2

MOBILE AND SOCIAL FROM BIRTH

Millennials adapted to technology as they got older, starting with laptops, then iPods and iPads, then the iPhone, etc. But Gen Z is the first truly digital generation—the first generation who could FaceTime their friends, text their mom and order a pizza, all at the same time.

—CONNOR BLAKLEY

For older generations, it seems Pivotals came out of the womb with the ability to pinch, swipe, and zoom. While an obvious exaggeration, isn’t it a tad suspect we don’t remember teaching any of these behaviors?

Yet somehow Pivotals learned to swipe before they could even speak. Attempting to swipe the unswipable—like TV screens or the pages of a magazine—they assumed the image in front of them was “broken.”

Perhaps it’s because instead of settling their developing minds in front of a TV to watch Sesame Street, parents handed toddler Pivotals a smartphone or tablet for entertainment in the car, at a restaurant, or when mom and dad needed a break. Entertainment didn’t happen just in the living room: It was in the palm of their hands at all times.

So it should come as no surprise that Pivotals are, without a doubt, mobile-first. They have never known a world without smartphones, tablets, and immediate access to the Internet. A 2017 IBM Institute for Business Value study in collaboration with the National Retail Federation found that 75 percent of young consumers surveyed selected their mobile phone as their device of choice, largely because of their desire for always-on connection to the Internet and social media. (See Figure 2-1.)

For many Pivotals, their first “selfies” were sonogram photos. They made their first digital footprint before they took their first step. We’re not joking. More than 90 percent of Pivotals have staked out their digital territory,² and most can thank their parents for starting them out young.

Figure 2-1Most frequently used devices.¹

While most parents post photos of their children on their own accounts, another significant percentage of parents go so far as to create Instagram accounts in their child’s name and even post as the child. This concept has created a source of controversy for parents caught between oversharing and wanting to protect their child.

Since then, social media has been Pivotals’ constant companion, documenting their daily lives—everything from family to school to dating—all while influencing how they view the world. Pivotals simultaneously trust the familiar digital world, while also craving distance from constant exposure. This contradiction developed a generation of confidence and insecurity, connectedness and privacy.

Because they’ve never known a world without it, technology and social media is also interchangeable and invisible. Social media is neither a technological breakthrough nor “media.” It’s simply “social”—the most convenient way to live a social life. It’s how they connect with friends and family, relate to the world, and have fun.

However, it won’t be enough to simply transfer traditional advertising approaches, commercials, or messages into tomorrow’s social media campaigns. Reaching Pivotals in this space will require creativity, flexibility, and perseverance as they continue to create and shape social media to meet their needs and fit seamlessly into their busy lives.

THEIR SOCIAL LIFE STORY

Human civilization has always been averse to technological advances. Even Socrates opposed the development of writing, convinced that knowledge can be gained only through dialogue. The classical philosopher contended that writing something down causes one’s memory of the event to become distorted and one-dimensional. Regardless, writing became a staple of our civilization, and society progressed.

The Internet, too, spawned controversy regarding its potential to dumb us down. After the Web became ingrained in everyday life, the rise of social media brought along similar concerns about its negative impact on humanity. But despite the bells and whistles, social media is merely a tool that enables natural social behavior, albeit on a massive scale.

That said, there are obvious downsides. Social media directly impacts how individuals view themselves. With some 13-year-olds checking their social accounts as many as 100 times per day, according to the #Being13 study conducted exclusively by CNN, researchers have warned of potential addiction issues. Other studies say it causes self-esteem issues and even depression (more on this in Chapter 5).

Parents, educators, and mental health professionals alike continue to question whether social media is a positive or negative influence on Pivotals, especially since so many are still teenagers developing their personal identities. There are adamant arguments on both sides of this debate.

Journalist Nancy Jo Sales, author of American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of Teenagers, says social media allows some teens to feel more empowered and connected, whereas others fall victim to cyberbullying. With its prevalence as a tool for daily peer interactions, social media impacts young users in both positive and negative ways.

