Ziyue Li

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PURPOSE

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In the midst of the dynamism associated with modern marketing, Gen Z stands out as both the ultimate challenge and opportunity. This is a generation brought up in the digital era characterized by the use of smartphones, the internet, social media and instant connectivity. Understanding the mindset and preferences is integral to successful marketing strategies in the 21st century. This blog post focuses on the intricacies of brand marketing for Gen Z, with the motif of revealing the secrets to capturing their attention while fostering brand loyalty. Their immense spending power today shows that this generation is not just the future but also the present. An exploration of the psychology behind their brand choices decodes the significance of the authenticity of brand narratives. It is essential for brands to resonate with the discerning audience in a world cluttered with advertisements. It is no longer enough for brands to offer services, it is essential to incorporate a philosophy that resonates with this special generation.

Understanding that people do not just buy products but also buy experiences and emotions is paramount to the creation of a strong brand philosophy. A well-defined brand philosophy creates an emotional connection with the target audience tapping into their feelings and beliefs hence enhancing a sense of loyalty and trust. When the audience resonates with the philosophy, it strengthens the brand’s reputation. A philosophy is the soul of the brand. With a vision and mission statement, it guides every decision, interaction and service associated with the brand. It provides a framework for consistency and hence adaptability through the provision of a stable foundation that helps the brand navigate dynamic marketing challenges. A clear philosophy gives the brand a unique identity that the target audience can relate to and create a connection with. Authenticity and transparency in the brand’s philosophy yield customer trust and hence loyalty. 

Gen Z is a socially conscious generation and tech-savvy hence highly skeptical of traditional advertisement methods. In light of this, brands must focus on authenticity in marketing while staying relevant on social media platforms. Brands engage with them on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok using creative and visually appealing content. Gen Z’s perception of market trends is dependent on peer influencers they look up to. Thus, brands collaborate with influencers who align with their brand values to create a connection with Gen Z members. Finally, to keep up with their technological preferences, brands are investing in the development of smartphone-friendly online platforms to enhance user experience. In the age of Gen Z, a brand is not just a logo and name. it is a philosophy that communicates purpose hence a connection.

Figure 1: Gen Z and Smartphones (Khaira-Hanks, 2018)

Reference

Clarke, L. (2023). TikTok: how the West has turned on Gen Z’s favorite app. The Observer. [online] 5 Feb. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/feb/05/tiktok-how-west-turned-on-gen-z-favourite-app.

Khaira-Hanks, P. (2018). Teenage flicks: how ‘phone boredom’ became Gen Z’s answer to passing the time. [online] The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/shortcuts/2018/apr/04/teenage-flicks-how-phone-boredom-became-gen-zs-answer-to-passing-the-time.

Rees, T. (2018). Crazy spending? Not for Generation Z. The Telegraph. [online] 7 Aug. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2018/08/07/crazy-spending-not-generation-z/

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Profit

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The Pillar is a global fashion and lifestyle that covers everything from celebrity news and pop culture to the newest beauty advice and fashion trends. It is widely regarded as one of the most well-known and important fashion publications in the world, with a readership of over 2 million people.

The worldwide fashion market is predicted to be worth $2.5 trillion USD . It is one of the most important and major industries in the world, and it employs millions of people all over the world.

The fashion sector is divided into several subindustries, the most visible of which are clothing, footwear, accessories, and cosmetics. Over the next five years, the apparel business is expected to increase at a 3.5% annual pace, making it the industry with the biggest growth potential . Additionally, it is anticipated that the footwear industry will expand at a respectable rate, which is 4% annually. The growth rate for the accessories and cosmetics industries is anticipated to be slightly lower than average, coming in at 2.5% and 3% each year, respectively.

