[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2023\/03\/07\/the-new-5cs-of-marketing-gen-z\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2023\/03\/07\/the-new-5cs-of-marketing-gen-z\/","headline":"The new 5Cs of marketing: Building trust with Gen Z","name":"The new 5Cs of marketing: Building trust with Gen Z","description":"Brands need to shift their marketing strategies as the oldest Gen Z members become adult consumers, bringing new values and habits.","datePublished":"2023-03-07","dateModified":"2024-10-11","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/liron-reznik\/#Person","name":"Liron Reznik","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/liron-reznik\/","identifier":713,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ee2b038f2913b0863721b480c39294a8e0668ac397f04bf71c0a8648e1f5a768?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ee2b038f2913b0863721b480c39294a8e0668ac397f04bf71c0a8648e1f5a768?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Future of Commerce","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","width":172,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/thumbnail-28171dd977c78c8fb67ffee04dcce7ed.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/thumbnail-28171dd977c78c8fb67ffee04dcce7ed.jpeg","height":375,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2023\/03\/07\/the-new-5cs-of-marketing-gen-z\/","about":["B2C Commerce",{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/marketing\/customer-engagement-marketing\/","name":"Customer Engagement","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Customer_engagement","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q5196451"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/marketing\/","name":"Marketing","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Marketing","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q39809"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/marketing\/marketing-general\/","name":"Marketing","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Marketing","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q39809"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/sustainability-in-business\/","name":"Sustainability in Business","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sustainable_business"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/commerce\/trends-commerce\/","name":"Trends","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fad","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q787045"]}],"wordCount":1445,"keywords":["Brand Experience","Brand Marketing","Circular Economy","Diversity and Inclusion","Generation Z","Marketing Strategies"],"articleBody":"B2C marketers have long known the \u201c4Cs\u201d of branding guidance as \u201ccompany, category, consumer, and competition,\u201d or as \u201cconsumer, cost, convenience, and communication.\u201d Now, as the oldest Gen Z members move into adulthood and bring their values and habits to their purchasing decisions, it\u2019s time to think about the new 5Cs of marketing:CompanyCommunityCultureCircularity (aka sustainability)CustomerGen Z had $360 billion in disposable income in 2021, a figure that\u2019s sure to rise as the cohort ages and advances in their education and careers. They also have a unique set of values and a worldview unlike past generations, informed by their status as the first digital natives.Building relationships with these consumers requires understanding the 5Cs and understanding how today\u2019s consumers interact, think about identity, plan for the future, and see their own role in a digital-first world.      Generation Z consumer behavior: What brands need to know                Gen Z consumers are beginning to flex their economic muscles, bringing different perspectives and expectations than previous generations. Brands need to adapt.      5cs of marketing: Company DNA is the core of brand identityThe most effective brand-building strategy draws on the company\u2019s \u201cDNA\u201d– the heritage, assets, and history that shape the brand\u2019s identity and help illuminate the path forward.That DNA, deployed in the service of the company\u2019s goals and mission, is the way to truly connect with younger customers who expect authenticity.Identifying the company\u2019s DNA and mission goals requires understanding its unique history and purpose, along with its goals. Beyond those core elements, it\u2019s also important to characterize the company\u2019s workforce and structure, so the brand can talk about them in a way that aligns with the DNA and mission.When all these elements are defined and understood, it\u2019s easier to see which company assets are the best to leverage in brand building.      What is brand experience management? Definition, meaning, insights                What does brand experience management mean? How does it compare with brand management? What tools help and how can you measure it? We've got the answers.      Community spans digital and physical experiencesFinding community is important to most of us, and for younger consumers, community can spring from nontraditional sources, making it a focus for the new 5Cs of marketing. Sixty-two percent of Gen Z and millennials think brands can create communities centered on specific interests.These interest-based communities not only build brand loyalty and create connections among brand fans, but can also drive collaboration that translate into new products, brand experiences, and value.For example, one global toy brand has fostered the development of a brand-centered community on its creator website. The site is a collaborative platform where users share the results of building \u201cmissions\u201d at different skill levels, participate in design challenges, and even shepherd their ideas from initial submission to production by earning enough support from within the community. Visitors can buy building sets based on user-generated ideas, reflecting a range of creativity that spans fine art, engineering, children\u2019s literature, history, and other domains.This community is large and enthusiastic enough that it\u2019s extended to other platforms. A subreddit dedicated to the brand has more than 8,000 members who share their builds and campaign for support. Some of these builders also post videos on YouTube, extending the community\u2019s reach even further.This kind of organic community activity strengthens brand loyalty and provides data brands can use for segmentation and product development. That data can also allow businesses to connect with various segments and subsets within micro-communities for more niched and direct engagement.      