As Gen Z continues to dominate cultural conversation and spending power, brands should rethink how they show up in 2026. According to Nicole Glover, executive creative director – digital at Penquin, the old playbook of flashy campaigns and creator collabs is losing its grip.
“Gen Z isn’t waiting to be entertained by brands,” says Glover. “They’re watching how brands behave when no one’s clapping. They don’t cancel brands anymore, they mute them. Quietly. Permanently. If your values disappear the moment they threaten profit, Gen Z sees that instantly, and no amount of tone-of-voice decks or creator collabs will save you.”
Values in action, not just words
In 2026, Penquin predicts that the brands resonating most with Gen Z will be those willing to stand for something, even if it costs them something. This generation has grown up with digital transparency and any inconsistency between what a brand says and what it does is quickly exposed and remembered.
Today, Gen Z prioritises brands that demonstrate genuine commitment to social and environmental causes, are transparent about processes, supply chains and decision-making, engage in long-term action rather than short-term activism and practice accountability when mistakes are made
“Authenticity isn’t a buzzword,” Glover explains. “It’s a strategic imperative. Gen Z can smell surface-level attempts to ‘perform’ values a mile away. The brands that will win in 2026 are those that embed ethical behaviour into the core of how they operate, not just how they communicate.”
Radical consistency as a digital strategy
In 2026, younger audiences care less about chasing trends and more about radical transparency. Glover explains that this generation is increasingly immune to “performative activism” and can detect “value-washing” with surgical precision.
Glover adds that the brands winning with Gen Z in 2026 are those that move from storytelling to story-doing.
“The brands that win won’t be the loudest in culture. They’ll be the ones willing to make a sacrifice for their beliefs. Whether it’s pulling out of a profitable but unethical market or standing by a controversial cause even when it affects the bottom line. That is the only language Gen Z respects now.”
Data backs the shift
Glover’s insight is backed by recent global and local data. A 2025 Deloitte survey found that 68% of Gen Z consumers in emerging markets (including South Africa) say they will switch brands if they perceive inauthenticity or inconsistent values.
In South Africa specifically, a 2025 Youth Lab report showed that 73% of Gen Z respondents are more likely to support brands that take clear, risk-bearing stands on social issues, even when those stands could alienate other audiences.
“Gen Z has grown up in a world of constant content,” Glover explains. “They’re immune to spectacle. What they’re not immune to is sincerity. The brands that understand this aren’t just surviving, they’re building a generation of advocates who will carry them forward for decades.”
A 2026 checklist for brands
Glover advises brands to audit their 2026 calendar through a Gen Z lens: Are values visible in decisions, not just in campaigns? Is the brand willing to say no to short-term profit for long-term trust? Are they showing up in ways that feel helpful rather than performative?
“The cost of muting is invisible but permanent,” Glover concludes. “The reward for showing up consistently, even when it’s inconvenient, is a relationship that no algorithm can replicate.”