In a 2016 blog post, marketing expert and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk said, “Technology has not changed us, it just makes it easy to engage in behaviors that we would rather be doing anyway.”

To those concerned about Pivotals’ ability to socialize and their perceived disconnectness from the real world, Vaynerchuk would argue, “Children who have ‘no friends’ in school now have the opportunity to make online friends through social platforms.” On the Internet, finding like-minded individuals and communities to connect with is no more than a click away.³

Vaynerchuk also has a convincing argument about the evolution of technology. “Every new medium brings along a healthy fear that the newest invention will ruin society. But, the truth is that people will always be looking for new ways to be entertained, consume media, and engage with each other.”⁴

Calm, Cool, and Connected

With tools like FaceTime, Snapchat, Skype, and Google Hangouts, Pivotals may be the most connected generation in history. They don’t need to be in the same location to communicate “in full sight, sound, and motion.”⁵ Imagine if we (adults over 30) had the same tools at our disposal as teens. Our social lives would have been off the hook!

While Pivotals use their mobile devices for many tasks, 73 percent cited texting and chatting as their primary mobile phone activity, per the 2017 IBM study in collaboration with the National Retail Federation.⁶ This points to their desire and basic human need to connect. The same study also shows their overall use of social media centers around a tight circle of friends and family, where they express themselves by posting comments on friends’ posts and sharing photos and videos, opinions, and links to songs and playlists.

In their book, The Gen Z Effect, Koulopoulos and Keldsen warn us that “swimming against the Gen Z tide of hyperconnectivity is like swimming against a tsunami.” We must not view “hyperconnectivity as [a] distraction” but instead, see it as Gen Z does: as a way to engage and build relationships.

Experiences

Driven by a need for social recognition, Pivotals seek out opportunities to be seen doing fun and exciting activities, like attending concerts and sporting events, going out to eat, traveling, or just hanging out in trendy places with their friends.

A 2016 study by Retail Perceptions reports 62 percent of Pivotals prefer to spend their money on an experience rather than on something material. Back to the need for human interaction—nearly half (47 percent) say they spend money each week on experiences with friends, making it one of the leading spending categories for teens.⁷

“Social media is only fueled by how good your actual social life is, and Pivotals have a very profound knowledge of this,” explains Joe Cox, engagement director at Barkley. “They’re collectors of experiences and use it to further their social currency with friends and people in social circles.”

Figure 2-2Illustration inspired by Chompoo Baritone’s Instagram Effect photo series.

Social media drives this pressure to present the coolest version of themselves, otherwise known as the “Instagram effect.”

This effect isn’t a mysterious phenomenon. Teens will openly admit to taking countless photos in an attempt to get the best shot. Chompoo Baritone, a Bangkok-based photographer fascinated with the Instagram effect, created a series to illustrate it that swept through the digital sphere. (See Figure 2-2.)

Her photos show the reality of what’s just outside the perfectly cropped frame. Pivotals related to the collection of photos and unabashedly shared it among their networks. While funny and a bit ridiculous, Baritone’s work is a rather serious reflection of the value placed on an interesting and photo-worthy social life. Her work and the acceptance by the very group it criticizes point to a generation of ambitious yet authentic spirits.

Education

Pivotals have developed a reputation not only for their adept learning abilities, but also for seeking out and enjoying educational opportunities. Further enabling this insatiable desire for education—or perhaps the underlying cause of it—are technology and mobile access. With a wealth of instant information at their fingertips, wasn’t it inevitable?

Angie recalls a story of checking in on her then 17-year-old son, who was supposed to be studying. Expecting to find him sitting at his desk with open books and paper scattered about, instead she found him sprawled out on his bed, with his laptop open, TV on, and his smartphone in hand. She reacted as most parents might, with a few harsh words of warning that he needed to stop messing around and start studying. He turned to her and said, “Mom, I am studying.”

And he was. His study guide was pulled up on his laptop, he was researching something on his phone, and the TV served as ambient noise. In that moment, Angie realized the “old school” learning environment—her version of studying—had changed dramatically.

