jiang bowen: brands must play with generation z in order to enter their hearts
2024-10-01
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430 million! this is the latest statistical number of china’s “pan-z generation” (born between 1995 and 2019). this cutting-edge group demonstrates novel consumption concepts with its online social activity, diversified interests, emphasis on spiritual experience and pursuit of fashion. what brands do they usually like? is the brand an ellipsis or an exclamation mark in their minds? under the new domestic products, new national trends, and new consumerism, how can the rejuvenation of brands and the brand outlook of young people achieve "three views integration" and achieve a two-way journey? how public brands and corporate brands grasp generation z users and how to carry out brand marketing under generation z have become important issues facing enterprises today.
in order to better discuss how to achieve brand rejuvenation and in-depth exploration, lead the changes in young people's consumption needs, and actively explore new forms of interaction with young people, qilu evening news qilu one point will launch expert interviews and invite experts and professors from relevant disciplines from universities in the province conduct in-depth interviews.
the guest invited in this issue is jiang bowen, associate professor and master's tutor at the school of journalism and media, shandong normal university.
guest business card
jiang bowen is an associate professor and master's tutor at the school of journalism and media, shandong normal university. he concurrently serves as a member of the standing committee of the 10th cppcc in lixia district, jinan city, a member of the standing committee of the 14th youth federation of shandong province, deputy secretary-general of the education sector, vice-chairman of the jinan youth volunteers association, and deputy secretary-general of the youth working committee of the overseas friendship association of shandong province. hosted and participated in 10 national social science fund projects, provincial and ministerial level projects, and education reform projects. many think tank results have been approved by provincial and ministerial leaders. the results have been cited by the provincial party committee and the provincial government in the policy formulation process and have been officially issued. implementation.
won the second prize in the liberal arts group of the 5th national college young teacher teaching competition and the first prize in the 6th provincial "super star cup" college teacher teaching competition
qilu evening news·qilu one point: in the hearts of young people, what kind of brands can touch their heartstrings the most? is it a cutting-edge brand full of creativity, or a classic old store that carries the memory of the times? generation z is a digital native. how do you think brands should use digital technology to innovate “gameplay” and establish closer connections with generation z college students to attract and maintain their interest?
jiang bowen:in the hearts of young people of generation z, whether it is a cutting-edge brand or a century-old store, it is likely to touch their heartstrings. generation z often does not have a single choice of brand type, whether it is the old domestic product "bee flower" or "vitality 28" the renewed popularity of "hongxing erke" and the rapid development of new brands such as "yuanqi forest" and "perfect diary" all prove that whether a brand can touch young people, the key lies in whether it can deeply understand and grasp the psychology of generation z consumers. demands and lifestyles, through the exploration of the story and emotional value behind the brand, the display of innovation capabilities, and the accurate grasp of the lifestyle of young people, to build a deep emotional link with young consumers. therefore, whether it is a cutting-edge brand full of creativity or a classic old store carrying the memories of the times, it is possible to touch the heartstrings of young people. the key lies in how brands understand and meet the needs of young people and maintain their uniqueness and competitiveness in the ever-changing market environment.
facing the young people of generation z, brands need to innovate “play methods” in the following aspects. first, improve user personalized experience. generation z pursues personalized and customized products and services. brands can appeal to this group by offering personalization options such as customized products, personalized packaging, etc. for example, the north face's "10,000 reasons to return to the mountains": through technologies such as chatgpt and midjourney, the north face provides exclusive outdoor adventure plans for young adventurers and extends a series of posters, attracting the attention of a large number of young users. .
secondly, make good use of digital technology innovation and use technologies such as ar and vr to provide immersive experiences. for example, the forbidden city provides an immersive three-dimensional virtual environment through the "digital palace original", allowing tourists to virtually "visit" the palace and try on the emperor's clothes. this innovative experience method is very popular among young people.
at the same time, attention is paid to social media interaction. generation z spends a lot of time on social media. brands can interact with them through social media platforms, such as conducting marketing activities through wechat mini programs, weibo, etc., to provide exclusive content and interactive experiences. mcdonald's combines ai to launch a series of creative products, such as "legendary jade french fries" and "bronze burger", and interacts with netizens immersively online through its official wechat account and h5 fun memes. this innovative marketing method has attracted a large number of attention and participation of young users.
another point is to learn to use cross-border cooperation and ip co-branding to cross traditional brand boundaries. brands can join forces with well-known brands or cultural symbols in different fields to create unique market experiences and brand stories. luckin coffee and moutai limited edition sauce latte coffee, adidas and disney jointly launched disney-themed sportswear. this cross-border attempt not only stimulates consumers' curiosity and desire to try new things, promotes mutual benefit and win-win between brands, but also successfully creates a new level of brand image.
