“A Generation Of Skeptics Who Want It Real & RAW” -Study

SINGAPORE, April 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Be honest and truthful but not too transparent is consumer communications agency DeVries Global’s first advice to brands with the release of its latest study: Decoding The Z Mind in a Post-COVID Singapore.

The report unpacks how the pandemic has irreversibly altered Gen Z consumption behaviour and purchasing decisions, drawing insights from a survey of 400 Gen Z respondents in Singapore aged 16 to 25 the agency conducted in Q4 2020.

Why the focus on Gen Z?

Coming of age, entering the workforce, and facing a generation-defining crisis simultaneously, it is a disruptive moment for Gen Z, who is set to become a powerful, pivotal influence on the future of retail. In the face of an uncertain future obscured by the pandemic, how does Gen Z feel, think and plan to act? How can brands and marketers shift the way they connect and engage with them?

Transparency as more than just a buzzword

For this digitally native generation, rampant misinformation and fake news have left them hyper-aware and distrustful of information online.

With a growing appetite for authenticity and honesty, it comes with no surprise that a whopping 96% of respondents survey indicated that they ‘are willing to pay a premium for brands they deem transparent’.

But here comes the twist: You can’t be too transparent, especially if your operations do not live up to your communications. “People will just think it is an advertising strategy,” commented a respondent when asked if a brand can be too truthful. A generation unafraid to speak out and rally for causes they believe in, the study also reveals that Gen Zs do not hesitate to boycott brands over unethical business practices, false advertising and more.

It is time for brands to do an internal check-in for hypocrisy before they speak out on issues or make big claims. Otherwise, they run the risk of getting cancelled by the razor-sharp Gen Z.

“Transparency has become trendy, and many brands are jumping on conveying transparency in their marketing but are they really making a change in their business? These are areas that Gen Z is probing into,” – Li Ting Ng, Director of Innovation & Client Experience, DeVries Global Singapore.

“This is a smart and informed generation that values and demands transparency but understand that businesses aren’t perfect. The challenge then is to figure out what transparency means to your business and how you can commit and communicate it in a way that builds trust and credibility. Not transparency for the sake of it.”

Keep it real – and raw

On the topic of truth and authenticity, the study found that peer reviews are the key to their wallet – and they want them personal and graphic.

They find that reviews from other consumers are over 2X more important than recommendations from social media and even friends & family.

The report also revealed a surprising finding that while Gen Z has a global reputation of being possibly the most environmentally conscious generation, it seems that only 7% of Singaporean Gen Zs see environmental impact as an essential factor when making a purchase decision, as compared to other considerations like reviews and price.