Most Gen Z and Millennial consumers (86%) value CPG brands and retailers that create memorable shopping experiences across online and brick-and-mortar stores, leveraging both tried-and-true and digital marketing methods, according to a report from Quad and the Harris Poll.
Marketing consulting firm Quad and the Harris Poll surveyed more than 2,000 consumers across demographics about marketing techniques, as part of “The Return of Touch” report.
While touted as digital natives, Gen Z shoppers appreciate in-store shopping experiences and demand engaging media across online and physical outlets to inform purchase decisions, Quad stated.
Nearly all (78%) of Gen Z and Millennials shoppers want digital touchpoints to enhance physical shopping but not necessarily replace them, Quad reported. Additionally, 86% of Gen Z and Millennials said “touching and feeling products are essential” to a purchase.
Regardless of age, most consumers (76%) said that physical retail experiences created deeper connections with brands, and a similar 79% of shoppers said that online shopping “lacks the magic of an in-person find,” Quad reported.
Mail or email? Gen Z want both
On physical spaces, 62% of Gen Z and Millennials want “Instagrammable” store designs, and 60% said that waiting in line “for a hyped retailer is part of the fun,” Quad reported.
More than half (51%) of Gen Z and Millennials likely will return to a store if the in-person experience wows them, while 47% will tell a friend and 38% will visit the brand or store online.
Brands and retailers physically reminding Gen Z and Millennial consumers about their products can also inspire trips into stores.
Most (72%) of Gen Z and Millennials said they wanted brands to surprise them more by mail, Quad reported, while 78% said physical mail promoted a visit to a physical store. Additionally, 65% of all consumers surveyed said they enjoy receiving catalogs.
Marketing to Gen Z and Alpha
This story is part of a special collection of articles that explores how brands and retailers can earn Gen Z consumers' loyalty through value, convenience and affordability.
Check out the full collection of stories here .
To receive future special editions via email, register for free for FoodNavigator-USA’s newsletters. Find out more by clicking the yellow ‘register’ button at the top of our homepage or by visiting https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Info/Why-register/
Personalization is crucial to brand retention
On the digital side, brands are creating personalized shopping experiences and targeting consumers more precisely with online ads, Christine Foster, senior VP of Kroger precision marketing at market research firm 84.51°, explained.
Most consumers (77%) - and 83% of Millennials - said they are likely to buy a brand when they get relevant product recommendations online, according to a survey of 3,300 global shoppers conducted by CITE Research and marketing tech company Attentive. Nearly all shoppers (90%) said they wanted to receive more personalized brand communications.
“Social media and streaming TV have set the expectations for personalization. You cannot expect to speak to everyone the same way. For brands, Gen Z spends their time with addressable media, making it easier than ever to deliver a relevant message across multiple touchpoints,” Foster elaborated.