in short, the key for brands to attract and maintain the interest of generation z college students is to continue to innovate, deepen personalized experience, make good use of digital technology, strengthen social media interaction, and implement cross-border cooperation. through the comprehensive application of these strategies, the brand can not only satisfy generation z college students' pursuit of fresh and unique experiences, but also resonate with them on an emotional level, thus establishing deep and lasting brand loyalty. in the future market competition, those brands that can keep up with the times and have the courage to innovate will be more likely to win the favor and trust of generation z college students.
participated in the lixia district cppcc special discussion on "activating the event industry and boosting economic development" to promote the successful implementation of the results
qilu evening news·qilu one point: can you share some cases to explore how brands attract young consumers through content marketing, social media interaction, etc. analyze how brands can establish emotional connections and value resonance with young people?
jiang bowen:young consumer groups, with their unique consumption concepts, strong social needs and pursuit of personalization, have put forward higher requirements for brands. they not only pay attention to the functionality and cost-effectiveness of the product, but also value the cultural connotation, emotional value and fit with their own lifestyle conveyed by the brand. therefore, brands need to constantly innovate marketing strategies to tell brand stories and convey brand value in a way that is more relevant to young consumers.
miniso: innovative practice of content marketing
by capturing the popular trend of the popular anime ip chiikawa, miniso quickly launched co-branded products and created pop-up stores with an immersive experience. as soon as the stores went online, they were crowded by young people. one pop-up store sold 8 million yuan in three days. , and while the iron was hot, pop-ups were held in many cities across the country, and chiikawa peripherals were sold simultaneously in the online live broadcast room. the maximum amount of goods sold during a live broadcast was 1 million to 2.5 million yuan. this innovative content form not only satisfies young people's pursuit of new things, but also builds an all-round and multi-dimensional content ecosystem through the linkage of offline experience and online live broadcast, allowing young consumers to enjoy the fun of shopping. at the same time, i also felt the brand’s youthful vitality and innovative spirit.
luckin coffee and kweichow moutai: a model of social media interaction
the cross-border cooperation between luckin coffee and kweichow moutai is a vivid interpretation of this concept. the "maotai latte" jointly launched by both parties has a unique packaging that cleverly combines eye-catching slogans such as "chinese's first cup of maotai latte" and "fine wine and coffee, i love this cup." with the help of hot topic discussions on social media platforms, active recommendations from key opinion leaders (kol), and spontaneous sharing among users, this joint product quickly became popular. sales exceeded 5.42 million cups on the first day, and single product sales were even more astonishing. land reached more than 100 million yuan. this round of extensive content dissemination based on social media has stimulated the curiosity and desire to explore among young consumers, prompting them to try and share it. it has achieved a leap in brand awareness and a significant increase in sales performance, achieving a win-win situation for the brand and the market. .
bee flower: the youthful transformation of traditional domestic brands
fenghua, a classic domestic brand, has been controversial for its traditional packaging and brand image that have remained unchanged for many years. many people have dubbed it "products made with heart and design made with feet" and "a conscientious domestic product that has not increased in price for more than ten years." bee flower has also seized on this popularity. by interacting with young consumers, it has initiated interactions on hot topics such as "bee flower youth has you" on the douyin platform, and sincerely invites fans to create new packaging designs. this series of initiatives not only greatly contributes to it increases brand exposure and stimulates consumers’ enthusiasm for participation and brand identity. at the same time, fenghua is also active in the field of short videos, launching a series of creative videos such as "fenghua style follows the trend", cleverly integrating into current hot topics in a humorous way, successfully attracting the attention and love of young people, and further attracting the attention of young people. it has shortened the distance between the brand and young consumers. this series of marketing strategies of fenghua is undoubtedly a successful transformation attempt for traditional domestic brands in the new era, demonstrating the brand's keen insight into and active response to market changes. through these efforts, bee flower not only effectively alleviated the "aesthetic fatigue" caused by traditional packaging and image, but also successfully attracted the attention and love of young consumers.
the above cases all demonstrate the successful marketing strategies of different brands in different fields. what these strategies have in common is that they can accurately grasp the needs and interests of the target audience, and achieve the transmission of brand value and increase market share through content marketing, social media interaction and other means.
