Where to Find Gen Z

By: Modesty Sanchez

Considering Gen Z is the most online generation ever, it’s technically not too difficult to find them. Just check TikTok or Instagram and you’re bound to see them dancing across your screen or showing off their best angles in a selfie. Look on Snapchat and you’ll find a scrupulously updated story of everything they did that day. Digitally, it isn’t hard to find Gen Z, which is great for a brand trying to gain exposure to this demographic—if a company knows how to wield social media for its own marketing needs, then Gen Z will be sure to know about it. (If you’re unsure how to create an effective marketing campaign for your brand, check out our blog with plenty of tips on how to do so, or contact us and we’ll be sure to connect you with a Gen-Z creative who is ready to take your brand to the next level!)

All that being said, finding Gen Z is on the web is one thing, but discovering their physical whereabouts is another entirely. As mentioned earlier, many members of Gen Z religiously document their daily whereabouts on their social media accounts, especially on Snapchat. But it would be a bit stalker-ish to go to a place simply because a teenager posted a video of themselves there. However, using their digital trail could be useful to get a sense of how Gen Z spends their time when they aren’t online. 

Considering most of Gen Z is in school—a majority of the generation is still in high school, while the older side of Gen Z (better known as the Gen-Z geriatrics, AKA my peers) have only barely started graduating college—advertising in places where students are most likely to be is an almost certain way to expose your brand to a Gen-Z audience. For high schoolers, most of whom can’t drive, the mall is a popular hang-out. This means marketing your brand in malls or making sure your brand’s presence is felt there (i.e. opening up a pop-up store, putting some of your products in a store like PacSun or Urban Outfitters), nearly guarantees that Gen Z will take notice of it, especially if they’ve already seen some digital ads on their social media feed. Additionally, back when I was in middle school and would spend every Friday afternoon running around the mall with friends, I would take goofy pictures with various advertisements that caught my eye. This means if your brand is able to appeal to hyperenergetic teens, it could live in their phones (and brains) for years to come. 

As for the college kids, it goes without saying that they’re going to spend a lot of time on campus, so consider having your brand collaborate with their school. This way, students can show off their school spirit in a unique and exciting way, which in turn will incentivize them to check out your brand. Another idea would be to sponsor a school event to create some buzz surrounding your brand. Bring a beloved Gen-Z artist to campus or fund a fun event like a dance party at a local bar, and Gen Z will remember your brand for a long time. 

Of course, Gen Z exists outside of school as well—find them at the concert of a beloved Gen-Z artist like Lil Nas X or see what they’re up to at the screening for their favorite A24 movie. Find out what kind of media or entertainment Gen Z bonds over with their peers and you’re guaranteed to find them at a related event. So long as you and your brand can reach them while they’re out having fun, you’ll occupy a place in Gen Z’s memory for a long time to come. 

See the entire list of Adolescent creators here