The Next Big Marketing Challenge: Centennials

Here come the Centennials.

Marketers are constantly on the lookout for the next opportunity to reach their target audiences. For years now, they have focused on reaching the millennials, those reaching young adulthood in or around the year 2000. As millennials are growing older, marketers are beginning to shift their focus, or rather, realize that centennials, also called Generation Z, are the next challenge.

Who are the centennials? Centennials are classified as those born around 1997 to the present and are aged up to 18 years-old. Although only 23% of the population, this demographic will be entering the workforce, as well as college. What are their characteristics? They’re more realistic, and while they like having fun, they won’t take too many risks. Cynicism also is a trait. Their outlook is more tempered. And only 52% of centennials have an active Facebook account.

How to reach centennials?

Being true digital natives, centennials are savvy with all the technology that is available to them. They are, therefore, heavily mobile-dependent. Brands will need to reach centennials across as many platforms as possible. And brands will have to be intelligent about how they go about doing this. Will the message fit into a context? If not, centennials will ignore you. As marketing is becoming more and more personal, your message will have to relate to the specific centennial.

Since cynicism is also a trait, a brand will have to prove trustworthiness. According to The Futures Company, “Centennials are slow to trust established systems, which means they’re wary of traditional, one-way brand messages. Earn their trust by allowing them to share their experiences and adjust their preferences, or design authentic branded experiences that align with their interests. Giving centennials control over their experience with a brand will make them more comfortable.”

They also want to stand out. “Standing out is the new fitting in,” said Megan Hartman, head of Red Peak Branding’s youth-oriented division, Red Peak Youth. “This generation really is about making your own mark and being an individual” in a recent article on AdAge.

Be a trustworthy brand, whether trying to reach millennials, centennials or any other target audience.

Not sure how to reach your target audience? Contact SPARKS! to see how we can help you.