Age of Indentity

"Branding " began as a mark of ownership, trust, and quality, and evolved into a more sophisticated symbol of differentiation and identification in the post–World War II era. As commerce became global and markets became saturated with products and services, the need to differentiate increased, as did the need to help customers identify and choose. Companies adopted slogans and mascots, built a presence on radio and television, and, by the 1970s and '80s, manufacturers fully recognized the way in which consumers developed relationships with their brands-and how they could infuse them with a clear proposition, values, and special qualities to broaden their appeal. In the Age of Identity, the purpose of a brand was to serve as a market positioning identifier, setting businesses and individual products apart from the crowd, both visually and verbally. These foundational characteristics of a great brand are still valid today, but the world became more demanding. 

Age of Value

In 1988, Interbrand undertook the first Brand Valuation, and the Age of Value was born. Companies began to view brands as valuable business assets that contribute significantly to financial performance-driving choice, securing loyalty, and affording the owner a premium. Slowly, the language of "cost" relating to marketing expenditure became the language of "investment." Alongside this, came an increasing recognition that brands were not built simply through communications, but through a combination of business activities covering products and services, environments, culture, and communication-all of which created the total brand perception held by customers and employees alike. The growing wealth of data led to a more sophisticated approach to brand management, tied to economic value, and ultimately the creation of a growth agenda based upon a robust and strategic methodology. No longer an afterthought or a responsibility relegated to the marketing department, brand strategy became not only intertwined with business strategy-it became business strategy brought to life.

Age of Experience

With the recognition of brands as valuable, strategic assets, came a deeper appreciation of the role brands play in delivering satisfying and differentiated experiences to consumers. Benefitting immensely from the rise of digital and mobile technology, category-killing brands like Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple have reset customer expectations and significantly raised the bar for brand experiences. Interactions are seamless, contextually relevant, and increasingly based around creating an ecosystem of integrated products, services, information, and entertainment: both physical and digital. In this information-saturated age, it's no longer enough to have big data. These vast data sets must be mined for big insight, big empathy, big intuition, and big dialogue. The frequency of and immense opportunities for communication require higher degrees of internal clarity and commitment to the brand to ensure consistency across organizations and enable speed to market. Further, the customer-empowered by social media in the Age of Experience-now has more control than ever. In this world of two-way conversations, advocacy, influence, and engagement are the new rules for brand building.

Age of You

As digital technology continues to weave its way into every aspect of our lives, and more of who we are is captured on servers and hard drives, the Age of Experience is giving way to a new era-one of ubiquitous computing. When ecosystems are fully integrated and sensors (on our bodies, in our homes, and in our devices) can talk to each other in new ways, supply chains will reorganize around individuals and ecosystems will become Mecosystems. Connecting businesses to people-and people to each other-brands will then serve as enablers of both business and personal value creation.  

From the way we manage our personal brands and share pieces of ourselves through various social media platforms to the increasingly personalized world of commerce-which uses purchase histories and location-based services to tailor products, events, services, and offers to whoever we are, wherever we are-our data selves are known, communicating, and growing every day. Brands that seek to lead in the Age of You will have to recognize the human in the data, uncover genuine insights, and create a truly personalized and curated experience-an ecosystem to satisfy the Mecosystem.

Source:bestglobalbrands

Rasha Al Dhanhani of PappaRoti named MENA Franchise Professional

The Middle East Franchise Expo presented the annual MENA Franchise Awards in 12 categories on the sides of Expo at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel Convention Centre in Dubai.

The Awards for Excellence in Franchising were presented by His Excellency Abdulrahim Hassan Naqi, Secretary General of the Federation of GCC Chambers (FGCCC), accompanied Dr Khalid AlSharfa, President of Middle East and North Africa Franchise Association (MENAFA).

The Best MENA Franchise Professional award was conferred on Rasha Al Dhanhani, Chairperson of PappaRoti Café, in recognition of her success in popularising the brand.

