The #1 Opportunity to Drive Impact with Gen Z? Anti-Bullying
- December 21, 2020
- Adam Mitchell
The Best Bet To Drive Impact With 13-18 Year Olds
They’re teenagers. The best way to engage them must be through tried-and-true teen classics like sports and music festivals, right? Many brands work on this assumption, but the data tells a different story.
The truth is, while yes, 13-18 year olds across North America love sports and music and culture, the biggest opportunity to reach them through sponsorship is actually with an investment in Anti-Bullying.
Yes, you read that right. Our intelligence shows that for Gen Zs, when a company sponsors an anti-bullying cause in a way they like, are more likely to purchase or have a more favorable impression of that brand. In fact, when you look at the top 10 properties sorted by favorability, all but two are causes. From anti-bullying and domestic violence to animal welfare and recycling, Gen Z shows remarkable, and enduring, preference for properties that align with their social values — and for brands that support them.
Surprised? A Closer Look At Gen Z
While millennials ignored parents with a TV or a computer, today’s teens do so with up to five devices simultaneously. They’re tuned in and tied to social media, voraciously consuming and creating content.
Sarah Stovold, Managing Director of NextWave by IMI shares “They’ve only ever lived in a world of constant connection and social media highlight reels. While older Millennials remember a time when school finished at 3 and started at 8, that just isn’t the case for Gen-Zs. Their reality is that conversations continue well before and long after the final bell. A large factor in why anti-bullying is a relevant topic 24/7.”
Gen Z was born, as Laura Shear writes for Zendesk, with their “eyes open from the beginning.” They entered the world in the aftermath of two severe economic crashes have Gen X parents, dubbed “America’s Neglected Middle Child Generation,” who aren’t into helicoptering. These and other factors have made them more mature and independent as a cohort than the much maligned millennials. One of their defining characteristics is social awareness and the desire to “serve, share, and impact.”
A Closer Look At The Data
How did we find this insight? Easy - by using the SponsorPulse™ platform. Sign-up today to learn more about generational differences, and for more info on Gen-Zs, what’s now and what’s next.