and they’re going to play it their way.
Our customers, clients and decision makers
These are the customers and co-workers of the future and we need to learn more about them, as quickly as possible. Because they’re moving in, you probably have one in your office right now, or like have one at home just sitting there, biding their time, ready to take over the world from their mobile multi-tasking device.