Generation Alpha is the youngest generation. We will have to start shifting our language when it comes to “marketing to young people” to understand that that means Alpha, not Gen Z. The oldest of Gen Z is 26 years old right now. They’re leaving university and entering the job market. They’re young adults, but not young people. So, with an increasingly young market emerging, how do you market to them?
They will see a lot of screens
It’s a parent’s fear as old as time: too much screen time will make them an idiot. Ray Bradbury even made a dystopian novel about it, and decades later, our children are far smarter, in better education and careers than he could have dreamed of. Today, Gen Alpha has been dubbed the iPad generation due to their desire to watch Power Rangers on a handheld screen rather than the family TV.
However, what the “iPad generation”, rather than the “TV screen generation” implies is that Gen Alpha will have a lot more internet literacy and will be raised not by Hollywood but by influencers. The affiliate marketing approach is likely to be very effective when it comes to Gen Alpha. They are likely to respond well to influencers, who they will feel more affinity to than traditional celebrities.
They will stay children longer
Not quite. More like their parents (Millennials) will be parents longer. Gen Alpha is expected to spend a lot more time in education than previous generations and a lot more time at home than previous generations, all feeding into a longer lifespan than previous generations. Not to mention, other sources are expecting Gen Alpha to be a lot closer to their parents than previous generations, perhaps due to quite the uptake in therapy and mental health literacy in Millennials and Gen X.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to mean that everything should be marketed like a toy commercial with bright colours and flashing images – unless it suits a more playful brand. Instead, it might mean we see more industries appealing to problems that need to be solved by living and working at home, and a widening industry of the young professional. Sure, they’re paying dig money rather than rent, but you have the affordable software that will help them get out of the nest.
Political pendulum swing
Granted we, at this point are talking about people who are a maximum of 13 years old right now. If they have any political leanings they will be shaped by their upbringing and are likely to change in their formative years. However, researchers are predicting a pendulum swing in politics towards conservatism. It is predicted they will eventually lean towards more traditional values to buck against any negatives effect of the internet that might arise in the future.
Culture wars are going to culture war on and see our insights on the green M&M for the context of that. M&M are a good example of running with the joke, pulling the wind out of the blowhards that tried to stoke the said culture war. If you don’t want to risk offending everyone, stick to what’s important and what is universal, like an aversion to testing on animals, homelessness, cancer, or climate change.
Practice what you preach
But be sure that once you choose what your political angle is, even if it’s none, stay authentic. Gen X, Y, Z and now Alpha are all people who do not appreciate being made fools of. If they suspect anything that makes you untrustworthy, they simply will not work with you. They will look into you, they will decide if your ideals match theirs and they will act accordingly. This generation is raised in front of a screen and they will see what’s happening in the world and get more informed. If it doesn’t happen organically, they will find it for themselves.
A refined taste in products
It’s also worth mentioning that Generation Alpha are likely to carry on the tradition of picking what they buy carefully. Boomers and Gen X have been shaped by a background of “not having” and then being given the opportunity to have by world events: something the following generations have yet to enjoy. Housing crises, energy crises, cost of living crises, and a slowly seeping backlash to fast consumerism have caused Gen Y-Alpha to rethink what they are buying and whether it is worth it.
For example, Millennials notoriously would rather have experiences than material items, which has carried on through Gen Z and Alpha. Marketing’s oldest lesson in selling is apt here: make your item an experience. You’re not buying a handheld disposable camera, says Don Draper, you’re buying memories you can keep forever.
If you are interested in more affiliate and social media marketing insights, take a look at our blog for all the latest news and advice. Or for a more personalised approach, book a free call with a member of our team.
Or, for the very best advice from industry peers, register to gain access to our Amplify Action Day. Taking place in January 2023 doesn’t mean you’ve missed it. Amplify aims to bring you the latest affiliate, performance, and partner marketing insights from across the globe and it’s all available to stream from our website.
