Where to now for Gen Z?

By Maxwell Hogue, Junior Strategist

Last week, my girlfriend told me she hadn’t realised how dangerous concerts were until now. Hundreds of people in close quarters. Breathing. Dancing. Touching.

This was an eerie realisation for me. I’m 23, and sort of adventurous, so concerts are a fun and normal part of life. But now they’re dangerous and need to be approached with caution?

So, what happens when concerts become concerning? Below, I look at how COVID-19 will affect my generation’s approach to the physical world.

Sharing is scary?

The sharing economy has become a symbol of the frivolous and ephemeral youth lifestyle.

From Uber to Airbnb to bike rental companies, the sharing of resources and assets through co-ownership has become a powerful and popular tool for people to both get ahead and gain easy and relatively cheap access to what they need.

But how are we going to feel about sharing our stuff — not to mention allowing strangers to stay in our homes — after the intense hygiene focus and tactile distrust that’s emerged in recent months?

Everyone in my household washes their groceries as soon as they come through the door. Are we going to extend this to spraying doorknobs? Will we become averse to the economics of sharing or will the low, low price of an Uber home be too enticing to resist?

How are we going to feel about the sharing economy after the intense hygiene focus and tactile distrust that’s emerged in recent months?

Maybe not. Right now, Uber is facing hard times. Gross bookings are down by as much a 70% in American cities. To respond to this, the company has launched a delivery service for documents, groceries and parcels. A great pivot in times of need, but heavily removed from its initial ridesharing service.

Cars are one thing, but living spaces are another, so it will be interesting to see if and how Airbnb pivots in an age where movement is heavily restricted and the travel industry is non-existent.

The underlying fact here is that the sharing economy’s popularity comes from its ability to undercut the market. Unless economic conditions improve drastically in favour of Gen Z, I believe we will continue to use the sharing economy and collaborative buying schemes to access big things — even if it is scary.

A masterclass in convenience

For those of us who are privileged enough to have jobs we can do from home right now, we’re learning the full extent of the services available to us indoors.

Young consumers are set to continue streaming, but will attend fewer concert and movies after lockdown has lifted. These events will always be valued and important, but as Accenture puts it, society is currently “cocooning”: making our homes the centre of our world. That’s no surprise, given the home has recently transformed into the locus of work, play, and family life.

For Gen Z, it’s about convenience and connection, all from the comfort of the couch. I get my groceries online now. Last week, I sent my brother a spreadsheet of book recommendations for his birthday (that’s what he asked for). I’ve attended his and other house parties via Zoom… and never once had to leave my house.

For Gen Z, it’s about convenience and connection, all from the comfort of the couch.

Online shopping was popular before, but as brands rapidly pivot to develop new services and make themselves at home in our living rooms, our desire for on-demand services is going to spiral out of control.

Gen Z has been called the first generation of digital natives. As such, we expect convenience, now. Considering 66% of Millennial consumers expect real-time responses and interactions, it’s fair to assume Gen Z’s expectations will be higher and faster still; the difference in our reported attention spans is 12 seconds for Millennials and 8 seconds for Gen Zs.

The innovations spawned during COVID-19 are going to become the tools in the next battle for Gen Z’s affection.

The great digital upskill

Technology is truly thriving. As a wider society, we’re all now learning how to best leverage tech to work and socialise better. The numbers speak for themselves:

· Zoom added more users in February 2020 than in all of 2019.

· Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons has become a cultural sensation, thanks to its fun, connective gameplay. Nintendo sold more Nintendo Switches in March 2020 than they did during the product’s launch in March 2017.

· Students have started hosting online graduations in Minecraft, in lieu of cancelled physical ceremonies.

The rest of the world is starting to catch up with Gen Z, in terms of digital literacy. They’re likewise beginning to realise something we figured out a while ago: although digital connection is primarily our default mode during lockdown, in ordinary times it’s a valid extension to our face-to-face interactions, not a replacement for them.

Now’s the perfect trial period to either adopt or adapt to new technology.

Discord, Facebook, Zoom, and a myriad of other platforms are making communication easier than ever, so now’s the perfect trial period to either adopt or adapt to new technology.

I was shocked and surprised when my Lola [the Filipino variant of ‘Grandma’] not only started using her smartphone but downloaded WhatsApp to speak to our family across the world. When I called the other week, I was turned away by my Lolo [my Grandpa]. “She’s on a call with Hong Kong.” Next time, I’ll book an appointment.

Hopefully, COVID-19 will help us all accept that digital communication is a meaningful way for us to connect with one another. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll learn how to hold work video conferences without so many mistakes.

What’s next for Gen Z?

Despite what sci-fi has told us over the years, further embracing tech doesn’t mean we’re going to get uploaded into the cloud. Then again, this isolation may be the push humanity needs to invent flying houses and cars, leading to a Jetsons kind of scenario. I do think it’s fascinating that we are step closer to having this kind of access to the world through our smartphones.

Overall, Gen Z’s thoughts and feelings about where we go, how we work, what we consume, and the ways we interact have been altered by COVID-19. I’m still planning to go to concerts and go outside once lockdown ends. But the knowledge of what’s possible from my home has changed. My perception of what’s beyond my apartment has changed, too, so you probably won’t find me anywhere near the mosh pit.

If you’d like to talk about emerging trends or need help figuring out what to do beyond COVID-19, please get in touch: hello@interbrand.com.au