Most people perceive Gen Z as very marketing-savvy and wary. After all, they’ve grown up steeped in marketing messages left and right. They know how to tell what’s authentic, and they won’t give their brand loyalty easily. And yet, there’s one piece of marketing that they unexpectedly love and that offers a unique opportunity to reach them: clever, experience-oriented brand swag.
Understanding Gen Z
To understand Gen Z’s love for swag, we have to first understand Gen Z – those born between 1997 and 2012. Now, Gen Z are young adults who experienced significant change around them during their formative years. How has that affected their core traits and values?
According to researchers at Stanford, the average Gen Z’er is “a self-driver who deeply cares about others, strives for a diverse community, is highly collaborative and social, values flexibility, relevance, authenticity and non-hierarchical leadership, and, while dismayed about inherited issues like climate change, has a pragmatic attitude about the work that has to be done to address those issues.”
Brands looking to tap into this generation must relate to these values in their products, branding, and packaging. As for consumer behaviors, consumer researchers at GWI found:
- 28% of Gen Z report being prone to anxiety, with 18% saying social media makes them stressed.
- 34% of Gen Z want to travel more.
- Gen Z’ers prioritize the messaging function on social media sites; for instance, 82% of Gen Z TikTok users say they use the platform for messaging.
- One in four Gen Z’ers prefer podcasts, leaning toward community-centered experiences.
- Gen Z gamers are 33% more likely than the average gamer to play for social interaction.
These behaviors and preferences (along with Gen Z’s position as the loneliest generation) opens up big opportunities for brands: creating tangible, fun experiences that bring people together around a shared interest. And swag can play a big role in building that branded presence, both online and off!
How Brands Can Connect Using Swag
Gen Z’ers do seek out in-person experiences, but they also form a lot of their tastes online. That’s why so many brands are turning to deluxe swag boxes and “influencer kits” to capture the attention of Instagrammers, YouTubers, and TikTokers. Tens of millions of hours have been spent watching unboxing videos on YouTube alone, making it one of the top four influential types of product-based content. For Gen Z’ers, unboxing videos are a key part of their online media diet. A well-crafted kit, with engaging packaging or interactive elements, can turn unboxing swag into a surprising and fun experience that resonates not just with one recipient, but with their entire audiences.
Swag can also draw people to those highly-desired community experiences, but it can also be a powerful tool to help people connect outside of a specific event. Simple, affordable, and distinctive swag can give anxious and lonely Gen Z’ers (and other generations, too!) an easy conversation starter. That, in turn, makes them think more highly of your brand and have more positive associations with it.
For example, marketing professor Lauren Beitelspacher pointed out in a recent AdAge interview how something as simple as a branded sticker has become all the rage for Gen Z’ers looking to express themselves and connect with others.
“Stickers are almost like an external badging, you put them on your laptop or your water bottle and it’s a way to reflect your self-concept and values,” she explains. She also notes how Gen Z’ers are reversing past generations’ relationship to social media and other online experiences. It all boils down to that key marketing tenet of novelty: Gen Z’ers find in-person experiences delightful and novel the way that past generations got excited over the dawn of social media.
How can your brand tap into this same feeling of excitement? Each brand will have its own approach, tailored to its specific customer base and style, but some examples might be:
- Exclusive swag (hats, T-shirts, stickers) for individual locations or specific events
- Swag kits or influencer boxes, perfect for unboxing content
- Playful items, like quirky stickers or totes, that can serve as conversation starters
- Limited-edition or “collectible” swag for a sense of exclusivity
- Swag linked to an in-person event, like a store opening, a product demo, a street fair, or a seasonal pop-up.
When it comes to creating memorable swag that Gen Z will love, Priority Promotions is here to help! We offer an enormous range of promotional products, apparel, and printed pieces to coordinate with any campaign. Plus, our streamlined online ordering portals allow easier ordering and customization for individual locations, events, and more. Get in touch with our promotional products experts to learn more about bringing today’s trending products to your brand strategy!
