WANT TO GET THE INSIGHTS?
Get the best experience by viewing it on your desktop.
New State:
Fluidity
03
We've identified a key lever to engage and potentially influence Gen Z: loyalty – just not as you know it
Brands need to earn loyalty, not expect it
When we dived into the data, we found things we expected. Reassuring, absolutely, but it still didn’t answer why so many brands are failing to land meaningful connection with this generation.
Price and quality really matter: 94% rated product quality as very important, with 93% saying the same about price - with 88% crossover. No surprise there, we all want a good deal.
Big on research: 91% often compare prices before purchasing, with 80% likely to research specs before purchasing.
Social-first: 95% said social media worked best to connect with brands
Brand loyalty is the promised land. Consumers return to you regardless of price. They'll even evangelise for you, spreading your good word in exchange for social currency. But the Gen Z fluid consumer is different. Remember, they'll drop brands in a heartbeat.
Cue Reciprocal loyalty: brands earn loyalty by proving loyalty - actively listening and meeting Gen Z’s ever-changing needs. Loyalty is no longer a one-way street. In the age of the Gen Z consumer, the onus is on brands to fluidly meet their changing identities and expectations.
We know by now that Gen Z is fiercely unique and demands deeply personal experiences. So, when a brand shows up and really listens, they feel seen – and that should never be underestimated. That might seem trivial to generations before, but for Gen Z, who live in a deeply fluid world, it means everything.
Engaging notifications make customers feel like clients rather than just customers
Adapting to the shifting states
of the next generation
Reciprocal loyalty: the new loyalty contract
would probably switch to a different brand if it offered better value for money
88
%
Are likely to try a new brand if their preferred brand is unavailable
71
%
Regularly unsubscribe from brand newsletters and unfollow them on social media
80
%
Are you asking for loyalty? Or earning it?
Shift your mindstate from FIXED to FLUID. From rigid to responsive. Meet fluidity with fluidity.
Imagine a world where Gen Z actively seeks out your brand - not because they need to, but because they want to. That’s the power of reciprocal loyalty.
This means knowing what Gen Z wants and adapting to their changing needs with real value.
It’s about consistently showing up for them and earning their continued interest. Moving from telling consumers what they should want to understanding and flexibly responding to what they actually need. This doesn't mean that once you've earned loyalty, you'll keep it. Loyalty is still easily lost. Your commitment to Gen Z must come first.
But if Gen Z is skint, is it all just a case of ‘lowest price wins’?
Yes, price matters, and for some Gen Z consumers, it can even trump preference - putting them in a state of conflict. But by focusing on meeting their other needs, we predict you will influence future choices. Building loyalty in this way builds brand equity so that when Gen Z can or needs to buy, they’ll choose you.
This shift represents a true audience-first approach: prioritising Gen Z's evolving needs over simply selling, and transforming brands from self-serving entities into responsive, meaningful solutions.
These insights highlight the challenge, but how can brands adapt?
45% will often choose higher-priced items because they believe they're of better quality.
FLUIDITY V CHAOS
It’s the same as quality v quantity
Are your brand’s strategies adaptable enough to keep up?
- Gen Z survey response re. Nike
The more you are willing to let go
of what you think you know,
the more room there is to expand
into new territory
The struggle is real
Meet fluidity with fluidity
How can brands adapt?
