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This Week in Hot Gen Z Trends
Week of April 12thRead moreWe’re sharing the biggest trends in Gen Z’s world this week. Want these trends sent directly to your inbox? Sign up for The Screenshot, our weekly Gen Z insights newsletter.
⏫ Biden finally speaks up about this issue close to Gen Z
Joe Biden has finally spoken up about gun control and measures to stop it. As a generation scarred by school shootings and drills, it’s about damn time!
⏫ This song about spontaneity gets TikTok going
Natasha Bedingfield’s 2004 hit, ‘Unwritten’, has gone viral on TikTok, and yes there’s a dance for it too.
⏫ The first OnlyFans horror film is coming
Star of Pretty Little Liars, Ashley Benson, is producing a film for the creator platform, OnlyFans. The platform is associated with adult content, but this marks a pivot for the site as it attempts to go beyond its current reputation.
⏬ Radiohead’s TikTok debut is… Creep-y
The Gen X band is now on the Gen Z platform… and we’re like WTF at their first videos.
⏬ This lizard gets its 15 seconds of fame
A video of a lizard climbing a stack of shelves in a 7-11 went viral this week. Mood!
⏬ Khloe Kardashian opens up about criticism
Khloe Kardashian kicked up a storm when a picture of her went viral that she wanted to be taken down. In a separate post, she opened up about struggles with her body image after years of constant criticism, which then brought more abuse. Can we shut down the internet?
JUV Consulting is a Gen Z collective that works with companies to create purpose-driven and authentic marketing campaigns that engage young audiences. Contact us at info@juvconsulting.com if you would like to learn how to reach Gen Z, or sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Screenshot, to get Gen Z insights straight to your inbox.
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The Ramadan Experience, according to Gen Z
Ramadan is finally here – so here’s a great, big Ramadan Mubarak to you! As a Gen Z community with an American Muslim CEO and other American Muslims within our leadership, we’re super excited to bring you the authentic feels of what Ramadan means to Gen Z and answers to whether we want brands to come along for this spiritual celebration.Read moreWhat is Ramadan and why do we celebrate it?
Ramadan is a month-long festival celebrated by Muslims across the globe. With over 3.5 million American Muslims, the sacred festival is not typically highlighted despite its massive reach. Observers refrain from eating and drink from dawn ‘til dusk (and yes it means not drinking water)! The fast is initiated with suhoor — the pre-fast meal at dawn—and sealed with iftar—the sunset meal that closes the fast.
Ramadan is a time of spiritual renewal for many Muslims. While Islamic teachings emphasize keeping our bond with Allah (Arabic for “God”) throughout the year, Ramadan acts as the annual reminder to refresh our commitment to this relationship. It’s a time of spirituality, community, and new habits.
For Youssef Hasweh, Social Media Specialist at JUV, Ramadan “is a fresh start for a lot of Muslims. A chance to break bad habits and truly be in touch with our faith.”
Additionally, many Muslims use the month to give back — whether through physically helping their community or through donating to important causes. Many give their annual charity obligation, known as Zakat, during Ramadan with its auspicious days and promise of multiplied reward for good deeds done during the month.
Globally, up to $1 trillion is spent on Zakat giving annually. Research from 2020 showed that UK-based Muslim charities on average expected to raise 40% of their annual income during Ramadan.
The Gen Z experience of Ramadan
For a generation of Muslim Gen Zers, Ramadan is important as we use it to embed habits that are true to the enlightened values of our religion— empathy, spirituality and kindness. Youssef says it helps to ingrain these habits and values as “the ones we keep for life.”
For Gen Z,our experience of Ramadan is augmented by our connectedness to each other through our virtual world. We feel our community spirit through the extended online Muslim population that includes our affinity to the 1.2 billion Muslims worldwide.
During our first pandemic Ramadan last year, we quickly adapted. We used our native digital spaces to create the community feeling that is a bedrock of Ramadan. 2020was all about the “virtual iftars, group evening prayers, and all the amazing videos of people’s experiences on my [TikTok ‘For You’ Page],” says Youssef.
True to the Gen Z spirit, we use humor to pass the time spent in the pangs of hunger. The amount of memes and videos depicting the relatable and funny moments that Ramadan brings with it truly gives us many belly laughs.
Should brands join in on the celebration?
We always stress how vital authenticity is for Gen Z, and in this arena, it is no different. We don’t want an odd ‘Happy Ramadan’ post on social media, but genuine engagement with the experience. It’s in the line of other such holidays, like Lunar New Year, where brands need to ensure they engage in a way that feels right for the occasion rather than simply for marketing purposes.
Amani Ahmed, Director of Operations at JUV Consulting, says that she’s “always surprised” when brands talk about Ramadan in any substantive way, referencing the lack of engagement around the occasion. But she feels that it is truly welcome, for example, when “restaurants [do] Iftar or Suhoor specials” or even campaigns that “acknowledged the experience of Muslims and decided to contribute in honor of Ramadan” with it being a time of giving. One particular example is how Doordash has partnered with The Zakat Foundation of America to give out thousands of meals during the month to help with food poverty.
