What does it take for marketers and advertisers to reach Gen Z audiences? Of course, social media is a main avenue for advertising – 88% of Gen Z adults reported using social media daily in 2022. But where do other types of media stand with advertising to Gen Z, such as TV?
CivicScience polled respondents about their thoughts and feelings on ads today. Here are three high-level insights straight from Gen Z adults (aged 18-24), plus a look at how they compare to the total U.S. population (aged 18+).
1. Ads That Get Attention from Gen Z
When asked which type of advertising medium they pay the most attention to, Gen Z shows to be surprisingly diverse. Social media comes first for 29% of Gen Z adults, nearly twice that of the general population’s average. Other online advertising comes in at 15% and TV advertising at 17%, showing that TV is still a relevant source for reaching Gen Z, although much less so than for older adults.
A remaining third of Gen Z adults are most likely to give their attention to other types of ad mediums, including outdoor billboards and print magazines.
2. Under the Influence of Video Ads
Gen Z is a video-centric generation, where TikTok leads as one of the most popular social media platforms (countered only by Instagram). It’s no surprise Gen Z adults say that among video ad platforms, social media video ads have the greatest influence on their consumer choices, such as what they buy and the TV shows they watch.
TV commercials clearly have a much stronger sway on the broader population. However, Gen Z rates TV ads (including streaming service ads) to be nearly as influential as video ads on social media, and much more influential than video ads seen while watching free ad-supported digital video sites such as YouTube. That’s something advertisers for this year’s upcoming Super Bowl may be pleased to know.
3. Ad Genres Matter for TV Commercials
Speaking of TV commercials, Gen Z looks like the general population in terms of which approach resonates the most with them: humor. According to the data, advertisers have about a 1-in-2 chance of reaching the Gen Pop through a funny commercial. But for targeted ads that speak to Gen Z, that drops to just a 1-in-3 chance. Gen Z respondents are more likely than older adults to respond to commercials that are informative, use music they like, are visually compelling, and are emotionally appealing.
While they have certain preferences that come to the fore, the data show that Gen Z is not a monochromatic population when it comes to ads. For a deeper read on Gen Z consumers, contact us for an InsightStore demo today.