When times are uncertain economically, it is more crucial than ever for fashion brands to concentrate on the advantages they have over their competitors. This could involve selling products of excellent quality at costs that are comparable to those offered by competitors, building a powerful brand identity, or targeting a certain segment of the market. Being inventive and adaptive are also important factors in maintaining competitiveness for brands. This necessitates keeping abreast of the most recent developments in fashion and technology, as well as a willingness to adapt their strategy in response to shitting circumstances.

Within the fashion sector, creative directors are responsible for playing an important role. They are in charge of crafting the entire vision and aesthetic of the company, in addition to coming up with designs that are unique and innovative. However, creative directors also have a responsibility to be aware of and attentive to the business’s financial concerns. They need to come up with ideas that are fashionable as well as wearable and that will appeal to the demographic that they are aiming for. Creative directors need to be able to think creatively as well as strategically in order to successfully bridge the gap that exists between creativity and commerce.

Reference

https://www.euromonitor.com/video/luxury-and-fashion-what-to-expect-in-2023

https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-trends/(Accessed:2023-10-20).


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PEOPLE

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Generation Z refers to those individuals who were born in the decade following the widespread emergence of the World Wide Web, from the mid-1990’s to the early 2000’s. Generation Z pursues individuality and expresses itself. They want to be seen as environmentally conscious. They like brands that showcase their individuality and uniqueness but are well known and recognized.

With the rise of the Z-era and the development of information technology，consumers expect more than ever to consume products and services any time and any place, so omnichannel marketing and sales must reach a new level. This means that brands can’t just limit themselves to offline stores, online shopping, how to continue to bring freshness to consumers, PR and media campaigns are what a brand needs to focus on.Businesses must rethink how they deliver value to the consumer, rebalance scale and mass production against personalization, and—more than ever— practice what they preach when they address marketing issues and work ethics. Brands need to make consumers feel that they are respected and valued.

In terms of how a brand responds to diversity, Gucci, for example, continues to explore the possibilities of linking the brand with different cultures and trends. In June this year, Gucci launched the Marsper x Gucci co-branded collection, Marsper is a trendy toy brand from China, emphasizing that human individuals and communities are different because of the pursuit and perception of love. The co-branded collection is inspired by the four classic designs from the Gucci cosmos exhibition, which kicked off in Shanghai, China at the end of April as the first stop on its global tour. Through Narsper’s creative interpretation of Gucci’s style, which pays homage to the brand’s classics and inspires creativity, Gucci brings the brand into the eyes of young people and creates more possibilities to communicate with consumers of Generation Z. The co-branding allows more consumers to learn about the brand and to be inspired by the brand. Gucci’s co-branding allows the brand to reach more young consumers, creating more possibilities to communicate with Generation Z consumers. Old luxury brands can also adapt to the times.

For a fashion brand to be successful, it needs to have accurate judgment in assigning positions to its employees. Letting professionals do professional things is the way to maximize the utilization of employees. And good teamwork and leadership allows employees to have a common goal and know exactly what they need to do. Effective communication allows brands to understand the needs of their customers, so that consumers feel valued by the brand, thus avoiding customer attrition. By communicating with different groups of people and capturing new fashion trends, the brand can continue to improve and broaden its market.

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PLANET

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Circular economy refers to the efficient use of resources, recycling as the core, as far as possible to achieve zero waste and zero pollution in the entire life cycle of materials. After a material has fulfilled its mission it can be returned to the cycle, reused or recycled. The circular economy does not just mean recovering energy from discarded materials, but rather a strategy that considers keeping products in economic use for as long as possible from an early stage. Extracting, manufacturing, consuming and discarding is a traditional, one-way, linear economic model. It promotes economic growth while causing significant resource consumption as well as pollution. The circular economy seeks to solve this problem by getting out of the unidirectional development dilemma, forming a closed loop of material circulation flow, extending the life cycle of products, thereby creating more value and realizing sustainable development of society, the economy and the environment.

