Gen Z Shoppers Have Arrived: Shopper Marketing just got more complex.

Generation Z (Gen Z), those born between 1997 and 2012, are now a significant and influential consumer group (15-25% of spend depending on category and country). Just like previous generations, Gen Z shoppers bring unique expectations and behaviours to the marketplace. Digital natives, they value authenticity, sustainability, personalization, and instant access. As this cohort's purchasing power grows, companies must rethink their path to purchase models to enable them to win Gen Z's shoppers.

1. Authenticity Over Everything: Build Trust Through Transparency

Gen Z consumers are highly skeptical of traditional advertising and marketing tactics. They value authenticity and transparency from brands and these need to be clearly communicated along the full shopper path to purchase.

- Influencer Partnerships: & collaborating with micro and nano-influencers—those who have a smaller but highly engaged following—can be more effective in reaching Gen Z than partnering with mega influencers. These smaller influencers are perceived as more authentic and relatable and can be brought into the path to purchase journey to drive credibility. Gone are the days of the mega stars of the campaigns of the past- sorry Gillette.

- Shopper/ Trade Communications (Retailer Media, POSM, Primary Shelf): should clearly call out product sourcing, ingredients and supply chain principles as well as stances on social issues, not just the brand claim or USP and it needs to be consistent across all material, transparent, checkable and sincere.

2. Offer Seamless and Convenient Shopping Experiences

Gen Z consumers are accustomed to convenience and speed in their shopping experiences. The Route to Market Model and path to purchase dynamic has shifted entirely, they routinely flit between online and offline, are mobile first for purchases and need 24/7 delivery options.

- Omnichannel Integration: Shopper marketeers need to ensure a cohesive end to end experience across all channels both in terms of ability to buy and deliver/ pick up but also in terms of synergy of message.

- Mobile-First Approach: With Gen Z predominantly shopping on their smartphones, mobile optimization is crucial. Brands need to ensure their websites are mobile-friendly, and true online shopper marketing principles are being adopted (online relevant promotions, easy to buy- 1 click purchases, right product information, ratings and reviews are visible and authentic)

3.        Personalisation in Product & Engagement in Community

These two can seem somewhat juxtaposed. Gen Z shoppers trust in the community, they engage in it online and more and more offline as they are beginning to reject some online spaces but at the same time they want something that is designed for them, not a mass product off the shelf, they are looking for something hidden and unique that is often recommended by the community that they trust.

- Products, Packaging & Primary Shelf: No longer is about the bigger the pack or the higher the share of shelf the better the stand out on shelf and therefore sales. Gen Z shoppers will traverse retailers, cities and countries to get the products or experiences. They need product portfolios that are relevant for them- right pack sizes, flavours, variants or tailored products, that suit their lifestyle and budget.

- Community Building: Brands can build online and offline communities that foster engagement. For instance, LEGO Ideas allows users to share their own designs and vote on new products, building a line of innovation that is community built and almost a guaranteed success.

It is absolutely critical to remember that Gen Z are not the only shoppers out there and whilst they form a large part and are growing today, shopper marketeers should not switch approaches entirely. Gen X (20-30%), Boomers (20%-30%)  and Millennials (30-40%) are still the vast majority of shoppers,  and whilst their ways of shopping are evolving, they often shop in different channels and in different ways and that is the crux of it.

Is it time that we build multiple path to purchase models and learn to invest more wisely against the relevant growth levers within those path to purchase models?

To be more effective is it time that we start to focus our investment on specific shopper/ consumer groups accepting that our brand will never appeal to all (nor should it) because at the end of the day all consumer purchases are equal in the war for profitable market share growth.

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