The following were the other winners: Azadea Group - Best MENA Multi-Brand Operator; Shakespeare & Co – Best MENA Franchise Brand; McDonald’s – Best International Franchise Brand; Doner Kebab - Best UAE Franchise Brand; Herfy, Best Saudi Franchise Brand; Salad Boutique – Best Kuwaiti Franchise Brand; Jasmi’s – Best Bahraini Franchise Brand; Al Qarashi – Best MENA Retail Brand; Al Tazaj – Best MENA Food Brand; ICONS, Best GCC Emerging Brand and The Entertainer – Best Service Brand.

Rasha Al Dhanhani, Chairperson of PappaRoti Café, said, "I'm thrilled and honored to receive the Best MENA Franchise Professional Award, which is a great recognition of PappaRoti's success as a business model and leading franchise. This prestigious award gives me even greater determination to keep growing and contributing not only to the local and regional economy but also on an international level."

Dr Khalid AlSharfa, President of MENAFA, said: “The MENA Franchise Awards are designed to recognise exceptional performance in franchising, with the goal of encouraging operators to raise the bar on service and their offering. We aspire to make these awards much bigger and more prestigious in the years to come.” 

Microsoft announced the appointment of Sherif Tawfik as new General Manager for Microsoft in Bahrain and Oman. In this position, Sherif will be driving the new Microsoft global vision of ‘mobile first, cloud first’ to a diverse audience of enterprise customers, partners, IT professionals, developers and consumers in both countries. 

Sherif succeeds Tareq Hijazi, who has assumed the role of Regional Director for Small and Mid-market Solutions and Partners (SMS&P) organization in the Gulf. 

Commenting on the appointment of Sherif Tawfik, Samer Abu-Ltaif, Regional General Manager, Microsoft Gulf said “Sherif’s strong leadership skills and his powerful mix of experience will fuel his efforts to spearhead transformation and fuel the broader impact of Microsoft in Bahrain and Oman. His expertise will add value to our customers, providing them with strategies to enhance their productivity and do more in a mobile-first, cloud-first business environment.” He added “I am confident that in his new role, Sherif will continue to prioritize Microsoft’s real impact to support the region’s economy and workforce,  by driving existing efforts to support Small and Medium Business, tech start-ups and youth innovation through various programs. This, in addition to the ongoing commitment to support and augment the strategic partnerships with governments in key initiatives designed to boost government modernization and serve both countries’ global competitiveness agenda. ”

Prior to this role, Sherif was the Director for Solutions Sales for the Middle East and Africa region driving Microsoft’s solutions multi-billion revenue and leading an organization of 300 sales and technical specialists across a region spanning 79 countries.

Sherif is passionate about people and technology.  His track record includes pioneering several capacity building initiatives with different governments across the region aiming at improving employability and developing local talent in those countries.

“I am extremely excited to be given the opportunity to lead Microsoft in the vibrant markets of Bahrain and Oman,” commented Sherif Tawfik, General Manager of Microsoft in Bahrain and Oman. “I see great potential in those two countries driven in large by the national vision and priorities, the strong base of local talents, as well as the inclusiveness and openness of both markets,” he added. Sherif explained that one of his new role’s top priorities is to continue supporting the Governments’ national initiatives for modernisation as well building great partnership with the IT ecosystem, and bringing the latest innovation to the Bahraini and Omani markets.

Since the launch of its operation in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Sultanate of Oman, Microsoft has been playing an important role as a technology partner in the reform process that both countries are aiming to achieve, primarily in areas like education and social development to raise the level of awareness about IT solutions and its importance in everyone’s daily lives.

• Nissan rises to 56th place in Interbrand study, up from 65th last year

• Value of the Nissan brand increases by 23% to $7.623 billion

Nissan has been named one of the world's most valuable brands for 2014, according to Interbrand, the world-leading brand consultancy. In the Best Global Brands Study, released today by Interbrand, Nissan ranked 56, up from 65 in 2013. The study cited the strength of Nissan’s financial performance, product portfolio and leadership position in electric vehicles among the drivers of the company’s brand health. The value of the Nissan brand was estimated at $7.623 billion, an increase from last year's estimated value of nearly $6.2 billion.

