As the world turns and the audience demographics shift to the next generation, it is vital to stay on top of what resonates. The battle for the hearts and minds — and attention span — of Gen Z is one of major importance as it ages into a more integral part of the market.
Reaching the Gen Z market takes a little more than previous generations, as the drum beats on. Whether it’s inviting creators to join the experience, or to draw in their sensibilities through interactive experiences while staying brand-aligned. To reach these “Zoomers,” who came of age during a major shift in digital evolution, the common thought is to keep them engaged through hands-on interaction, as opposed to the traditional methods of reaching an audience.
A perfect example of reinventing the wheel when it comes to Gen Z engagement is the recent 2022 Kentucky Derby thoroughbred race. A historic race, which began its first iteration 147 years ago, capturing the attention of every new generation throughout the decades has been one of the race’s most underrated attributes in which it excels. The race went harder in focusing on building a new, younger audience than it has in recent years.
Whether it was educational TikToks teaching “Zoomers” how to read the race program and make informed bets, or utilizing already established Instagram partners like Woodford Reserve, BMW, FTD Flowers or La Crema to provide backgrounds for attendees to take pictures and videos with, the race marketing campaign continues to draw in new interest from the younger demographics.
Even Drake got into the act in 2022 when he filmed the music video with Grammy Award-nominee Jack Harlow for his song “Churchill Downs.” For the generation who hangs on practically religiously to the ever-increasing influencer and celebrity market, finding that connection from brand to consumer is arguably the most important aspect of connection. All of the efforts led to a record number of Gen Z engagement for the historic race and a sporting event with such longtime tradition like the Kentucky Derby seemingly hit a home run in reaching them.
Gen Z doesn’t just want to read about a product or an event, they want to experience it, live it, ride it, and rise or fall with it. Experiencing IS engagement for Gen Z, and the market is wide open as many businesses attempt to fit a square peg in a round hole while endeavoring to reach Gen Z with antiquated methods no longer suitable for this next crop of potential consumers.
This is exactly what we do here at OneSeven, where we take our SEVEN core practices of communications — marketing, public relations, social media, creative services, digital marketing, events/event planning, partnerships — and harness them to build meaningful human connections in the name of a brand.
We take these core practices along with the “Marketing Rule of Seven — meaning it takes a minimum of seven impressions for consumer buy a brand/product — and harness them to build meaningful human connections in the name of a brand, fusing over 60 years of network, knowledge, experience and various capabilities in an integrated format that renders personalized services with results to a vast array of industries.
We specialize in creating and executing comprehensive campaigns for restaurants, chef talent, hospitality, luxury real-estate, health & wellness, beauty, retail, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, entertainment, attractions, events and consumer lifestyle brands.
For a generation seeking connection over content, there are few agencies better suited for this type of marketing. The longer one waits to connect with the Gen Z market, the less likely they’ll be able to capture the brand loyalty a lasting relationship can bring. The time is right, so don’t waste a single moment or you may find yourself left in the dust of another thoroughbred that acted with haste.
OneSeven Agency can be your “Secretariat,” allowing your brand to dominate the race to the hearts and minds of the next generations…