Marketing is always evolving. As someone who has grown up with the internet practically glued to my hand, I’ve seen firsthand how brands continually try to connect with their new Gen Z audiences. And while Gen Z may be the youngest consumer demographic, we’re not new to the game. Now making up 40% of the market, we are making a big impact on what brands say, how they show up, and what really resonates, especially when it comes to brand authenticity.
Today, the perfectly polished ads and big budget campaigns aren’t always landing the way they once did. For my generation, we’re not scrolling past ads, we’re analyzing them. Now, brand authenticity isn’t just a bonus, it’s the baseline. For us, it’s easy to tell when content feels overly promotional or tries too hard to be trendy — and when that happens, we’re quick to tune out.
Brand authenticity takes staying true to a company’s core identity. Infusing elements like values, purpose, and personality into all operations and communications can ensure a brand maintains a consistent and sincere perception. Alternatively, a brand that seems to copy trends or force its voice to sound youthful will struggle to connect with Gen Z. The easiest way to achieve brand authenticity, though, involves sticking to your position. By standing for your unique, differentiating quality, your communications will automatically feel real, earning you the trust and loyalty of Gen Z consumers.
Shifting to my personal analysis as a Gen Zer, I care less about what a brand is trying to sell me and more about why it exists and what it represents. This layer is what will actually capture Gen Z’s attention and determine brand conversion. Some brands are nailing it. Others, not so much. So, what’s actually working? Let’s take a look from the perspective of someone who is both the target audience and critic.
Why Gen Z Cares About Brand Authenticity
As Gen Z, we grew up online, where every interaction, post, comment, and campaign can become viral in seconds. Online and offline lives intertwined, we don’t identify a clear difference between the digital world and the real one. Instead, they blend together. While some might believe it’s a disadvantage, it’s formed an entirely different marketing perspective for Gen Z.
Our natural understanding of the digital world allows us to be hyperaware and even skeptical of content. Spotting things like performative messaging or fabricated content is nearly second nature. So when brands market to us, it’s not just about what they’re selling, but their ability to be genuine to their position while doing it.
Gen Z is always looking for alignment between what a brand does, says, and believes. When a brand identifies itself with a certain value, we expect clear demonstrations and transparency to that claim. Aerie, as a real-world example, markets itself as inclusive brand, often featuring diverse models and using the hashtag #Aerie REAL. Patagonia has made an impression on Gen Z as a sustainability brand by promoting ethical production processes and upcycled clothing initiatives. Bass Pro Shop has even positioned itself as the preserver of the American outdoor lifestyle. Simply put, our generation sees supporting certain brands as a way to support our personal values. We want brands that stand for something greater than profit margins.
Every post, campaign, or ad can carry both promotion and personal intent. The overlap is what shapes how we consume. Our purchases tend to be a direct reflection of how we identify. Brands that earn a Gen Z consumer’s trust (and conversion) are expected to reflect the shared values of that consumer in both messaging and action.
Brands That Are Getting It Right
It’s never been clearer which brands are paying attention and which ones are completely missing the mark. Those getting it right aren’t just mimicking Gen Z, but leading with brand authenticity. Here are a few standout names that are resonating and showing the rest how it’s done.
Duolingo
Duolingo knows exactly how to meet Gen Z culture while maintaining strong brand authenticity. Probably its most obvious strength has been its TikTok strategy as an example. Rather than harp on endless promotional content, the language-learning app has turned its mascot, Duo the Owl, into an entertaining chaotic main character.
From giving people a hard time for missing lessons to participating in viral dance trends, Duo the Owl has nailed content creation while building a brand voice that doesn’t take itself too seriously. By responding to pop culture moments in real time, the brand maintains pace with digital natives like Gen Z, keeping our attention fixated on its next move. This strategy has ultimately differentiated the platform from bland language lessons to a buzz-worthy cultural phenomenon.
rhode
rhode has become a powerful force in the beauty industry through its line of innovative products, and its intentional influencer marketing campaigns. At its core, the brand positions itself on simple, effective beauty, which it conveys through its minimalist packaging, formulas, aesthetic, and communications.
