If you listen to the marketing clichés about Generation Z, TikTok is the prime place to reach them; influencers are a trusted source in delivering your message, and short-form content is best to grab their short attention spans.

While each of these clichés holds some truth, the more accurate observation would be that Gen Z has grown up with an almost unlimited supply of content – which means that to cut through and grab their attention, brands need to give them a reason to care/engage.

In the lead-up to this series, we did a call-out to our subscribers about if/how generation segments were used in their businesses. We got a modest response, so the results shouldn’t be viewed as indicative of a pattern – but we will share the data with you here.

The respondents worked across several sectors, including government, business-to-business (B2B), business-to-consumer (B2C), health or community services, and not-for-profit in roles such as founder, marketing, customer service, digital, and admin.

When asked if their organisation or business deliberately targets or segments by generation, 63.6% responded in the negative, while 27.3% stated that their office did.

The respondents revealed that generational thinking was applied predominantly in marketing and customer experience, followed by advertising and product or service development.

For those organisations that did use generational thinking, it was usually employed as a useful shorthand in tailoring communication and learning approaches, but that strategy and decision-making was based on evidence, consumer/participant feedback and individual need rather than generational stereotypes.

Overall, the respondents largely found generational labels quite useful (36.4%) and somewhat useful (36.4%) in understanding customers today.

However, what they deemed more useful is understanding customers’ behaviours, needs, values and life circumstances, as well as their buying habits, income and life stage.

As one participant stated, “Generations are useful shorthand and help keep thoughts, conversation and strategy focused, but within that people are individuals. We try to think of them in terms of attitudes and expectations, particularly relating to service, technology and how they like to do things and engage.”

This small study confirms what we already know: generational thinking can provide useful context, but the role of solid research is to delve deeper into the hows and whys.

Which brings us to the context of Gen Z. This generation has never really known a world without smartphones, streaming and social media. Scrolling, skipping and filtering are second nature, which means that your message needs to provide value from the get-go.

That can be in the form of entertainment, useful information, inspiration, humour or simply something interesting enough to warrant another few seconds. Which means marketers need to be asking themselves, “Why would someone choose to spend their time on our content if they aren’t already interested in our brand?”

Social media is more than just a place to connect with friends for Gen Z, who also use it for entertainment, news feeds, search engines and online shopping. ACMA found that among Australians aged 18–24, 73% used Instagram, 49% Snapchat and 46% TikTok.

International research also suggests that social media increasingly influences product discovery. A 2025 study cited by EMARKETER found nearly three-quarters of US Gen Z consumers said social media was their main source for learning about new products.

This also means that this generation is used to hearing recommendations from YouTubers, TikTok creators, Reddit communities, reviewers and ordinary customers alongside traditional advertising. However, brands should be wary of forced or obvious partnerships that come across as too staged or managed.

The better approach is to find people who genuinely fit the brand and give them enough freedom to communicate in their own voice.

The key to marketing to Gen Z lies in one word – authenticity.

This isn’t about trying to seem authentic through low-fi filming/production or scripts heavy with slang. It’s about a brand staying authentic to their message and actually living those values.

Gen Z is entering adulthood in an environment shaped by a housing crisis, higher everyday costs and economic uncertainty. Deloitte’s 2026 Australian Gen Z and Millennial Survey found cost of living was the number-one concern for 46% of Australian Gen Z respondents, while 55% said their financial situation had caused them to delay major life decisions.

This means that while values can influence preference, price, quality, convenience and usefulness still all play key roles in the spending habits of this generation. Because of this, being able to properly communicate the value (outside of just dollars) of your product or service is vital – which might look like demonstrating durability, versatility, convenience, quality or an experience worth paying more for.

Our studies into generations have also found that Gen Z are the most interactive of the generations – as they have grown up with the tools and ease to create content at the tip of their fingertips.

In the online space, memes are remixed, videos are stitched, and trends are recreated. Bringing this generation into a tribe around your brand, or helping them to feel ownership or personalisation, is one of the best ways to engage them.

Remember that generation is useful context, but it is rarely enough to explain behaviour on its own.

Square Holes is a cultural insight studio.

We design mixed method explorations of people and culture beyond the category,  uncovering the patterns, tensions and shifts shaping behaviour to inform strategy, inspire innovation and enable confident decisions. Our studio model brings together the right mix of thinkers, researchers and specialists for each exploration. If you’re navigating change, entering a new market, or seeking deeper understanding of people and culture, let’s start a conversation >