Having an eye on the future is something that is key to succeeding in life and in business, which is why many brands are turning their attention to Gen Z. The young, tech savvy social butterflies that are next in line to be the key purchase buying demographic that every brand will want to connect with.
But who exactly is Gen Z? And how can brands shift their image, messaging, and content strategies to connect with this racially and ethnically diverse generation of consumers? For one, this is the first generation to be born into a completely full digital childhood. From smartphones to high-speed internet and social media; Gen Z are the first digital natives that probably had Instagram accounts before they were even born (Thanks millennial mom and dad).
Having entered the world with a digital first approach means that this next gen consumer is creative, always listening to social and digital noise on social networks, websites, and live streamed content. They have established clear values, are highly inclusive and believe in strong online communities. In-fact they are the driving force behind one of the biggest shifts in where consumer time-spent is happening; and that is the metaverse. Or at least the early stages of what the metaverse is destined to become.
Online virtual in-game communities are the perfect place for brands to establish themselves to this next-gen consumer by showcasing clear values in an entertaining yet non-intrusive manner. These worlds are currently home to 23 million Canadians playing video games to which 88% are females between 6-12 years of age playing 9 hours a week on average and 95% of these players are males between 6-12 years of age who are also playing an average of 12 hours per week.
For brands this is an opportunity to create real world in-game experiences that target users by game, game genre, country, language, platform (mobile, desktop, console) and even target users who play during the day or night. Moreover, in-game advertising provides brands with a 100% brand safe environment that is 100% visible.
So, next time you’re gearing a campaign towards Gen Z consumers, or hard to reach younger audiences; don’t overlook the benefits and advantages that in-game advertising provides. As the decision to not build your in-game presence today can cost you future connections to a generation with a $140 billion dollar spending power and growing.
Discover more on how APEX is helping brands meet Gen Z consumers and learn more about in-game advertising and the new frontier of digital advertising in the metaverse today on our site.
* Entertainment Software Association of Canada
** Business insider
Carlos Guevara is the Marketing Director at APEX Mobile Media and was the host of the podcast "In Search of Good Data." He has also helped various organizations in the private and non-profit sector to become more customer-centric with the use of enriched data and modern marketing and advertising strategies.
Comments