In June Nissan was named one of the world's greenest brands for 2014 in Interbrand's Best Global Green Brands report. Nissan moved up one spot to fourth overall powered by the Nissan LEAF, the world's best-selling 100% electric vehicle and making the company the global leader in Zero Emissions mobility.

“Brand power is a key indicator of the health of the Nissan business and a major driver of the company’s growth," said Roel de Vries, Nissan Corporate Vice President and global head of Marketing and Brand Strategy. “We are pleased to see a 23 percent increase in brand value from last year – nearly doubling Nissan’s brand value since its inaugural appearance on the list in 2011 – and recognition as a “top” riser in the study.”

The Best Global Brands study is Interbrand's annual report on the world's most valuable brands. Interbrand's method looks at the ongoing investment and management of the brand as a business asset, taking into account financial performance, the role of brand in the purchase decision process, and the strength of the brand.

The study noted Nissan’s recent launches for the Qashqai, Murano and Rogue as a demonstration of the brand’s “Innovation and Excitement for Everyone” positioning. The company’s leadership in electric vehicles and investment in future mobility, like autonomous vehicles and fuel cell technology, were recognized for addressing emerging customer needs in a rapidly changing automotive market.

Cars are big business, and as technology continues to permeate our lives, the auto industry is broadening its revenue base by tapping into consumers’ desire to stay connected from behind the wheel. The industry is also amplifying an array of connected car options across a swath of TV ads. And when you consider how personal a car purchase is, new connectivity features are helping automakers personalize content for everyone, from working moms in need of hands-free talk to twenty-something singles looking to score reservations at the local hotspot.

Regardless of tech preference, however, the modern car offers some form of connectivity for everyone—and that appeal is growing.In fact, of the 44% of future auto intenders who plan to purchase a new car within the next two years, 39% are very likely to purchase a connected car with built-in features. So what’s the draw? In most cases, it comes down to having what’s cool: 60% of future auto intenders say they’d like a connected car because they want to experience emerging technologies, 58% feel it will provide entertainment to passengers while on the road, and 43% say it will boost their productivity while they’re on the road.

The rise in connectivity options—whether for getting directions or checking engine diagnostics—also presents a unique opportunity for advertisers and marketers to reach consumers in the comfort of their own cockpits.

So who is the connected car user?

The study found the majority are men (58%), 42% are age 55+ and 62% have at least a college degree and 37% made more than $100,000 per year. More still, is the added convenience that connected cars can afford to drivers who spent ample time in their vehicles. In fact, 37% of connected car users say they spend 30 minutes to an hour in their cars on a regular basis.

CONNECTED SAFETY: ALERT TODAY, ALIVE TOMORROW

While money can’t always buy complete protection, connected cars can do a lot to bridge the gap. Safety is a predominant value among consumers and, as Nielsen’s study found, it’s among the highest-ranking features incentivizing them to buy a connected car. Among future intenders, 79% said they believe a vehicle’s safety features will make them feel safe. Users of connected car technologies also value crash notifications (64% very important), Internet-enabled navigation (58% very important) and safety alerts (51% very important). Connected car consumers also rated these same features as most important in their car-buying decision-making processes

HOT WHEELS: INFORMATION AND ENTERTAINMENT

But connectivity isn’t just about safety. It can be fun and informative too. In fact, according to Nielsen’s latest Music 360 report, nearly one-fourth of all music listening each week happens behind the wheel. Forty-six percent of connected car users use driving analytics, and 41% use wireless hotspots every time they’re on the road. They also connect for entertainment about one-third of the time. In Q2 2014:

36% of connected car users streamed audio every time they were in their car (36% stream regularly)

26% say they connect to the Internet every time they’re in their car (41% connect regularly)

21% use their connectivity to download media every time they’re in their car (27% do so regularly)

There is a slight gender divide when it comes to hot spot connectivity. In fact 74% of men and 84% of women whose connected cars came with built-in wireless hotspots say that using their car as a wireless hotspot is a somewhat or very important connected car technology.

