you? Sometimes even brands with ultra-clear identities can become distracted. When challenged by competitive threats, market fluctua- tions and trend cycles, brands should revisit their core values, beliefs and personality to get back on track, rather than reach for some- thing new, which can weaken their story. Sure, brands need to evolve, but they need to stay anchored to their core identity as they do, or risk chasing audiences and trends. It takes confidence and courage to define yourself and stand behind that definition, rather than editing yourself in response to market pressures. Yet, fall into the trap of choosing something that might quickly boost sales over something that is truly you, and you may compromise your relationship with youth culture – you’d be trading a quick buck for the greater value of a long-term investment.
Youth Market Readiness Audit: Identity
Establishing a strong, authentic and honest identity is a non- negotiable step for any brand. When we work with clients, our first step is to address their brand identity as it relates to their audience segment.
Before moving on in this chapter, you should be able to discuss and confidently answer the following five questions that comprise the Identity section of the Youth Market Readiness Audit.
identity checklist
1 What is your brand’s ‘Why’, and what need do you fill in the market?
2 Why should youth culture be interested in your brand?
3 When you look at your core beliefs, do they align with the needs and desires of Gen Z?
4 Is your core promise believable for youth culture?
5 What does your brand do to establish an emotional connection with youth culture?
takes belief, belief takes faith, and faith takes nurture and care. It takes more than a product, a promise, or a campaign. We work to earn trust in everything we say, everything we make and everything we do. Period. This is an important lesson I learned early on and continue to bring with me wherever I go.
Nicholas Tran, 2017, Marketing Executive and Thought Leader at Global Consumer Electronics Brand Building trust is absolutely critical when building consumer relation- ships. The process, while it might not always be easy, doesn’t need to be complicated. Through our experience helping brands connect with their targeted youth audiences, we have learnt that building trust comes down to a simple equation: Transparency + Authenticity = Credibility. By avoiding pretence or deceit and being true to core beliefs, consumers will trust in your promise, reliability, and the strength of your company.
The science of trust
The role of trust in consumer–brand relationships has been champi- oned in the advertising industry since the early 1990s and has been studied extensively in behavioural and chemical science. A 2012 study by Krueger et al on the neuro-chemical aspect of trust begins with the connection to behaviour. ‘Trust as a critical social process is indispensable in friendship, love, families, and organizations. It facilitates interpersonal relations and permits reciprocal behaviors that lead to mutual advantages for cooperators during social and economic exchange’ (Krueger et al, 2012). In other words, in order to build a genuine relationship with Gen Z, your brand’s identity has to be trustworthy and invoke an emotional connection.
When we build trust and bond, our bodies release a chemical that drives us to deepen the relationship on both sides. We commit to Gen Z while they commit to us. When we earn trust, we reinforce brand loyalty.
But it’s more than just feel-good – it actually creates a chemical reac- tion in our bodies. [T]he neurochemical oxytocin (OT) is synthesized in the human brain when one is trusted or simply treated well. The OT molecule, in turn, motivates reciprocation. The release of OT signals that the other party is ‘safe’ to be around and that cooperative behavior
will not be exploited… the synthesis of OT motivates people to treat the other party ‘like family’ (Crosby and Zak, 2015).
Earning trust takes time. You can’t develop a relationship overnight with Gen Z any more than you could with a friend. Brands need to approach sales and marketing with thoughtfulness towards the needs and desires of their audience. This way, they have the best chance of being brought into the circle of trust. If you are not palpably commit- ted, Gen Z will move on.
Brands break my trust by failing to listen and underestimating people who support them, by creating products that are unreliable, or by making a negative impact on society. I hate when companies use pop culture influences just for financial gain.
Devan T, 2017, age 16
Trust is critical to any consumer, and Gen Z is no different
As a brand, positioning yourself as an authority to Gen Z is definitely not advisable. You stand a much better chance of earning your way in as a trusted friend, with no pretence of control. The modern rela- tionship between youth consumers and brands is a symbiotic one, rooted firmly in identity and trust. It goes both ways, or not at all.
When brands do lead, it’s only because Gen Z’s trust in the direction of their leadership is tried, true and absolute. Trust lowers the barrier to acceptance and creates a safe environment – which means they may just choose you over the hundreds of other products they will see today.
Youth Market Readiness Audit: Trust
Just as we took an Identity audit when we addressed brand posi- tioning, we ask that you to do the same for Trust. Before moving on in this chapter, you should feel confident in your answers to the following five questions that comprise the Trust section of the Youth Market Readiness Audit.
Trust checklist
1 Why should young consumers trust your brand?
2 Do you proactively build relationships with your audience?
3 What are you doing to reinforce your relationship with youth audiences?
4 Are you transparent about your business practices?
5 Does Gen Z view you as an ally or an authority?