enthusiastic about public welfare and actively participated in the "a good class comes to campus" event organized by the provincial youth federation
qilu evening news·qilu one point: today’s generation z college students not only pursue material satisfaction, but also value the values and cultural connotation behind the brand. how do you think a brand should shape its own values to create a spiritual fit with generation z college students?
jiang bowen:in today's society, generation z college students are a consumption force that cannot be ignored. their consumption concept has gone far beyond simple material satisfaction, and instead pursues the values and cultural connotations behind the brand. faced with this trend, how brands shape their own values to create a deep spiritual fit with generation z college students has become a key issue in brand development.
the first is to deeply understand generation z and grasp the spiritual pulse.generation z pays attention to spiritual consumption and personalized expression, tends to share consumption decisions and experiences through social media, and is accustomed to generating awareness of brands through the "planting" behavior of acquaintances. brands should accurately grasp this characteristic and deeply understand the interests, hobbies, values and lifestyles of generation z to lay the foundation for accurately conveying brand values.
the second is to clarify and implement brand values.brands need to clarify their core values and ensure that these values are consistent with the pursuits of generation z college students. this is not only the embodiment of the brand concept, but also the key to establishing an emotional connection between the brand and consumers. brands can also demonstrate how they practice these values through various channels, such as social media, offline events, etc. for example, if a brand advocates environmental protection, it can share more environmental protection actions and results so that college students can see the brand's actual actions.
the third is to innovate communication methods and strengthen emotional resonance.brands should make full use of digital platforms such as social media, innovate communication methods, and present brand values in a more vivid and interesting form. enhance the brand’s exposure and influence among generation z by publishing in-depth content, participating in discussions on hot topics, and cooperating with kols. at the same time, brands should also focus on emotional interaction with consumers. through online and offline activities, such as interest community building, user co-creation, etc., gen z college students can feel the warmth and charm of the brand during their participation, thereby generating a strong emotional resonance.
the fourth is to create interest communities and build a sense of brand belonging.focusing on the interests and hobbies of generation z, brands can establish exclusive interest communities, such as 2d, hanfu, e-sports, etc., to provide a platform for generation z to communicate and interact. in the community, brands can organize a variety of activities, such as online discussions, offline meetings, etc., to enhance the interaction and connection between brands and consumers. through community operations, brands can not only deeply understand the real needs and feedback of generation z, but also provide them with a more personalized service experience, further consolidating the brand's position in the hearts of generation z.
in short, if a brand wants to create a spiritual fit with generation z college students, it must be sincere, take action, and be able to play with them, so that it can truly enter their hearts. in the future, as the consumption power of generation z continues to grow and their consumption concepts continue to evolve, brands will need to continue to explore and adapt to meet their diverse needs in more flexible and diverse ways.
qilu evening news·qilu one point: finally, what suggestions and expectations do you have for the upcoming annual project of the "youth brand officer growth plan" "2024 shandong college students' favorite brands survey"?
jiang bowen:with the development of the new era, college students are an important force in the consumer market, and their consumption concepts, brand preferences and behavior patterns are profoundly affecting the market trend. against this background, the launch of the annual project of the "youth brand officer growth plan" - the "2024 shandong college students' favorite brands survey" undoubtedly provides a valuable opportunity for brands to gain insight into this young market and formulate precise strategies.
it is hoped that this event can make full use of advanced technologies such as big data and cloud computing to extensively collect data through digital means such as online questionnaires and social media platforms to improve survey participation and data collection efficiency. at the same time, data analysis tools are used to deeply mine the value of data to provide strong support for brand strategies. focus on emerging trends and lead brand innovation, such as environmental protection concepts, the rise of national trends, technological integration, etc., providing direction for brands to seize market opportunities and lead innovation trends.
if the youth are strong, the country will be strong. the "young brand officer growth plan" is a very good platform that provides young brand officers with a broad creative stage, encourages them to propose novel brand strategies and creative plans based on survey results, and improves their comprehensive quality and leadership capabilities through practical training. cultivate future leaders for brand building. we hope to use this platform to cultivate a group of young talents with innovative thinking and practical abilities, and inject a steady stream of fresh vitality and creative inspiration into brand building and development.
in short, the implementation of the "2024 shandong college students' favorite brands survey" project is of great significance for brands to gain insight into the young market and formulate precise strategies. i firmly believe that with the joint efforts of all parties, this project will be a complete success and contribute positively to brand building and development.
based on his duties, he performs his duties with heart, makes suggestions and promotes development, and has been awarded the "excellent cppcc member" in lixia district, jinan city for 4 consecutive years.
(zhang jieqing, reporter of dazhong newspaper qilu one point)
