Best PR Practices for Reaching Gen Z

By Danielle Gober, Account Strategist – Otter PR

Adults born between 1997 and 2010 have been commonly defined as “Generation Z,” also called “Gen Z” or “Zoomers.” While no generation is homogenous, this generation has become renowned for its own distinctive characteristics. 

With this in mind, public relations, marketing, and other communications professionals who want to reach this emerging population must keep their values and preferences in mind to be effective.

Characteristics of Gen Z

Gen Z tends to adopt progressive ideologies and politics. According to a report from McKinsey & Company, this generation cares deeply about environmental sustainability, diversity, equality, and inclusivity. This is in part because they grew up in an era of escalating climate change, economic volatility, and the collective trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Similarly, Gen Z values Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). According to studies, over 90 percent of Zoomers say they feel strongly about businesses’ ethics. They also hold businesses accountable, watching what companies are doing to abate climate change and close wage gaps, even going so far to track where companies send their political donations, gauging whether these contributions are in alignment with their values.

Does that sound like a lot of work? Gen Z is willing to do it.

Gen Z does their homework

Members of Gen Z have never known a world without the Internet, and most of them grew up with smartphones and social media. They are also the first generation to have search engines on their person nearly at all times, so they’re quick to whip out their phones to verify or falsify companies’ claims. The intent here isn’t malicious — Gen Z just expects business marketing messages to be backed up in reality and will point out any inconsistencies they find.

To connect with members of this generation, communications professionals should keep it real and refrain from making overblown or misleading claims. A recent survey has found that 88 percent of Gen Z don’t believe corporations’ environmental or other CSR claims, so be prepared to build trust by matching your messaging with actions as well.

Gen Z values a level playing field

Since Gen Z values diversity, equality, and inclusion, brands that rely on outdated messaging can quickly find themselves in trouble. Marketing that deploys stereotypes can be expected to generate protest and damage to the business’s reputation.

In particular, Gen Z women aren’t shy about calling companies or people out for misogynistic or sexist depictions. For example, when musician Joe Jonas and actress Sofie Turner broke up, backlash was quick to ensue when Jonas’s team tried to smear Turner as a bad mother. Gen Z social media users circulated videos that showed Turner’s commitment to her kids, which forced Jonas to disavow his team’s previous stance.

Similarly, Gen Z is largely averse to nepotism. If you are representing a millionaire who comes from a wealthy background, it would be mistaken to portray them as self-made. 

Make Gen Z into your loyal customers

Gen Z is the future, so learning their values and preferences positions brands best to build relationships with this up-and-coming market. Be a force for good and fairness in the world, and they will become your loyal customers.

— Danielle Gober, Account Strategist at Otter PR, is an Orlando native and a graduate of Rollins College, where she earned her Bachelor’s in communication and public relations. She loves connecting with people and believes interpersonal communication is the best way to accomplish anything successfully. She loves creative writing, finding ways to make her fashion obsession more sustainable, and learning new public relations strategies. Gober’s work has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Forbes, Better Homes and Gardens, and CNN Underscored.