What Gen Z’s Favorite Brands Are Doing Right

TL;DR

Creative storytelling creates conversation - and then, with a little luck and a lot of strategy, community. 

Bold and playful brand identities are far more likely to capture Gen Z’s attention in the online space.

Brands can give nostalgia a contemporary edge by reimagining classic elements of their product to reflect today’s culture.

Being a Gen Z fave is as lucrative for brands as it is elusive. But, much like the formula to virality, earning the favor of a Gen Z audience can seem like lottery-level odds to work with. Our generation is multifaceted, defined by niches more than overarching distinctions (which may explain why our consumer preferences sometimes contradict our behaviors); the only commonality shared between most of  Gen Z’s favorite brands is that they’re all different. 

But what are you, as a favorite-aspiring brand, supposed to do with that; what’s the secret formula? 

Psst: Ditch the formulas! 

Starface

Who says skincare has to be serious? With a colorful aesthetic and irreverent humor, Starface makes skin issues no big deal. A brand that earned its fave status with Gen Z long ago nails it with playful, quirky branding - and of course their iconic star-shaped pimple patches. This brand is all about imperfections and individuality, embracing self-acceptance in a way that encourages us to celebrate flaws instead of hiding them. It’s this authentic messaging that cements their spot in our hearts (and bathroom shelves).

Bratz

Oh, Bratz is soooo back. In fact, if you own a cell phone you’ve probably seen their animated skits on social. The brand has gained a massive following on TikTok and Instagram by reimagining pop culture moments in that iconic Bratz style. So far, they’ve remade scenes from “Euphoria,” “Mean Girls,” and “The Devil Wears Prada,” reimagined characters from “Sex and the City,” and recreated popular memes with their signature big lips and bubble letters. There isn’t a piece of pop culture that accounts can’t Bratz-ify. Whether we’re talking fashion trends or social justice, Bratz proves that nostalgia doesn’t have to be stuck in the past—it can evolve.

Emotional Utility Beverage

With functional ingredients like magnesium, GABA, and Lion’s Mane mushrooms, EUB is big on utility - and flair. Their spin on health is neatly integrated into their UI; clicking into the EUB website feels very matrix-y, the mouse morphing into a pixelated pointer finger hovering over their mission statement. 

‘Despite constant demands to do so, humans are not machines built to switch gears easily.’

Boom. Immediately, they’ve grabbed Gen Z’s attention by acknowledging a collective anxiety our generation is set against -  managing mental health in social and economic contexts that feel oppressive of it. Then they follow it with a call to action - their solution to said problem:

‘Feeling Acquisition Awaits’. Click to purchase a case. 

Julie

Back in March, this brand made headlines when breakout pop star Olivia Rodrigo handed out their Morning After pills to fans at her St. Louis show - for free. In a genius partnership with the outspokenly pro-choice Rodrigo, Julie elevated their status from product peddler to ally. The activation put their messaging of accessibility and empowerment into action in a way that met Gen Z where they were - both physically and culturally, given that our demo makes up the vast majority of Rodrigo’s fanbase. 

Nutter Butter

Nutter Butter is the surprise social media breakout of 2024 thanks to their delightfully bizarre TikTok content. They’ve spent the last 3 years building a whimsical, surrealist brand universe under the radar, complete with quirky characters and ongoing storylines - and two weeks ago, the world finally tuned in. Since then, their following has more than doubled. This unconventional approach is a masterclass in capturing Gen Z’s attention, with the added bonus of churning up a lot of buzz. 

Blip

Tobacco addiction has taken on a new face for Gen Z: vaping. And it’s turned out to be just as bad as cigarettes, despite what the colorful packaging may have initially conveyed. Enter Blip, a refreshing alternative in the vaping market. With a mission to help the next generation break their dicey vaping habit, Blip’s enlisted a powerful weapon against addiction: community. As Gen Z increasingly prioritizes wellness, this brand has found a way to keep serious concerns fun, while simultaneously destigmatizing addiction. 

GAP

GAP's campaign strategy is bridging the space between style and culture. Earlier this year, their spring campaign, "Linen Moves," featured Tyla dancing to Jungle's viral hit "Back on 74," blending two significant pop culture moments at the intersection of fashion. Now, Troye Sivan is set to be their new face for the fall. 

GAP has been around for a while, but their refresh for the current generation has found a way to perfectly straddle relevance and timelessness. They know today’s consumers want brands that actively participate in the cultural conversation - and they excel at weaving themselves into the zeitgeist.