While Ramadan may be thought of as yet another marketing opportunity, it’s out of step with what the festival is about, namely about reconnecting spiritually, and it’s important to respect that. Is your brand honoring the occasion, or pandering to a growing sector?
And with that, off I go to make food for Suhoor!
JUV Consulting is a Gen Z collective that works with companies to create purpose-driven and authentic marketing campaigns that engage young audiences. Contact us at info@juvconsulting.com if you would like to learn how to reach Gen Z, or sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Screenshot, to get Gen Z insights straight to your inbox.
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This Week in Hot Gen Z Trends
Week of April 6thRead moreWe’re sharing the biggest trends in Gen Z’s world this week. Want these trends sent directly to your inbox? Sign up for The Screenshot, our weekly Gen Z insights newsletter.
⏫ Vaccine 100% effective for Gen Zers!
This week, the news that the Pfizer COVID vaccine is 100% effective for 12-15 years olds brought us so much joy. More good news!
⏫ Gen Z in the (White) House!
We keep saying Gen Zers are making our marks on the world, but now we’re truly playing the big leagues. The Biden administration has hired these nascent Gen Zers. We love to see it.
⏫ Nerf is looking for a CTO (and no, the T isn’t for technology!)
Nerf put out an ad for a Chief TikTok Officer, and judging by their video ad attempt, they really do need it. Gen Zers assemble!
⏬ This mistake on Jimmy Fallon was baaaad…
TikToker-turned-pop star Addison Rae appeared on Jimmy Fallon, where she performed a series of TikTok dances. Quite a few the dances were choreographed by young Black women who didn’t receive their due credit, and people weren’t happy. Addison responded.
⏬ Our hearts are broken after this Bridgerton update!
Bridgeton hottie Regé-Jean Page won’t be returning for the second series of the break-out Netflix hit. Give us a moment as we mourn.
⏬ Britney responds to documentary promoted by Gen Z’s #FreeBritney campaign
#FreeBritney is a hashtag that Gen Z has been tweeting, posting and video-ing as Britney Spears has been in court to fight her father’s conservatorship. A documentary, Framing Britney Spears, came out about this, and Britney said she was ‘embarrassed’ by it.
JUV Consulting is a Gen Z collective that works with companies to create purpose-driven and authentic marketing campaigns that engage young audiences. Contact us at info@juvconsulting.com if you would like to learn how to reach Gen Z, or sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Screenshot, to get Gen Z insights straight to your inbox.
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Gen Z in the COVID-19 Era
In the past year, Gen Z has seen so many changes: we welcomed new lingo (hello, social distancing!), logged into Zoom University, turned to TikTok dances for recreation, and spent a good chunk of time working from home. Outside of trying whipped coffee, young people tried to make sense of an uncertain world. Here is a list of Gen Z stories amid this generation-defining moment:Read moreDoes Gen Z want to work remotely?
There’s a looming dread about future career options for so many of Gen Z entering the workforce for the first time. But, as we move forward, one thing is clear—Gen Z wants WFH flexibility and IRL socialization. JUV surveyed The Receipt, our in-house research network, to assess what is the most enticing job structure.
What is Gen Z buying during COVID-19?
Gen Z is forever impacted by the pandemic, and that extends into our shopping habits. We are active online now more than ever, using social media or mobile apps. JUV surveyed The Receipt to find Gen Z feels “bored, anxious and tired” in this moment. As we shop, we want empathy from brands selling to us. Gen Z is signing up for subscription services for more regular moments of happiness. Most importantly, Gen Z’s purchases show what they care about most; we want to support small businesses, especially Black, Latinx, and Indigenous-owned businesses.
Being an RA in the Era of COVID-19
As the global pandemic struck Gen Z college students and campuses closed, many young people were forced to move back home. Gen Z’s worlds were turned upside down, with many of us losing our jobs. Gabe Garcia’s personal story as a Resident Assistant at the onset of the pandemic is emblematic of the fear, but enduring hope of this generation. Read our Director of People & Inclusion’s personal experience back on campus during Fall 2020.
Traveling in a Post-COVID World
So many Gen Zers cancelled travelling plans in 2020. But we’re still hopeful, as some young people are making travel plans for 2021. JUV surveyed The Receipt, our in-house research network, to find out Gen Z’s hopes and dreams for traveling in 2021. As for destinations, Gen Z wants to visit Asia and Europe the most. Gen Zers are conscientious digital natives— we think about cleanliness, social distancing, pollution and land degradation, economic impact of tourism, and cultural appropriation when planning a trip. Brands can look forward to Gen Z’s travel priorities shaping up the tourism industry soon!
Gen Z Optimism Around Vaccinations
Gen Z is optimistic about vaccinations. We missed human interaction big time, and vaccinations hint towards the return of normalcy to our lives. We are beyond done with the pandemic and cannot wait to be back with our friends, socialize, dine out, travel, and basically do everything the pandemic stole from us. Read these short interviews with people on the JUV team who have received the COVID vaccine!
JUV Consulting is a Gen Z collective that works with companies to create purpose-driven and authentic marketing campaigns that engage young audiences. Contact us at info@juvconsulting.com if you would like to learn how to reach Gen Z, or sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Screenshot, to get Gen Z insights straight to your inbox.