It's time to Pivot - Consumer Insight 4

THE YOUNGEST INFLUENCER: GEN ALPHA IS MAKING AN IMPACT

Amid mental health struggles and education gaps, today’s proactive kids are forging new life skills, entrepreneurial endeavors, and peer communities. Gen Alpha (those born after 2010) are embracing the values of individuality, doing good in the world, and creative empowerment at a much younger age than any generation before.

According to a 2019 report from Wunderman Thompson Commerce,1 59% would like to work somewhere saving lives, while 51% want a job where they can use technology to make a difference. Echoing the rallying cry of Gen Z climate activists,2 67% of 6 to 9 year olds say that saving the planet will be their career focus. They want to spend money on things they believe in, thus embodying showing values and beliefs with their dollar.

Our youngest generation has quickly learned what they want and how to get it. From creating presentations to inform their parents why they should get a pet to adding their own food requests to the family online grocery cart, Gen Alpha finds a way to inform purchase decisions.

This group of consumers are also active online “kidfluencers,” with YouTube channels dedicated to the unboxing and reviewing of toys and TikTok profiles that teach other kids about cooking and nutrition. In the past few years, these children with large social media followings have catalyzed an $8 billion social media advertising industry, with highly “successful” children generating up to $26 million a year through advertising and the sharing of sponsored content.

EMPOWER THE GEN ALPHAS

Allow them to research your brand easily and recommend it to their family. Speak to them about what they care about. Involve them in your product development cycle. Use a minimalist aesthetic already familiar to any millennial-aged shopper, and develop designs that clearly communicate that your brand is ethical, economical, and safe.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR PACKAGING

Use color, patterns, and fonts that make each package feel more personalized and a celebration of individual creativity.

DESIGN FOR DIGITAL NATIVES

Because they are digital natives, this audience has an online presence and consumer pattern that is more mature than their age.

CONNECT YOUR BRAND WITH A PURPOSE

Whether it’s through the environment, the community, or their identity, make a connection. For example, brands like Mattel are espousing these tenets to appeal to generation Alpha. In September 2019, the Barbie manufacturer announced that it would be releasing the first gender-neutral doll to accommodate shifting gender norms.

At RDG, we will help connect consumer insights and be at the forefront of the consumer mindset evolution. Armed with this knowledge and a top-of-the-line team, we will work to elevate your brand above and beyond the competition by helping you pivot your brand toward the right audience, every time.

1wtc.wundermanthompson.com, Generation Alpha 2019

2wundermanthompson.com, Insight Generation Alpha 10.2019