In nearly every creative brief today, one phrase shows up without fail: “We need to attract Gen Z.”
It’s become one of the most overused, misunderstood, and misapplied directives in modern marketing. Yes, Gen Z is a significant demographic; approximately 16% of the global population falls within the 15- to 24-year-old age range. Include children under 15, and nearly 40% of the world is under 25.
But here’s the catch: just because Gen Z is big doesn’t mean they should be your campaign’s central focus. Brands are obsessed with this generation for two main reasons: they’re culturally loud and highly visible on digital platforms. They drive trends, dominate hashtags, and shape conversations across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
Naturally, brands feel the pressure to speak their language, mimic their memes, and match their humour. But here’s the truth: Gen Z can spot inauthentic content within seconds. You won’t win them over with a dance trend or a slang-heavy caption. Hiring someone born after 2000 isn’t a strategy—it’s a staffing decision.
Too many brands confuse imitation with relevance. “We saw what Brand X did—let’s do that too!” But Brand X likely spent years building authenticity. Wanting to be “funny on Twitter like MTN” doesn’t mean you’ve earned the right to joke about politics. Going viral on TikTok just because a certain soda brand did doesn’t mean you’ve built a following Gen Z cares about.
So ask yourself: are we doing this because it’s meaningful, or because we’re afraid of being left behind?
Here’s another reality check: while Gen Z is loud online, they’re not always the ones making purchases. They influence culture, yes, but in many markets, especially across Africa, Millennials and Gen X still hold the majority of the spending power.
Before shaping your entire campaign around a 19-year-old content creator, pause and ask: Who is actually buying what we’re selling?
The scramble to impress Gen Z often distracts brands from the real work of communication: building trust, delivering value, and solving problems for real people.
So when the next brief says, “We need to be on TikTok for Gen Z,” dig deeper. What are we actually trying to say? Why should anyone, even Gen Z, care? Is this real, relevant, and culturally rooted?
Gen Z matters, but they’re not a magic solution. Effective marketing strikes a balance between insight, authenticity, and relevance for all audiences.
Read more commentaries and insights from Business Insights Africa, our publishing partner.
