design:retail - August 2018 - 22

perspectives

022

JEFF FROMM

Kids These
Days

PRESIDENT
FUTURECAST AND
CO-AUTHOR OF
"MARKETING TO GEN Z"

OOMERS. GEN X. MILLENNIALS. All

more useful. Useful is the new cool, and that
could be anything from providing just-in-time
content to a just-in-time buyer to helping them
solve a problem. It's no longer enough for a brand
to merely sell a good or service. Rather, useful
brands simplify life. Gen Z also requires brands
to have an element of corporate goodwill. They
are loyal to brands who take a stand on the issues that matter and expect everything from the
actual business model to the internal culture
to support and represent a more inclusive and
accepting community.

key markets retailers have had to
attract. But now, in the digital age,
attracting (and keeping) customers is an ever-changing challenge,
and a powerful demographic
is emerging-Gen Z. We talked with Jeff Fromm,
president of Kansas City, Mo.-based FutureCast
and the co-author of "Marketing to Gen Z," about
how retailers can attract these valuable customers.
design:retail: Who are Gen Zers?
Fromm: Gen Z is the generation born from 19962010, the oldest of which are now 22 and entering
the workforce. Similar to Millennials, they are
forcing brands to rethink their strategies to remain
relevant as these digital natives start making their
own money.
d:r: What are retailers getting right about
attracting Gen Z customers?
Fromm: We're observing a new shift as brands
seek to engage Gen Z shoppers. Many are asking
themselves how to sell to these customers, befriend them and connect by participating in their
lives through relevant digital channels. This is all
right on. However, this generation also loves the experience of shopping, which we find to be a main
driver of customer engagement and loyalty. Research
clearly indicates they aren't looking to merely own
material goods. What they really care about is the
experience-which they often seek out in brick-andmortar stores-and actual human feelings associated
with the consumption of the product. The more tailored to themselves this interaction gets, the more
loyalty and excitement the customer will show.
d:r: What is the biggest misconception retailers
have about Gen Z?
Fromm: That they are too young to have any power
over purchases. In reality, this group influences
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nearly $143 billion of discretionary spending a year.
Brands shouldn't see them as broke teens, but rather powerful market consumers who will dictate the
direction the market will go in the next decade.
d:r: How are Gen Zers different from Millennials
in their shopping habits?
Fromm: Millennials are all about participation,
while Gen Z is about acceptance. They don't expect
perfection, which is seen in the rise of "real advertising." Image is still important to them, but they
would rather be seen as unique. In fact, they use
social media to curate their individual personality,
so that they are seen in a certain way, often with
multiple personas. Brands will be successful if they
can be leveraged to build a unique personal identity
by being inclusive and non-stereotypical.

d:r: How does technology affect Gen Z's
shopping habits?
Fromm: Gen Z is the first generation that has
grown up in a truly post-digital era. Life as they
know it has always had social media and smartphones. If they don't know something, they pull
out their phone and Google it. This easy and constant access to information, as well as their peers'
opinions, has shaped the way they engage with
brands, make purchase decisions and connect
with each other. Yes, they are swayed by influencers on their social channels, but as I mentioned
before, they are drawn to more analog approaches
to everything: they like to see and experience, and
will continue to make purchases offline as well.
The success of retail brands lies in how they bridge
these desires of Gen Z to find retail experiences in
a variety of ways.
JEFF FROMM IS PRESIDENT OF KANSAS CITY, MO.-BASED FUTURECAST, A CONSUMER TRENDS CONSULTANCY THAT IS A DIVISION OF
THE BARKLEY ADVERTISING AGENCY. HE IS A GRADUATE OF THE
WHARTON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ATTENDED THE LONDON
SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS. A CONTRIBUTING WRITER AT FORBES
AND FREQUENT SPEAKER ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AND BRAND
INNOVATION, FROMM ALSO IS CO-AUTHOR OF "MARKETING TO

d:r: How can brands attract Gen Z shoppers?
Fromm: Gen Z shoppers look for brands to be

GLOBALSHOP.ORG

MILLENNIALS" (AMACOM, 2013) AND "MILLENNIALS WITH
KIDS" (AMACOM, 2015).

http://www.DESIGNRETAILONLINE.COM http://www.GLOBALSHOP.ORG

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