Brand Breakthroughs: Decoding the Gen Alpha opportunity for brands
In an exclusive column for Storyboard18, Sumit Virmani, global chief marketing officer, Infosys writes that the Gen Alpha are more empowered than any single generation before – larger in numbers, very digital, more than half of them with their own smart phones, their access to information near-unlimited, with awareness into social issues and readiness to speak up being unprecedented.
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This happened to me a while ago. A colleague – no less than 40 years old, someone I’ve been working with for more than a decade now, used a word, that I’d never heard before, to describe a campaign we were discussing. Skibidi. While I learnt a new word that we laughed about soon enough – this colleague, you see, has a Gen Alpha kid back home. The incident, however, got me thinking about how this is no laughing matter really.
Gen Alpha is that ignore-at-your-own-peril, highly influential ‘gateway generation’ bringing, in addition to new lingo, stimuli, information, brands, and even value-shifts to purchase-decision-makers in their homes – with the propensity to create tectonic changes in long-term consumer habits.
So, if a brand were to win over Gen Alpha, then what the brand also has is a very strong, direct line of influence with the Millennial parents! And, just because much of Gen Alpha is still in their tweens, it would be a mistake to think of them as too young to make a dent. They are more empowered than any single generation before – larger in numbers, very digital, more than half of them with their own smart phones, their access to information near-unlimited, with awareness into social issues and readiness to speak up being unprecedented. This can move more than just the proverbial needle in a world where 9 in 10 parents say their kids influence their purchase decisions.
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As brand custodians trying to secure a place for our labels in the minds and hearts of Gen A – you already know they are digital-first, mobile-first, deeply appreciate – even demand – hyper-personalization, and endorse brands that authentically support social justice, sustainability, diversity, and inclusion. Here are three more markers, distinguishing them, that won’t hurt to remember, as we go about our business:
They are as much creators as consumers
For Gen A, the digital world is a place they were born into – core to their experience, responding to their curiosity, receptive to their nudges, providing the community to learn in, and the perfect playground when they want to play. For them, digital experiences are not just exploratory but participative and creative too. It’s important, then, that our brands don’t simply push their message to Generation Alpha, but rather invite them to interact, and develop content as an outcome.
For example, last year, Cadbury Gems’ new campaign called to these young customers to craft their own musical masterpieces. The brand created a microsite where gen A could score music in easy steps – just select three unique Gems-shaped buttons on a screen, mix and match the tunes of different genres and make their own music track. Responsive technology – they are familiar with from Roblox, Minecraft to Tik Tok – makes experiences like this very relatable for Gen A.
They learn visually, but get-to-the-point fast
For a generation multitasking on several digital screens, whose idea of play is likely a game online rather than with physical toys or even a game of tag with friends, buoyed by instant dopamine hits from social media – videos are, of course, their go-to for education and entertainment. Easily succumbing to distractions and having difficulty staying engaged are part of the Gen A package too. Short videos – especially those with useful tips and hacks work best with them.
A good example is the popularity of short and practical Get Ready With Me videos from the American beauty brand – Sephora. It allows pre-teen girls to feel older than their years and learn the ‘grown-up’ skill of makeup in a visually engaging way. Sephora, this way, is a step ahead when it comes to brand building with an emerging customer segment.
Influencers influence them, just not the ones you think
It’s not unusual for young people to look to other people – their own online friends or authentic guides – for ideas and advice. That’s why influencers can deeply influence Gen A. However, traditional celebrities might not hold the same appeal that they might have for the millennial generation.
Influencers from among their peers, who have become stars on platforms like YouTube and TikTok are often more effective. In fact, even relatively ordinary people whose experiences are relatable and perspectives authentic can sway Gen Alpha. Our own experience at Infosys corroborates this hypothesis. When our engineers volunteer time to campaign in schools urging primary and middle-schoolers to choose computing and coding as careers, we often hear from educators that it significantly influences their young minds and has a life-altering positive impact.
The next generation of consumers are here – an absolute goldmine for the marketer. And they are but children. So, the onus to be extremely responsible and abundantly conscientious in what we share with them continues to be that of brands.
Sumit Virmani is the global chief marketing officer at Infosys. He writes a column series 'Brand Breakthroughs’ on Storyboard18.