Dentsu Aegis Network today announced the appointment of Koji Watanabe as Managing Director of the newly launched advertising agency, Dentsu Middle East & Africa. The launch of Dentsu MEA takes Dentsu Aegis Network MENA’s tally of brands up to six along with Carat, iProspect, Isobar, Posterscope and Vizeum. 

Reporting to Michael Nederlof, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network MENA, Watanabe will take charge of account and product management for Dentsu’s clients in all of the 54 MEA markets and look to employ the global network’s synergies within the region. Watanabe has been with the network for over 20 years and joins Dentsu Aegis Network MENA from his native Japan, having previously spent extensive time in Dentsu Alpha in Vietnam as well as in the Philippines.

As Managing Director, Watanabe will look to expand and build Dentsu MEA’s client base, especially with Japanese clients looking to expand into the Middle East and Africa, as well as local brands in the region. The agency already has Honda as one of its clients. 

Speaking about Watanabe’s appointment, Michael Nederlof, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network MENA said, “It was always earmarked to introduce Dentsu into the region and the agency’s offering to our clients as part of our suite of brands in the network. With Dubai’s geographical location, Dentsu Aegis Network MENA will offer Dentsu the opportunity to access Western and European markets alike. The appointment of Koji allows us to move forward in this delivery and with him he brings an abundance of experience from within our network to really add tremendous value to both new and existing clients.”

Speaking about his appointment, Koji Watanabe, Managing Director of Dentsu MEA said, “With the Middle East and Africa outpacing other regions of the world in terms of growth, it presents a fantastic opportunity for Dentsu to capitalize on both Japanese and  international brands wanting to move into the region. This, coupled with our unique business methods, will ensure we deliver unparalleled results for our clients.” 

The 2015 Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity continues to highlight the importance of nurturing future talent through its student competitions; The Masar Student Creative Award for Print and the Integrated Student Award. This year the competitions expand to honour the universities that support and mentor students throughout the year.

The inaugural University of the Year Competition will incorporate the results from both the Masar Student Creative Award for Print and the Integrated Student Award. Students with shortlisted and winning entries from both competitions will be awarded points for their universities. The school that accumulates the most points will be honoured as the most creative university in the MENA region.

“Providing opportunities for new talent to be exposed to today’s industry experts is vital to recruiting and retaining tomorrow’s leaders”, says Emma Farmer, Festival Director of Dubai Lynx. “Through the student creative awards young hopefuls can present their skills and gain an invaluable experience to network with top creatives at the Festival. The new University of the Year Award recognises and honours the university that best fosters and promotes the creativity of its students.”

Now in its second year, the Integrated Student Award Competition, with its chosen charity The Angel Appeal, requires entrants to promote awareness of the charity and increase the number of donors and supporters through both traditional and social media. The Angel Appeal is a project by the Mission to Seafarers which aims to improve the lives of seafarers by providing support and welfare to seafarers in the UAE. Students create an integrated campaign to build upon the current Facebook following and use two other forms of media to engage interest, direct traffic to the website and promote support and donations throughout the UAE and further afield. The competition is now open for entries and closes on 3 December 2014.

The brief for this year’s Masar Student Creative Award for Print Competition was set by chosen charity Dubai Cares. Working to improve children’s access to primary education in developing countries, Dubai Cares aims to create greater awareness of the importance of education as a solution to breaking the cycle of poverty. Students are challenged to create an advert which will increase awareness of the cause and inspire members of the UAE community to take action. The advert can be produced in both Arabic and English and should include a call to action for supporters to sign up and donate. Entrants can submit a campaign from now until 3 December 2014 via www.dubailynx.com. Commenting on Masar Printing and Publishing’s continued sponsorship of the competition, Faisal ben Haider, Executive Director of Printing and Distribution, DMI said, “We are proud to launch the 3rd edition of the Masar Student Creative Award for Print for 2015. As with the last edition we are honoured to grant students the opportunity to take advantage of the many ways that exist to explore the unfamiliar in creativity and innovation. This competition symbolises Dubai’s aspirations and vision on supporting education and creativity. Also I would like to pass this message to every participant - prepare yourself for the challenge, excitement and inspiration.”