The fashion industry is currently the second largest source of pollution manufacturing in the world, second only to the petrochemical industry in terms of harm. The manufacturing of clothes in factories wastes a lot of resources, and clothes that are not recycled after use cause secondary pollution. Sustainable fashion means that fashion products are created with consideration for their impact on the environment and society, extending the life cycle of the material, increasing the value and longevity of the product itself. Brands send messages to consumers through media campaigns, encouraging them to buy green products, and create digital technology through the use of VR, AR, and AI for online visualization. Consumers can also choose to buy second-hand products, which allows them to be reused and reduces the amount of waste in the production and consumption process at a certain level, thus reducing the damage to the environment.

Among the UN Sustainable Development Goals, “PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS” is closely related to the fashion industry. Building a green and healthy fashion industry cannot be accomplished by one country. Strengthen partnerships between national fashion industries to mobilize and share knowledge, expertise and technology related to sustainable development. Drawing on the experience of partnerships and financing strategies, mobilize and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. Collaboration between countries will enable industry to develop faster and more up-to-date pollution-reducing and recyclable technologies. A stronger media presence to increase awareness and understanding of sustainable development strategies. Leads to green, sustainable and recycled lifestyles. This will enable the fashion industry to move towards the right path on the road to sustainable development.

References:

Geissdoerfer, M., Savaget, P., Bocken, N. M., & Hultink, E. J. (2017). The Circular Economy–A new sustainability paradigm?. Journal of cleaner production, 143, 757-768.

Ordonez-Ponce, E., Clarke, A., & MacDonald, A. (2021). Business contributions to the sustainable development goals through community sustainability partnerships. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 12(6), 1239-1267.

Strähle, J., & Müller, V. (2017). Key aspects of sustainability in fashion retail. Green fashion retail, 7-26.

Van Huijstee, M. M., Francken, M., & Leroy, P. (2007). Partnerships for sustainable development: A review of current literature. Environmental sciences, 4(2), 75-89.

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My Favorite Brand

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TEAM WANG design

TEAM WANG design was founded in 2020 by Chinese star JacksonWang and his good friend Henry Cheung. Cooperating with STOCKX, artist MONET, PALM ANGELS and other international brands, it incorporates JacksonWang’s personal branding and unique design concepts, and the overall style and design is very recognizable.

The brand has a very attractive concept: Know yourself, make your own history. The founder believes that fashion is not just about wearing the best brand, but finding your own style and confidence. The brand maintains a simple silhouette and a single color in its designs, adhering to the minimalist movement and refusing to be overly decorative. It advocates grabbing random pieces from the closet without the need to bother with matching. The brand is interpreted through the wearer’s personal style. Mostly street + hip-hop black and white clothing with a prominent TEAM WANG logo, a typical Monogram style.

TEAM WANG builds the concept of the “invisible man”, it does not choose to use hangers and models to present the clothes. Instead, it uses the texture and movement lines of the garments themselves. While the brand develops its main collections, there are also some very special themed collections, such as the dreamy and romantic Glitter Collection, which presents a summer party with the Chinese national flower, peony, as the main element, combined with a soft color palette. This at the same time takes care of those who tend to have a need for more colors and elements in their clothing. By setting up pop-up stores in the city to attract netizens, consumers to visit and buy with a good-looking, fun experience. Several branded series of themed spaces were created to create an immersive experience that successfully portrayed the brand’s pioneering image. Increase revenue while saving costs and attracting more potential consumers through internet traffic.

The brand initially capitalized on its founder’s traffic and fan base as a celebrity, gaining a lot of exposure and buzz right after the brand was launched. Most of the other Chinese celebrities’ brands in China stopped strictly controlling the quality of their products after the first collection was released and they quickly recovered their costs and gained profits from the celebrities’ traffic. TEAM WANG, however, has maintained the high quality of its clothing after the release of its first series, with novel themes and uniformity in the style of the series, which has allowed the brand to have a larger market without losing fans in the following years. And JacksonWang’s own reputation has also been enhanced. Which is a very successful case of brands and celebrities using self-generated features and strengths to feed off each other.

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