The GenZennial, an Influential Blend of Two Generations

 

Ketchum has expanded its audience insights offering with a new consumer group that the agency has identified and named GenZennial. This newly identified microgeneration bridges the Gen Z and millennial demographics.

Ketchum’s work on client campaigns targeting the well-studied Gen Z and millennial segments led to the realization that millennials born after 1992 and members of Gen Z born in 2000 have more in common with each other than with the upper or lower range of their respective demographics.

“Ketchum’s identification of the GenZennial cohort signals a shift in how we think about youth marketing,” said Angela Fernandez, senior vice president and leader of Ketchum’s Engaging Gen Z audience insights area. “We’re replacing two massive demographics defined by birth year with a smaller, narrower audience defined by a life stage and common mindset. This gives brands a far more effective way to reach them.”

Strategic about their social footprint and raised with a smartphone in hand, GenZennials are not just digital natives – they are data natives who have become ultra-savvy consumers. GenZennials represent an estimated 39 million Americans1.

“Defying the boundaries of their conventional labels, the coming-of-age GenZennial is united by a number of important firsts, including learning to drive, getting a credit card, buying their first car, going to college, getting their first apartment and starting a full-time job,” said Aaron Berger, vice president and leader of the millennial audience insights area at Ketchum. “Because of this, they represent a highly desirable consumer audience for brands.”

GenZennials are a blend of the two generations that surround and influence them, but this cohort has distinct attributes; they are diverse in culture and thought, interdependent by nature and inherent do-gooders. They are also the next generation of shoppers, with their own view of the future, which has inspired Ketchum to survey 1,000 GenZennials on the future of transportation, self-driving cars and ride-sharing, in a study set to be released in April.

Through work for clients including Hyundai and Wendy’s, Ketchum is already targeting this in-demand microgeneration. A sampling of Ketchum’s related services include:

•     GenZennial Engage – a workshop that zeroes in on the GenZennial cohort and develops authentic messaging.
•     StoryWorks + Short Cuts – StoryWorks is a modern-day newsroom where content such as copy, memes, graphics and video are created in response to what is trending in real-time. Short Cuts is original video content targeted to GenZennials and created within 24-48 hours in response to what is trending.
•     GenZennial Influence(r) – tools that identify influencers specific to GenZennials and the brand category, combined with management of the influencer relationship and authentic content that resonates with the audience.
•     GenZennial READY – message development and media training to prepare GenZennial-age employees to be spokespersons or prepare executives to connect with GenZennial employees or the GenZennial cohort.
•     GenZennial Media – comprehensive communications audit and counsel on relevant earned and paid media strategies.