With an aspirational and accessible brand perception, rhode’s position naturally connects with a Gen Z audience, who values brand authenticity. On social media, the beauty brand also leverages user-generated content to not only demonstrate the effectiveness of its products, but also its ability to build community around a living mission. With brand authenticity at the helm, rhode kept its brand promises through organic, rather than manufactured, content.
Starface
Starface has made a deep connection with Gen Z by breaking traditional views around acne and self-image. The product uses fun pimple patches to change audience perceptions attached to acne. The brand uses its signature star-shaped patches, along with playful collaborations, to position itself as a self-confidence catalyst that encourages people to celebrate their skin (and all its phases) instead of hiding it. Attaching its position to a larger culture mission, Starface meets Gen Z’s brand authenticity standards. By earning the trust of its audience, the brand has shifted acne from an embarrassing rite of passage to an eclectic accessory.
When It Misses the Mark
Those that fail to lead with brand authenticity are finding it difficult to maintain relevance with Gen Z. When a brand's actions or image conflict with this generation’s expectations, its appeal quickly fades, no matter how popular it once was.
Gucci
The 2010s brought Gucci plenty of fanfare. At the time, consumers were enthralled by the maximalist designs, monogram prints, and Italian legacy that gave the fashion house its name. But as marketing has evolved, Gucci's once iconic image is starting to seem irrelevant to Gen Z.
Opposite of Gucci’s fall, other luxury brands are adapting to these new consumers. Coach, for example, has reinvented itself, leaning into more minimalist designs and a perception of accessible luxury. The brand has also taken steps toward sustainability through Coachtopia, which repurposes old bags into new designs.
There’s no question, Gucci has struggled to adapt. To Gen Z, it represents traditional, and somewhat unattainable, luxury and has failed to innovate to a more conscious-minded standard. Where Gucci continues to lean on loud designs and the prestige of its legacy, it fails to tell Gen Z why it should care about the brand. In opposition, Gen Z has turned its sights to “quiet luxury,” a consumer movement born out of a desire for quality and mission rather than a known logo or high-dollar price tag. It’s not that Gen Z has stopped enjoying luxury, but that Gucci has stopped conveying a relevant brand identity — and authenticity – beyond its crumbling perception.
Tesla
Tesla’s reputation has shifted within recent years. Once celebrated as an innovative tech leader, a lifestyle brand, and the champion of clean energy, it has started to lose its appeal with Gen Z. Tesla revolutionized consumer perceptions of EVs from “eco-hippy cars” to “sexy luxury vehicles” through its futuristic design and appeal. However, the brand has recently become entangled in some contradictions. As the main investor, Elon Musk has easily become an integral figure in the Tesla brand. Once a positive association, Musk’s unpredictable and controversial behavior has made some Gen Z consumers doubt the company’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. For a generation that values brand authenticity and consistency, Tesla’s initial brand promises feel muddled against the backdrop of politics and figureheads.
Shein
At one point, Shein was an easy gateway for young people to purchase trendy clothes at a low cost. Gen Z, on the other hand, has a different take. Concerns over the fast fashion brand’s environmental impact, allegations of unethical labor practices, and the low-quality products have led many Gen Zers to not only abandon, but condemn it. So now, what was once considered a fun, easy way to be trendy, seems starkly misaligned with the perceptions of an entire generation.
Looking Forward
From my perspective, it is clear that Gen Z is always searching for a brand's deeper meaning. As Positionists, we know positioning strategy is the easiest way to ensure your brand meets the criteria for today’s younger consumers. By focusing your marketing and advertising on your position — the clear and differentiated idea you stand for in the marketplace — your brand authenticity is sure to shine, leading you down the path of loyalty and trust with our generation.
But when positioning feels misaligned, merely performative, or inconsistent, it can backfire, making even the most iconic brands feel irrelevant. Whether it’s sustainability, people, or cultural conversations, the brands that can adapt to Gen Z’s expectations for a meaningful difference will succeed.
Make authenticity your strongest differentiator. Contact Innis Maggiore to build a strategy that truly resonates with Gen Z.