Educators are jumping on board, too (although some students complain they’re not doing so fast enough). Pivotals are practicing mathematics and fine-tuning their writing skills online, and per a Sparks & Honey study, 52 percent use YouTube to supplement their online courses.⁸ Teachers and students leverage dedicated software, as well as mobile apps, making educational apps the third largest category in the iTunes app store.⁹

Quizlet, a popular educational app and website, offers free flashcards and study games to learn course material. Since their core demographic is students, one-third of Quizlet users are 18 or younger.¹⁰ Duolingo, another favorite that lives perennially in the top five education apps on iTunes, provides language-learning games to improve reading, writing, and speaking skills in one of 23 languages.

What can brands take from this? Feed Pivotals’ desire for constant education and self-improvement. Provide a valuable utility somehow, whether it involves developing a skill or introducing them to contemporary ideas and trends. This is a generation that loves to learn, so find a way to make it easy for them.

Change the World

One of the characteristics we love most about Pivotals is their genuine desire to make a difference—to change the world. Community consciousness is a defining characteristic of this generation. They’ve even been called “Philanthroteens.” They’re not simply dreaming about making a difference “someday in the future.” They’re already doing it, and they’re using social media to help.

More than one million people, many of them Pivotals, “checked into” the Standing Rock Indian Reservation page on Facebook to raise awareness for the tribe and protesters fighting against the implementation of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Remember the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? That, too, was a viral social media phenomenon. Users, including Pivotals, participated by dumping a bucket full of ice-cold water over their heads and sharing the shrieking footage on Facebook. Participants, after drying off, donated to ALS research and challenged their friends to do the same within 24 hours. In total, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge raised $220 million worldwide for advancements in research.¹¹

Grace Masback thinks Pivotals’ strong sense of community consciousness is one of the silver linings of living through the Great Recession:

We’ve seen what economic hardship can do to families, communities and the world around us. Because we want to leave the world better than we found it, community service is now the expected norm, not just something we’re obligated to do through school, church, family, etc. We care about giving back and want to do it right here, right now.

In her book, Masback shares the story of her friend Nadya Okamoto, an 18-year-old from Portland, Oregon, and the founder and executive director of Camions of Care (now called PERIOD. The Menstrual Movement). During her freshman year of college, Nadya started PERIOD, a youth-run, global nonprofit that strives to manage and celebrate menstrual hygiene through advocacy, youth leadership, and service—primarily through the global distribution of feminine hygiene products. Nadya uses Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to raise awareness about the organization and spread the word about how to get involved, including starting chapters in local communities around the country.

There are thousands more like Nadya. While not every Pivotal will take it as far as she and her ambitious cohorts, as a generation, they are wired to give back. The 2015 Cassandra report on U.S./U.K. teens shows 49 percent of teens volunteer at least once a month and 20 percent even want to start their own charity someday.¹² While they’re a frugal bunch, they’ll put their money where their mouths (and hearts) are. The same Cassandra report shows 26 percent have raised money for a cause and 32 percent have donated their own money. What’s more, 39 percent see giving time and money to charity as a “measure of success.”

Seventeen-year-old Lulu Cerone even wrote a book about throwing “parties with a purpose.” In PhilanthroParties! A Party-Planning Guide for Kids Who Want to Give Back, Cerone encourages teens to put the “social” back in social activism and make an impact on their communities in a fun, DIY way.

Recognizing Pivotals’ desire to get involved and give back, organizations like DoSomething.org are designed to give young people an easy, virtually turnkey way to change the world. Users can visit the website and select from hundreds of current campaigns and causes, both online and offline. By documenting and proving their involvement (e.g., by sharing a pic or completing an assignment), they can earn points toward scholarships and swag—the tangible measure of success that Pivotals desire.

Brands vying to win with Pivotals can take a cue from DoSomething.org or Boxed Water. These companies strive to make the world a better place and are diligent in putting their corporate needs second.