Ramsey Naja, Chief Creative Officer, JWT MEA presides over this year’s carefully selected jury of experts from across the region, who will judge both competitions. A member of JWT’s Worldwide Creative Council, Naja has been engaged with a wide range of presenting and judging positions throughout his career.

The competitions are free to enter and open to students in full time education aged 25 years and under. Entries are currently being accepted online with a final deadline of 3 December 2014. All shortlisted submissions will be exhibited at the Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity, attended by industry experts and top creatives from the region. Winners will receive a ticket to the Festival, which includes the cost of flights and accommodation, along with the unique opportunity of having their skills and talent on show at the Dubai Lynx Awards Ceremony, which brings the Festival to a close on 11 March 2015. Further information, including the rules and full briefs, is available at http://www.dubailynx.com. 

Chief marketers are fast becoming expert urban planners fighting enterprise data sprawl in their digital marketing technology portfolios. They are being challenged to bring disciplined development and cross-functional harmonization to what is an ever more crowded, data-producing landscape.

A new study published today by the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council and Tealium, the leader in real-time unified marketing solutions, finds strong links to suggest that improved business and marketing performance are directly related to having a formal roadmap for digital marketing technology acquisition, integration and data unification. The online research is based on Q3 2014 interactions with 150 senior marketers in North America.

Entitled “Quantify How Well You Unify,” the CMO Council report explores how well chief marketers are taking ownership of digital marketingtechnology strategies and to what degree they are unifying and extracting value from multiplying customer data sources. Among the high points, the study revealed:

·Forty-two (42) percent of CMOs who own their marketing technology strategy see greater business impact than those who do not.

·Those with a formal strategy contribute more tooverall revenue and value creation. Half (50 percent) are able to achieve more targeted, efficient and relevant customer engagements, and 39 percent achieve greater return and accountability of marketing spend.

·CMOs who manage and integrate technology are achieving measurable business and operational gains. Nearly one-third (30 percent) of CMOs who say they manage and integrate technology extremely well or pretty well are seeing tangible business value, with 51 percent of those achieving greater revenue contributions.

·Those who integrate a technology strategy within their overall marketing strategy are able to achieve more personalizedcustomer interactions across channels. Fifty-nine (59) percent of those who have integrated this strategy report achieving more targeted, efficient andrelevant customer engagements.

Unfortunately, there is a need for master planning when it comes to collecting and analyzing customer-centric data sourced from websites, social networks, mobile apps, online customer communities, and other interactive, self service and self-help channels.

·Less than half (44 percent) of senior marketers surveyed say they have a formal marketing technology strategy and program to furtherbusiness goals.

·Just 16 percent of marketers report their marketing technology strategy is tightly aligned to the business strategy.

·Only 3 percent of marketers say they are doing extremely well at integrating marketing technologies across functions.

·A surprising 54 percent of marketers are not sure whether their marketing technology investments are producing tangible business value.

“While 67 percent of survey respondents believe new marketing technologies are essential or very important to overall marketinggroup performance and effectiveness, they are being held back by technologyoverload, too many data sources, and lack of strategic application and integration of disparate point solutions and data,” notes Donovan Neale-May, Executive Director of the CMO Council, an organization that represents 7,500 chief marketers in 110 countries controlling some $400 billion in aggregated annual spend.

Tealium advises chief marketers to architect a comprehensive “martech” strategy that fully integrates all digital marketing functions, data sources and customer touchpoints. By unifying siloed marketing applications, marketers have a much more robust view of their customers and can drive more personalized and impactful experiences that convert visitors into consumers.