Omnichannel customer experience: Turning chaos into community                Any aspect of your brand that touches a customer or a potential customer is part of your omnichannel customer experience - and having or not having an omnichannel CX can make or break you today.      5Cs: Global culture & self-expressionCulture is always evolving, and for younger consumers who\u2019ve always had access to the whole world online, culture is increasingly global rather than siloed by geography.Consider the rise of K-pop groups that have fans worldwide. Over the past decade, the K-pop phenomenon has spurred global enthusiasm for music, films, and television shows from South Korea, while streaming services make it easier for fans to access content from anywhere.By Q3 2020, shows from outside the U.S. made up almost 30% of shows streamed by U.S. viewers.At the same time, younger generations have adopted their own ideas about gender in general, and 59% of Gen Zers say online profiles and forms should include additional options for gender. Masculinity, in particular, is a more malleable concept among young consumers who are less invested in traditional gender roles.As attitudes shift, so do buying habits. By the end of 2022, the global men\u2019s beauty and personal care market will be worth approximately $166 billion.The takeaway is that brands who support and reflect an inclusive culture are more likely to resonate with younger consumers and build lasting relationships with them.      TikTok search tops Google for Generation Z                TikTok is replacing Google as the preferred search engine for Generation Z. How can brands get in on this hot organic search trend?      Circularity as a business model, not just marketingToday\u2019s consumers are wise to greenwashing tactics in marketing. They\u2019re also deeply concerned about the future of the planet, and their shopping choices reflect that concern.For example, 90% of the active users on one global clothing resale platform are younger than 26. The platform allows young consumers to update their wardrobes frequently without buying new, unsustainable fast fashion. They can also resell their clothes when they\u2019re ready to pass them on.Major brands are also becoming more sustainable by reclaiming and repurposing their used products to make new items without tapping new resources.One athletic shoe brand has a program which turns the rubber, leather, textiles and other materials from worn-out shoes, unused material, and scraps from manufacturing into new products. The initiative also provides recycled materials for other companies to use in a range of products from flooring products to playground equipment and laptop sleeves.By demonstrating a commitment to circularity, whether that\u2019s through recycling, reselling, or another sustainable practice, brands can connect with customers who want to see evidence, not just messaging, about eco-friendly initiatives and business models.      Green commerce and the rise of the conscious consumer                Green commerce models are growing as consumers look to reduce their environmental impact by purchasing used items or renting.      Customers\u2019 starring role in the 5Cs of marketingYounger customers expect to gain real value from brands\u2019 stories. That\u2019s true whether the brand centers customers in its story or offers an aspirational vision of how customers would like to see themselves.Gen Z is the most racially diverse U.S. generation so far, and as digital natives they grew up using filters, so Photoshopped models that represent outdated beauty standards are unlikely to generate much interest.Instead, 82% of Gen Z consumers find brands more trustworthy when they include real customers in their ads. Celebrity endorsements don\u2019t hold a lot of sway over this group, either \u2013 just 26% say paid spokespeople increase their trust.When younger consumers like and trust a brand, they\u2019re more likely to create their own content about it. This ties back into the idea of community, where self-appointed brand evangelists post product ideas, tutorials, product reviews, and other content.Ninety-one percent of Gen Z shoppers look for user-generated content from other customers before they make a purchase, and one-third won\u2019t buy if there\u2019s no UCG from people who own the product.Brands that create authentic marketing messaging, including real customer images and user-generated content, can establish credibility with younger consumers and earn their loyalty. These brands can also build the resources to connect with micro-communities of customers with refined messaging, rather than speaking to all customers in the same way.      Digital natives: How to win the trust of Gen Z and Millennials                73\u00a0percent of digital natives are involved in B2B product or purchase decision-making, and about\u00a0one-third\u00a0are sole decision-makers. Learn how to win their trust.      Adapting for the futureAdapting the new 5Cs of marketing requires a mindset shift and ongoing insight into the attitudes of today\u2019s consumers. It also requires new strategies.Putting the customer at the center of the brand story, cultivating an enthusiastic community, practicing circularity, and embracing a more inclusive culture are the keys to branding for the newest generation of customers.  No cookies? No problem.(Unless your marketing platform is rooted in The Old Times.Then you’re in trouble.)Attract, convert, retain: It starts HERE."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2023","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2023\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"03","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2023\/\/03\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"07","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2023\/\/03\/\/07\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"The new 5Cs of marketing: Building trust with Gen Z","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2023\/03\/07\/the-new-5cs-of-marketing-gen-z\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]