Boxed Water gained popularity with Pivotals by aligning its product and brand with a deeply held cause. For instance, the Boxed Water slogan, “Boxed Water is Better,” appears on every single product. Why? Because you aren’t only buying water—you’re supporting sustainability and bettering our earth through the one million trees Boxed Water pledges to plant by 2020.¹³

Gaming

The most obvious form of fun connected to mobile and social media is online gaming, which is huge with Pivotals. So huge, in fact, that upward of 66 percent proudly claim gaming as their main hobby.¹⁴ And despite popular stereotypes, gaming is no longer confined to the basement.

Case in point: Pokémon Go in the summer of 2016 prompted teens—even entire families—to go on walks, phones in hand, in search of Pokémon characters superimposed into their surroundings. Thanks to augmented reality, Pokémon Go created the first real-world-meets-digital, scavenger-hunt style of game.

Only one day after it launched—with minimal traditional marketing support—Pokémon Go was the top game on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play. Word of mouth spread quickly on messaging apps and Snapchat rather than via Twitter and Facebook, proving Pivotals were the driving force behind this cultural phenomenon.

Of course, parents are notorious for assuming that playing computer games is a waste of time. But for teens, digital entertainment has become a catalyst for creating and maintaining friendships. In fact, more than 50 percent of teens strike up new friendships online, per a 2015 Pew study.¹⁵

Giggles

Fun is one thing, funny another. Spend five minutes with Pivotals and ask them to show you some funny videos, memes, or GIFs. While you’ll get a chuckle from the more predictable cat videos, you’ll most likely see something so quirky and oddball, you’ll end up scratching your head instead of laughing.

In a 2015 article for Fast Company, Scott Fogel, a senior strategist at Firstborn Multimedia Corporation, a design and technology company, says a lot of what Pivotals love has a “weird, unhinged sensibility to it.” They love self-deprecating Snapchats and memes, or videos that make them appear to be offbeat or quirky.

Fogel points out this is not a Millennial behavior. “It’s rare for a Millennial to post anything on social that makes them look strange. But for a generation that’s spent their entire lives online—mostly in the unfiltered lens of Skype, webcams, live streams and vlogs—an intimate exhibitionism has emerged in a way that older generations simply don’t have.”¹⁶

Brands that infuse humor and self-deprecation into their personalities will appeal more to Pivotals, but be careful. Don’t try to pander to this generation by using too many popular acronyms or teen slang: They will instantly peg you as trying too hard. Amanda Gutterman, VP of growth at digital media company Dose Studios, shared a great analogy in a recent Contently article: “You don’t want to come onto a platform like Snapchat and be perceived as someone’s weird uncle trying to be cool.”¹⁷

Entertainment and Fun

Last but certainly not least, social media provides an outlet for fun and entertainment. Teens have always been hardwired for celebration and entertainment. Most adults would never want to repeat their teenage years (puberty, peer pressure, homework, tests—ugh!), but aside from those cringe-worthy memories, having fun was always a top priority.

Don’t Bet the Farm on Social

While Pivotals have the world in the palm of their hands, it would be a mistake to assume all of them revere social media. Grace Masback personally isn’t a fan of social media, and many of her friends feel the same.

In her book, Masback breaks Pivotals down into three categories, the first of whom are those “obsessed with their social life.” Socializing is their hobby. You’ll likely find these people “glued to their phones, obsessing over Snapchat ‘streaks,’ and deleting old Instagram photos.” The second group cares but isn’t “overly concerned” about their social media presence. These Pivotals occasionally share pieces of their lives online or use social media to keep in touch with friends. Finally, the third group are “those who have social media but rarely use it.” They use social media only selectively. Kate Jackson (see the Introduction) falls into this category.

Masback also wants brands to recognize a defining characteristic of her generation: They are busy! “We don’t have time to spend our whole life on social media. We need to balance school, sports, extracurricular activities, community service, and the businesses we’ve started.”

As FutureCast and Barkley’s “Getting to Know Gen Z” report contends, Pivotals know how to keep their priorities straight. They take school seriously, rating grades as their highest priority, followed by getting into a good college. Social media ranks far lower on the list. (See Figure 2-3.)