“Most CMOs are unaware of how many digital marketing solutions they are using, and a majority have not defined a coherent and comprehensive marketing technology strategy or a path forward,” adds Tracy Hansen, Chief Marketing Officer for Tealium. “Embracing a unified marketing model generates measurable ROI and improved economics; category innovators and best-practice leaders prove this belief time and again.”

Study Observations

·Technology is now an essential part of the modern marketing strategy, but the rapid increase in technology options is causing problems—applications and customer data are more fragmented than ever.

·Most CMOs do not have an end-to-end marketing technology strategy; those who do are likely to contribute more to overall revenue, ROI, customer engagement, etc.

·CMOs who own the marketing technology strategy have greater business impact than CMOS who delegate the responsibility.

·CMOs who successfully manage and integrate technology are achieving measurable business and operational gains on theirinvestments (greater returns, smarter spend, less resources, process efficiency, speed to market, reduced costs, greater revenue, etc.).

·CMOs who are good at integrating marketing technologies are seeing better business upside (more visitors, customer acquisitions, conversions, transactions, retention, upsell/cross-sell, repeat purchase, affinity, etc.).

·CMOS who have successfully integrated their technologies are achieving measurable improvements in personalizing customer interactions and delivering better customer experiences across all digital channels.

·The most successful companies have a comprehensive marketing technology strategy and are taking steps to better deploy, manage and integrate their technologies, end-to-end.

·The most successful companies extend their marketing technology beyond marketing to include sales, product development, etc., and they generate a significantly higher business impact.

A new report by Juniper Research has forecast that more than 100 million smart watches will be in use worldwide by 2019, with a host of premium brand launches over the next 12-18 months bringing the category into mainstream consumer consciousness.

Software-driven Differentiation, with no Killer Apps in Sight

According to the report – Smart Watches: Market Dynamics, Vendor Strategies & Scenario Forecasts 2014-2019 - differentiation is now shifting from hardware towards other features that allow new capabilities, such as GPS and NFC connectivity. It argues that these functionalities are likely to become standard in the next few years, particularly as Apple has offered payment and NFC capability via the Apple Watch.

The report also claims that the range of functionality available means that it is unlikely that a ‘killer app’ for smartwatches would evolve. It cites the example of Fitbit, which grew to dominance in the fitness space with a mantra of ‘one size doesn’t fit all’, and varying device form factor. The report argues that, given the greater scope for development in smart watches, the industry should not expect a single capability to make or break the category.

Additionally, the report argues that as international vendors including Google, Apple, Sony, and LG roll out high-end products, demand for notification-based watches like the Martian Notifier will diminish, even in markets where budget pricing is the biggest purchase driver. Hence, the report says that smaller players will need to respond to increasing consumer expectations or lose further market share.

Other Key Findings Include:

•Smart watches will slowly gain more sales outlets as brands outside the technology sector, such as luxury watch maker TAG Heuer, enter the smart watch space.

•High functionality and premium branding means that the average smart watch price will remain above $200 until 2020 at the earliest.

Although they are adjacent generations, Gen Y (Millennials) and Gen Z have a number of major differences. Gen Z is a more tech-innate, connected generation - which heavily affects their communication style. This precocious cohort is more socially aware than the previous generation and more future-facing in their attitudes. Where Gen Y is thought to be selfish, and Gen X cynical, Gen Z emerges as mature and realistic. Brands will need to learn and adapt.

For Gen Z, gender roles are thought to be more fluid. Brands such as Nerf, Lego and Barbie are already capitalizing on this, offering toy products that question traditional gender models, and provide an area where girls can safely explore traditionally male toys; and GoldieBlox has been marketing science- and engineering-themed toys to girls. Their commercial, ‘The Princess Machine’, has gained attention for radically questioning ‘girl-themed’ products. And of course, P&G’s ‘Like a Girl’ campaign has been causing quite a stir in challenging damaging female stereotypes.

