Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to connect with and cater to Gen Z not only makes sense – it is possibly the single most important decision that marketers and brand managers wishing to reach this generation of trailblazers will make this year.
Not least because the influential Gen Z consumer wields nearly $100 billion in purchasing power globally .
This generation’s open-mindedness and adaptability to the transformative potential of AI makes it a dream for marketers and brand managers to incorporate AI tools into their campaigns and marketing activities tailored for the Gen Z crowd.
My take on this is that those who are quick to adopt, will be quick to connect with their consumers – and those who don’t move now, will be on the backfoot.
Not only has the Gen Z audience embraced the AI economy with open arms, AI is already seamlessly integrated into their daily lives – from their social interactions to their decision-making processes at work.
Open-minded
They bring an open-minded willingness to explore AI tools, which they believe should be integrated into tools they’re already using, that improve their day-to-day lives. As the emerging workforce, Gen Z brings an innate familiarity with AI tools to the boardroom table, reshaping companies’ operational landscapes.
Generation Z consumers are embracing AI in online buying, as it offers individualised recommendations and enhances the customer experience. In fact, nearly 90% of surveyed Gen Zs say online shopping will improve with the use of AI for product selection, price comparisons and more.
Gen Zs are the first generation to navigate the effects of emotion auto-tracking practices and the increasing use of emotional AI technologies.
Staying loyal
Businesses are increasingly turning to AI-driven solutions to boost productivity, streamline processes, and align with the preferences of this generation that values efficiency and innovation – but before we get into the reasons – and there are many – to adopt AI to reach Gen Z, let’s look at the objectives of a brand manager or marketer wanting to reach this audience.
Every marketer works from the basis of wanting to attract Gen Z, engage with them and ultimately convert this audience to their brand. Thereafter it’s about making sure they stay loyal to the brand and consume its products or services.
Let’s look at how AI can and is being adopted to achieve this.
The impact of AI on the consumption habits of Gen Z
Gen Zs, known for their discerning taste and desire for personalised experiences and individuality, are drawn to brands that leverage AI to tailor products and services to their unique preferences. The era of one-size-fits-all is giving way to a hyper-personalised marketplace, where algorithms curate recommendations based on individual behaviours and preferences.
With several real-world instances such as Nike’s use of generative AI to design unique, limited-edition sneakers based on customer preferences, the shift towards individually customised products is happening.
This formidable brand clearly understands how to employ AI to fuel its customer engagement efforts and keeps growing in every way – including in revenue.
There is a reason that platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels dominate Gen Z’s media consumption, creating an unprecedented opportunity for engagement.
Tapping into the power of AI, these platforms predict the content you like, based on the content you like and because it’s so spot on, people get hooked, spending hours of their social time watching videos and engaging with their favourite influencers.
This is a classic example of how AI leads to increased consumption of – in this case – media material, increasing viewership and bringing in revenue via the Tik Tok Ads Manager facility.
AI powered personalised customer experiences
Gen Zs have made their preference for unique experiences very clear, demanding that the brands they support cater to their individual preferences. This firmly places personalisation on the radar of marketers, not just as a feature but a necessity.
Gen Z is accustomed to a digital world where recommendations are tailored to their interests and preferences. With several real-world instances such as Nike’s use of generative AI to design unique, limited-edition sneakers based on customer preferences.
In fact, with 56% of Gen Zs expecting tailored content, and with 89% of them willing to pay for customised experiences with their data, this is critical in today’s Gen Z marketing landscape.
AI powered tools can analyse individual customer data to deliver specifically tailored content, product recommendations, and experiences at scale. Tools like Klynk that can create customised marketing campaigns, engage customers, and generate individualised content, are becoming integral to marketers’ toolkits.
They can use Klynk to craft emails with the right tone and subject headlines to boost conversion rates, while the copilot bot assists in automating marketing, sales, and customer experience processes.
Brand interactions
Then there is also AI powered automation and optimisation and AI powered segmentation that can be employed to deeply understand an audience by analysing their behavioural preferences, and interactions with your brand.
It’s easy to forget that, less than a decade ago, this would have been unimaginable – and it’s fast becoming impossible for marketers to imagine living without these incredible innovations – especially as they are proving to significantly boost engagement, conversion and loyalty. Coupled with their cost-saving benefits there is no question that adopting AI makes good business sense.
Though Gen Z overwhelmingly embraces the positive role of AI in their lives, they do have reservations which are quite valid. AI is seen as a potential threat to their humanity, possibly leading to a loss of jobs and even careers and creating a sense of confusion about their identity.
Negative impact of AI
They are concerned about the negative impact of AI in marketing, particularly as it affects their data privacy, psychological profiling, stereotyping, and manipulation.
I think it’s safe to say that the relationship the average Gen Z has with AI is characterised by a mix of enthusiasm, caution, and a need for understanding its implications on various aspects of their lives. This is certainly something marketers need to keep in mind when building AI into their campaigns and strategies.
A last word of caution when integrating AI into your marketing strategies is to stay informed about ethical considerations and privacy laws. AI systems can sometimes inadvertently perpetuate biases or invade privacy.
So it’s important you ensure that your use of AI complies with all relevant regulations (like GDPR, CCPA, etc.) and ethical guidelines. Even more importantly, be transparent with your customers about how their data is being used and maintain high standards of data security and privacy.
The odd miracle?
That way, we all win and the future of marketing looks bright and hopeful – and even prone to the odd miracle.
The era of AI is upon us and it’s happening at the speed of light. It is irrevocably changing the game and as the vice chairman of the MMA SA’s Youth Development Board, I am excited to be at the forefront of the charge.
On Thursday 11 April, the MMA SA will host its flagship annual Awards event, the SMARTIES, where brands, businesses and tech enablers implementing AI and other tech innovations to measurably drive tangible business impact will be recognised and honoured as pioneers at the forefront of the AI wave.
Get onboard the AI train. It is taking us on a wild ride into the future.
Also known as The Blck Sparrow, Anesu Malisa (Samsung Africa’s Gen Z marketing lead) and the newly elected vice-chair of the MMA SA Youth Development Board, is a multi-hyphenate creative, who loves to express himself through music, TikTok comedy, scriptwriting and more. With prior experience as a youth mentor, content creator and a tech start-up founder, this cultivated Anesu’s deep love and passion for technology, storytelling, connecting brands to Gen Z, and most importantly, raising the next generation of creative innovators. Instagram/TikTok: @TheBlckSparrow. LinkedIn: Anesu Malisa
*Members of the MMA SA’s Youth Development Board supply a monthly column to The Media Online with a strong focus on all things Gen Z.