Figure 2-3Pivotal importance of daily activities.¹⁸

SOCIAL IRL (IN REAL LIFE)

I definitely prefer seeing my friends in person rather than over social media because I feel closer to them when I really see them. I love to laugh with them and be able to see a genuine reaction rather than an “LOL” over text. How am I supposed to know if they are really laughing or if they just don’t know what else to say?

—GRETA J., 15

Contrary to popular belief, Pivotals don’t always have their noses glued to their phones. The 2017 “Uniquely Generation Z” report showed that socializing is important to Pivotals—both online and off. They also value spending time with family and friends. (See Figure 2-4.)

Figure 2-4Time spent outside of school or work.¹⁹

According to a 2016 article in Scientific American by Nicolas Kardaras, “Social connection is not only the most essential part of being human; it is also a key ingredient in happiness and health.” He contends that we are the most connected society ever, due to social media: “Each second people in the U.S. send more than 7,500 tweets, 1,394 Instagram photographs, and two million e-mails; they also view more than 119,000 YouTube videos.”²⁰ Inasmuch as this essential social connection can be achieved digitally, it should come as no surprise how strongly social media affects Pivotals’ development!

SOCIAL MEDIA EXPECTATIONS

Pivotals expect the ability to fulfill their needs on their own time. That’s why on-demand companies that allow consumers to request services at a moment’s notice are so popular with this generation.

On-Demand

Hungry? Get food delivered to your door in minutes through Deliveroo or Postmates. Mom and Dad too busy to give you a lift somewhere? No worries—Uber or Lyft has your back. Need to veg out for a bit? Netflix or Hulu enables your inner couch potato, on your schedule. Plus, while you’re at it, how about a date-on-demand through Tinder? OK, maybe that’s pushing it, especially for teenagers, but you get the point.

Unfortunately, with nearly everything available at the touch of a button, Pivotals aren’t the most patient people. Surveys show they are emerging as the heaviest users of on-demand services around the world.²¹ Brands beware—they’re likely to be the most demanding consumers you’ve ever seen. The 2017 IBM study showed 60 percent of those surveyed will not use an app or website that is too slow to load. Pivotals expect instant gratification, and marketers have no choice but to adapt to this expectation.

Speed isn’t the only factor playing into Pivotals’ expectations. Gen Zers’ desire for brand transparency extends to their social media preferences as well.

Authenticity

It’s time to get real. Pivotals are moving toward platforms that encourage and celebrate authenticity, and they expect brands to do the same.

In a 2016 Fortune article, Gregg Witt, executive vice president of youth marketing at Motivate Youth, tells Connor Blakley “The first and most prominent mistake I see brands make via their social media strategies is that they create an ingenious character to represent their image. Gen Z wants real. Gen Z wants transparency. And Gen Z wants originality.”²²

Witt says brands can take cues from Levi’s. Levi’s is strategic about whom it selects as brand ambassadors. Instead of looking for the most popular influencers or the ones with the highest followers, Levi’s instead tries to find individuals who fit its brand DNA. “It takes a clever blend of realness and relatability for brands targeting teens to be successful,” Witt said.²³ We’ll talk more about that in Chapter 4.

Privacy and Anonymity

Pivotals learned from an early age, both from their parents and in school, the importance of online privacy and security. It’s been pounded into them. As a result, they are acutely aware of what is and isn’t okay to share online.

One of the first things they do when turning on their phones or logging into a social app is to enable their privacy settings. Plus, they are good at policing themselves online. They know embarrassing photos or rants can live online forever, potentially hurting their chances with their dream colleges and employers down the road.

A few years ago, rumor had it that Pivotals would be making a mass exodus from social media. Celebrities like Lena Dunham and Jaden Smith deleted their social media accounts because of the emotional turmoil of online haters. But instead of leaving, Pivotals simply transitioned to more private, anonymous, and temporary options, like Snapchat and Whisper. They’re also flocking toward the “dark social”—messenger. That’s why the Facebooks and Instagrams of the world are placing big bets on messaging apps.