Here, then, are 5 ways to win with Generation Z:

1. Think Multiple

In order to engage Gen Z, brands have to go native and learn to become fluent in digital. This is a generation of digital natives. Where Millennials are using two screens on average, it is not uncommon for Gen Z-ers to make use of five separate screens at once – most commonly TV, cellphones, desktops, laptops, and portable music players.

Successful brands will need to evolve from producing few, linear stories to publishing content with multiple, live storylines told across a multitude of touchpoints. The notion of a linear customer journey is simply irrelevant in a world of fragmenting touchpoints and proliferating content.

Chipotle recently made great use of multi-channel engagement with their ‘Scarecrow’ campaign. After their first short film that began the conversation about where food comes from and how it’s produced, ‘Scarecrow’ will air the issue through multi-channel content. The campaign includes another short film, an online game and a song recorded by Fiona Apple. All link to additional content through the brand’s website.

2. Think Experiences

Brands of the future don’t just sell products, because that’s not what Gen Z wants. Liberated by technology, they create experiences that engage people in their brand world – a world where the marketing adds as much value as the product itself. Gen Z will be at the frontier of demanding more from brands.

And so if you want your brand to get more from Gen Z-ers, you’ll need to give more. You need to provide things of real value and relevance. As touchpoints fragment and competition proliferates, the brands creating the most impact make every interaction count. To do this, brands need to stop thinking about communications, and start thinking about content – content that has genuine value in people’s lives. Think Red Bull, Nike + and Fiat ecoDrive

3. Think Purpose

Because this generation is partly defined by their awareness of social and environmental issues, they seek out purpose in all that they do. So, the old model of Marketing as a One-way Street, about management and transmission, is defunct. The most successful brands for Gen Z won’t just invite consumers in, they will play a valued and valuable role in people’s lives.

And to do this they need to have an active purpose sitting right at their core, and demonstrate it through a focus on actions, not just words. With Gen Z-ers, ‘saying’ is cheap; it’s what you ‘do’ that counts. Active, purpose-driven brands place as much emphasis on brand behaviours as on communications. They recognise that when a consumer buys their product, it’s not the end of the relationship – it’s just the beginning. Think Starbucks and Dove.

4. Think Visual

With an average attention span of eight seconds, high impact visuals are the order of the day in marketing to Gen Z-ers. The recent explosion of Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat at the expense of the previously invincible Facebook are indicative of a surge of visual culture. 54% of Gen Z-ers visit YouTube multiple times a day, which demonstrates their affinity for 4D media.

Taco Bell is currently successfully engaging youth audiences by using Instagram to tell a visual narrative of what it really means to ‘Live Más’, a great example of leveraging visual content. And the $1.65 billion Google spent on YouTube is now looking like a snip, as video content becomes the next big thing, and Vice starts to challenge CNN and BBC as digital natives’ news source of choice.

5. Think Disruption

In the past, successful brand performance was about continuity, delivering the same reliable experience time after time. But that’s at best a hygiene factor for Gen Z. To connect with this generation, brands will need to show themselves capable of re-invention, even disrupting their own models in order to stay relevant and fresh. New technologies have spawned new possibilities and as many new business models.

In many cases, this makes the old ways irrelevant, and causes category disruption impossible a few years ago – think Kodak and Instagram, Avis and zipcar, Marriott and airbnb. What’s interesting is that these disruptions don’t always come from within a category – often, they involve complete reframing of the territory by an unknown yet provocative outsider – increasingly a Gen Z start-up.5 Ways To Win With Generation Z

by strategic marketing consultancy, Added Value

Although they are adjacent generations, Gen Y (Millennials) and Gen Z have a number of major differences. Gen Z is a more tech-innate, connected generation - which heavily affects their communication style. This precocious cohort is more socially aware than the previous generation and more future-facing in their attitudes. Where Gen Y is thought to be selfish, and Gen X cynical, Gen Z emerges as mature and realistic. Brands will need to learn and adapt.

