Gen Z is totally Dolce-d out of buying new 🛍️
Plus, gaming is giving sports a run for their money and McDonalds does an overhaul.
Welcome back, Scanner!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year; Vlogmas. If you aren’t sure what that is, it’s when creators post daily vlogs leading up to Christmas. So if you think you’ve been seeing more content than usual, you have. Lucky for us, it’s a bit of a fast-track for signals. Think about it: Creators are posting every single day (often coupled with brand partnerships), learning what’s working and editing accordingly. Aside from Vlogmas, brands are running their biggest campaigns of the year and we get to see how they perform. December is the ultimate A/B test. Are you setting aside some time to run meaningful tests with your marketing (even McDonalds is doing an overhaul)? Maybe it’s time to sip a little bit of the holiday chaos and start exploring.
Need a little inspo on what to try next? This issue has some juicy signals that are ripe with ideas.
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Here we go.
🎯 SPECIFIC
Gen Z Isn’t Buying Any More New Stuff
What’s changing?
Between the rising cost of living, the threats to the climate and a general trend around deinfluencing, Gen Z is leading the charge on living with less. After years of Shein and fast-fashion purchases, more and more Gen Z young adults are turning to thrifting, DIY and learning how to fix what they own.
Why does it matter?
While sustainability has been a hot topic for years, we’ve continued to see record profits in the global apparel market. Big companies like Nike and LVMH dominate sales. So, what could this signal mean? Is it the start of a real change in how apparel is purchased, or a need to be perceived as sustainable? Or, it is another signal around the cost of living (like this poll, which showed that two thirds of UK consumers plan to cut their spending on non-essentials). Whatever the reason, it’s possible we’ll continue seeing changes to consumer behavior in 2024.
What could happen next?
Right now, more brands are thinking about selling to Gen Z (and even Gen Alpha). It’s a natural time to rethink your marketing strategy and if you’re even close to resonating with the realities and preferences of these up and coming generations. They grew up immersed in tech, surrounded by advertising and a paradoxical pull between micro-trends and sustainability. Climate anxiety is prevalent in the younger generations. They have seen the impacts of how older generations lived before them and changing their habits as a result. How do you stay in the conversation? Is your messaging still relevant? Or, are you talking to a perceived consumer that doesn’t exist anymore?
Scan-o-meter: 🎯🎯🎯
/ 5
📅 CURRENT
Nobody Can Sit Through TV Shows Anymore
What’s changing?
Unsurprisingly, after years of being targeted with increasingly short videos, people are finding it harder and harder to sit through TV shows and movies. Plus, shows and movies are being released so frequently, it can feel like an extra thing to watch in addition to your usual nightly scroll. Yet, people still feel the pressure to keep up with what’s happening in pop culture. Cut to: bite-sized edits. Cuts of TV shows on YouTube and TikTok are growing in popularity. One channel in particular, Mystery Recapped, has over 3.7 million YouTube subscribers for their 10-15 minute-long film summaries with clickbait titles. Raise your hand if you’ve ever watched a movie by scrolling through TikTok clips ✋.
Why does it matter?
So… Which is it: Do people want long-form content or do they want short, snappy videos? TikTok has recently reported that users spend half their time watching videos that are at least 1 minute long, but we also know that TikTok has been encouraging creators to make longer videos. Is this actually what users want? People have a ton on their plates and a lot being shoved in their faces online, maybe it isn’t length that is the question, but frequency? Should you remove an email send? Cut down on posting? There’s a lot to consider.
What could happen next?
We are seeing various signals, and sometimes conflicting signals, talking about how people want “IRL” experiences… but then seeing that “long form content is coming.” Then we see that “attention spans are diminishing.” We’re still watching this space, but it’s clear that we are at an inflection point in how we interact with content and what actually resonates. Honestly, Gen Z will likely be the driver in what sticks, but maybe this is actually signalling that personalization and custom content for niche communities is where we need to go. Is that doable for all brands? We might have to get creative.
Scan-o-meter: 📅 📅 📅 / 5
😲 SURPRISING
Dolce & Gabbana Partnered with Gaming Brand, Razer, to Create Collectible Gaming Accessories
What’s changing?
Okay, this was definitely not on our 2023 BINGO card. After a couple years of Dolce & Gabbana promo mainly through mainstream pop culture icons, like the Kardashians, the brand has made a surprising move. Partnering with gaming powerhouse, Razer, the two companies collaborated on a limited-release of D&G branded gaming accessories. The collection includes gold and black chairs and headphones along with an apparel collection.
Why does it matter?
This is a really interesting collaboration. Gaming culture is huge, especially in Gen Z and Gen Alpha. More and more brands are experimenting in the gaming space and this is yet another signal of a heritage luxury brand connecting with a new audience in a unique way. We’ve seen a lot of sports and sports-adjacent collabs and activations happening this year, but have sports already become too difficult, oversaturated, and frankly - expensive, to get into? Or, could this just be yet another avenue to connect with younger people?
What could happen next?
Will this keep growing and become more mainstream, like sports or movies? Gaming competitions already happen around the world, but even with major attendance numbers, they haven’t totally cracked the mainstream. Could gaming be the thrill people who aren’t into sports are looking for? And for brands that don’t really feel sporty, could this be another way to create that sense of excitement?
Scan-o-meter: 😲😲😲
/ 5
🌊 Predictions for 2024 Marketing Trends: Anti-Tech, Nostalgia & Campaigns with Mike and Mitzi Payne
Mitzi and Mike are back with another solo episode. This week, they’re talking through the top 3 news stories (signals) that they’re following. Then, they wrap things up with a listener question about getting through the busy Q4 season as both a marketer and business owner.
You can find the show on all podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with full video versions and short clips on our YouTube channel!