Privacy is one of the main reasons Snapchat is so popular among Pivotals. First, it allows users to share messages and images, then deletes them within seconds. Also, it more closely resembles face-to-face interaction, which remains important to Pivotals. You have a “conversation” and then it’s gone.²⁴

Whisper allows users to send messages anonymously and receive anonymous replies. Posts, known as “whispers,” contain text overlaid on images. Users don’t have to publicly identify themselves, which gives them more freedom to express their thoughts and opinions on topics they might not otherwise feel comfortable talking about with people they know.

Both Snapchat and Whisper offer advertising opportunities, but connecting with Pivotals through incognito apps is tricky and will continue to be a learning process for marketers. The key will be finding a way to appeal to users, who want to feel like people—not marketing targets—in a way that doesn’t come off as an intrusion or “selling.”

FOMO and FOLO

As already mentioned, some 13-year-olds check their social media accounts 100 times a day and spend about nine hours a day using media for their enjoyment. To put this into perspective, that is more time than most teens spend sleeping or with their parents/teachers, and it does not account for the media used at school or while doing their homework.

“I think they’re addicted to the peer connection and affirmation they’re able to get via social media,” said child clinical psychologist Marion Underwood, coauthor of the #Being13 study in an interview with CNN. “To know what each other are doing, where they stand, to know how many people like what they posted, to know how many people followed them today and unfollowed them . . . that, I think, is highly addictive.”

The study proceeded to explore why teens felt the need to regulate their social media and what it found is highly indicative of a generation riddled with FOMO (fear of missing out) and FOLO (fear of living offline). More than half of teens in the study wanted to see if they were receiving likes and comments, and over a third wanted to see if their friends were getting together without them. Twenty-one percent wanted to confirm that nobody was saying hurtful things about them.²⁵

While this may be a reflection of life stage, we tend to believe this is more revealing of a generation that has been guided by social media and digital technology their whole lives. As a result, they routinely fret about how their digital lives and identities impact their relationships with others in real life.

New Rules for Social

Every day, it seems another company launches a Snapchat account to reach a younger audience. Some have even started posting “behind the scenes” Snapchat stories to promote their products, a format so overused, it feels unoriginal and uninspiring.

—CONNOR BLAKLEY, “HOW TO BUILD A MARKETING CAMPAIGN THAT APPEALS TO GENERATION Z”²⁶

As mentioned in the previous section, these worries about how Pivotals’ digital identities impact their real lives have led to the formation of etiquette that governs individual social media platforms. Using social media is not, as it turns out, a free-for-all. In focus groups conducted by FutureCast, we worked with teens to learn why they use various social media accounts (focusing on the big four: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat) and what they use them for. We learned that Pivotals adhere to a detailed system of rules and guidelines for each platform.

Facebook

Contrary to popular belief, Facebook is not dead among Pivotals. Yes, their use of Facebook is declining, but it is still the most used social media platform, with 77 percent of teens saying they use Facebook on a regular basis. (Millennials are still the most likely to use Facebook on a regular basis at 87 percent.)

But notice that we say “used,” not “engaged.” There’s a difference. With the primary demographic of Facebook aging (thanks, Mom and Dad . . . oh, and Grandma), teens today are less likely to be actively engaged with the platform’s shared content. Originally, Facebook was the engagement tool. Now teens are more likely to use Facebook as a passive tool—a jumping-off point. They scroll rather than post. This is turning Facebook into more of an information hub than a networking platform.

But that doesn’t mean brands should ignore Facebook as a way to interact with Pivotals. If done correctly and with a bit of creativity, it still has the potential to capture their attention.

For example, Playland at the PNE, a Canadian amusement park, gave eight teenagers free passes under the condition that Facebook fans could control the experience of those in the “hot seat.” Fans at home dictated the rides ridden, games played, and even food eaten by the contestants, who wore GoPro cameras to broadcast their experiences. The video content engaged more than 28,000 teenagers on Facebook in real time.