For Gen Z, gender roles are thought to be more fluid. Brands such as Nerf, Lego and Barbie are already capitalizing on this, offering toy products that question traditional gender models, and provide an area where girls can safely explore traditionally male toys; and GoldieBlox has been marketing science- and engineering-themed toys to girls. Their commercial, ‘The Princess Machine’, has gained attention for radically questioning ‘girl-themed’ products. And of course, P&G’s ‘Like a Girl’ campaign has been causing quite a stir in challenging damaging female stereotypes.

Here, then, are 5 ways to win with Generation Z:

1. Think Multiple

In order to engage Gen Z, brands have to go native and learn to become fluent in digital. This is a generation of digital natives. Where Millennials are using two screens on average, it is not uncommon for Gen Z-ers to make use of five separate screens at once – most commonly TV, cellphones, desktops, laptops, and portable music players.

Successful brands will need to evolve from producing few, linear stories to publishing content with multiple, live storylines told across a multitude of touchpoints. The notion of a linear customer journey is simply irrelevant in a world of fragmenting touchpoints and proliferating content.

Chipotle recently made great use of multi-channel engagement with their ‘Scarecrow’ campaign. After their first short film that began the conversation about where food comes from and how it’s produced, ‘Scarecrow’ will air the issue through multi-channel content. The campaign includes another short film, an online game and a song recorded by Fiona Apple. All link to additional content through the brand’s website.

2. Think Experiences

Brands of the future don’t just sell products, because that’s not what Gen Z wants. Liberated by technology, they create experiences that engage people in their brand world – a world where the marketing adds as much value as the product itself. Gen Z will be at the frontier of demanding more from brands.

And so if you want your brand to get more from Gen Z-ers, you’ll need to give more. You need to provide things of real value and relevance. As touchpoints fragment and competition proliferates, the brands creating the most impact make every interaction count. To do this, brands need to stop thinking about communications, and start thinking about content – content that has genuine value in people’s lives. Think Red Bull, Nike + and Fiat ecoDrive

3. Think Purpose

Because this generation is partly defined by their awareness of social and environmental issues, they seek out purpose in all that they do. So, the old model of Marketing as a One-way Street, about management and transmission, is defunct. The most successful brands for Gen Z won’t just invite consumers in, they will play a valued and valuable role in people’s lives.

And to do this they need to have an active purpose sitting right at their core, and demonstrate it through a focus on actions, not just words. With Gen Z-ers, ‘saying’ is cheap; it’s what you ‘do’ that counts. Active, purpose-driven brands place as much emphasis on brand behaviours as on communications. They recognise that when a consumer buys their product, it’s not the end of the relationship – it’s just the beginning. Think Starbucks and Dove.

4. Think Visual

With an average attention span of eight seconds, high impact visuals are the order of the day in marketing to Gen Z-ers. The recent explosion of Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat at the expense of the previously invincible Facebook are indicative of a surge of visual culture. 54% of Gen Z-ers visit YouTube multiple times a day, which demonstrates their affinity for 4D media.

Taco Bell is currently successfully engaging youth audiences by using Instagram to tell a visual narrative of what it really means to ‘Live Más’, a great example of leveraging visual content. And the $1.65 billion Google spent on YouTube is now looking like a snip, as video content becomes the next big thing, and Vice starts to challenge CNN and BBC as digital natives’ news source of choice.

5. Think Disruption

In the past, successful brand performance was about continuity, delivering the same reliable experience time after time. But that’s at best a hygiene factor for Gen Z. To connect with this generation, brands will need to show themselves capable of re-invention, even disrupting their own models in order to stay relevant and fresh. New technologies have spawned new possibilities and as many new business models.

In many cases, this makes the old ways irrelevant, and causes category disruption impossible a few years ago – think Kodak and Instagram, Avis and zipcar, Marriott and airbnb. What’s interesting is that these disruptions don’t always come from within a category – often, they involve complete reframing of the territory by an unknown yet provocative outsider – increasingly a Gen Z start-up.