By Jenny Foye
In today’s rapidly changing marketplace, Generation Z’s influence is hard to ignore. The generation born between the mid 1990s and early 2010s is the first to grow up in the digital world that is powered by the internet, social media, and smartphones. Platforms like TikTok have played a huge role in creativity and rapid content consumption. As brands are looking to engage with this group, they must evolve to meet the trends that Gen Z is consuming.
Authenticity is Key
Gen Z values authenticity over everything. In a recent report, “Roundel” examined Gen Z shopping behaviors and found that 73% of the age group prefers to buy from brands and retailers whose shopping experiences “inspire and delight”. This study also found that 73% of Gen Z watch influencer videos and even shop through influencer recommendation.
On the contrary, most users on platforms like TikTok do not want to to be directly advertised to. In fact, 56% of TikTok users feel closer to a brand that is publishing authentic and human content on the platform. Unlike previous generations, Gen Z values realness and relatability from brands rather than picture-perfect content. For brands, this means steering away from overly perfect marketing and embracing authenticity.
Embracing Relatable Humor and Brand Humanization
As a member of Gen Z, it is clear to me that Duolingo is actively engaging with the humor and trends of this generation. They are consistently keeping up with the rapidly changing trends on TikTok. For example, one of their most recent TikTok posts features their iconic mascot “Duo the Owl” doing the viral “Maps” dance. The song “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs has over 1 million posts. By participating in this trend, Duolingo demonstrates awareness of trends that resonate with Generation Z, promoting a sense of connection and relevance to them. Not only are they consistent with this type of humor in their posts, they are also constantly responding to the thousands of comments that they receive. A user commented under a video “My Duolingo streak ended at 108 so I just stopped”. Duolingo responded to this with “Ellee your dad and I are disappointed”. The humanization of the brand effectively communicates their brand’s message while appealing to a specific audience. Duolingo is not only enhancing its relatability, but is also building a community of users who value the brand’s authentic and fun approach to language learning.
Other Brands Hopping on the Bandwagon
While Duolingo is finding success in emphasizing authentic and relatable content, other brands are also approaching their social media marketing the same way. Wendy’s is a brand that has been catering to Generation Z for years now. They began using a strategy on Twitter (or X) where they were “roasting” people and even other brands. This was the perfect way to poke fun at their consumers and even their competitors. A user tweeted to Wendy’s, “What is Subway good at?” and Wendy’s responded with “underground transportation”. Wendy’s began throwing shade at other fast food restaurants in 2017, but they have not stopped here. Last month, Wendy’s began a new campaign on TikTok where they interviewed consumers of their competitor, McDonald’s. Consumers complained about how the ice cream machine at McDonald’s is constantly broken, which is a well known joke with Gen Z. Wendy’s took it upon themselves to have a truck with their branding on it along with the words “frosty fix” pull up to a McDonalds and serve their famous “frostys” right outside. The comments are filled with users obsessing over the pure chaos of this initiative that they have taken.
Concluding Thoughts
Gen Z has an amazing impact on today’s marketing trends. The power of using humor and authenticity within marketing to better target the younger generation is continuing to rise daily. Brands that can understand how to navigate humanization, relatability, and Gen Z’s unique and sometimes unhinged humor can successfully engage with this audience. In this case, humor is serving as a powerful tool and brands are seeing great success rates and even a sense of community within their following. TikTok and other social media platforms will continue to grow, and the brands that can keep up and adapt their marketing strategies to the rapid change in trends that we see happening everyday will thrive.
References
AMA University of New Hampshire 
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