Twitter

Twitter is the “be on” platform. Often used for real-time marketing, Twitter is where teens go to get information now. The life expectancy of a tweet that has been retweeted is no more than 18 minutes (tweets that have not been retweeted have a decreased life expectancy of only a few minutes). Per our research, Pivotals lead Twitter usage at 45 percent compared to 34 percent for Millennials and Gen X and just 13 percent for Boomers.

When 16-year-old Carter Wilkerson tweeted Wendy’s asking how many retweets would get him free chicken nuggets for a year, the fast-food chain responded, “18 million.” Wilkerson accepted the challenge and began soliciting retweets with the hashtag #Nuggs-forCarter. (See Figure 2-5.) Big-name celebrities and corporations such as Ellen DeGeneres, Amazon, and Microsoft promoted the tweet, encouraging their followers to support the movement. Wilkerson used the campaign buzz to start a fundraiser for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and Pinocchio’s Moms on the Run.

After the tweet became the most retweeted of all time, Wendy’s gave in to Wilkerson’s demand and granted him a year of free chicken nuggets and donated $100,000 to Wilkerson’s fundraiser. Wendy’s, by simply engaging with a customer on social media, has received widespread positive media coverage. As the fast-food brand has been widely recognized for their snarky Twitter usage over the years, the interactions with Wilkerson felt completely on-brand.

Figure 2-5Rendering of Carter Wilkerson’s chicken nugget challenge to Wendy’s.

Instagram

Per our research, Pivotals lead Instagram usage at 63 percent, compared to 47 percent of Millennials—a dramatic difference. Instagram is where teens go to be inspired. They spend time editing their images and creating the most aspirational versions of themselves. Teens are very careful about how they use their Instagram accounts.

When it comes to posting, they want to be sure they are not clogging their friends’ feeds with low-quality images (that’s what Snapchat is for). They also regularly delete their Instagram photos so their profiles rarely have more than a handful at any given time; this is intended to optimize the number of likes per photo.

Retailer Aeropostale manages to get more than 100,000 comments and likes per post by maintaining a balance of candid and aspirational Instagram photos. The brand avoids too many product-heavy photos and instead mixes in ice cream cones, flower fields, and friends on the beach to tell a story with an emotional connection.

Snapchat

Given their desire for personal connectivity—wanting to actually see their friends as they talk online—Snapchat has become the go-to app for Pivotals.²⁷ Snapchat allows manually selected recipients a peek into a user’s reality, rather than sharing a picture-perfect moment. Again, Pivotals lead Snapchat usage at 61 percent compared to 34 percent of Millennials and few Gen Xers, and Snapchat is very quickly replacing texting.

According to our teens, it is the perfect way to let people know what they’re doing in the moment. Being mobile-first, Gen Z prefers Snapchat and Instagram because these apps were also built mobile-first, meaning the user experience is cleaner, is more useful, and requires less jumping around from app to app.

SUMMING UP SOCIAL

A 2015 MediaPost article likens social media to the mall, encouraging brands to have a storefront there if they want to connect with Pivotals.²⁹ Unfortunately, figuring out the what, where, when, and how of building that storefront is a moving target, which requires savvy marketing teams that understand Pivotals’ latest rules of social media and how to find the appropriate balance of authenticity, frequency, humor, and brand messaging.

In an interview with Campaign, Lucie Greene, worldwide director of JWT Intelligence, suggested embracing Gen Z’s hyperawareness of marketing. “They’ve been marketed to their whole life, not just through linear advertising but through guerrilla marketing, bloggers, viral sensations, and social media phenomenon, which over the years have all become co-opted by brands.” Due to this lifelong exposure, Gen Z has an uncanny ability to pick out brands “producing even a hint of self-interest” and disregard them.³⁰

It will be critical for marketing teams to fully understand both the purpose and pitfalls of each social channel, then make strategic content choices based on what Pivotals expect to see in each one. Again, a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work. Unless your brand fits seamlessly into their lives, provides a utility, or solves a problem, blatant advertising of any kind turns Pivotals off completely.

“Social media of the future will allow users to even be more fluid and to get to the most valuable content the quickest, without having to jump around or navigate so manually,” predicts Joe Cox.