Tag: Gen Z

Singapore – Singapore-based ONE Esports, a subsidiary of sports media firm ONE Championship, has announced its partnership with player analytics platform, Mobalytics, to create a series of multi-platform content to help players improve their performance in esports.

Through the partnership, ONE Esports will collaborate with Mobalytics to create a range of unique content pieces to be published on oneesports.gg and mobalytics.gg, as well as across both companies’ social channels. 

Both companies will leverage each other’s distribution capabilities to further expand their reach and engagement among Gen Z and Millennial esports fans and players. ONE Esports and Mobalytics will also work together to execute co-branded content across their websites.

Carlos Alimurung, CEO of ONE Esports, believes that ONE Esports has an expertise in producing engaging content and reaching large audiences through its platform, and that this partnership with Mobalytics will help strengthen the bonds that they have with fans who want to enhance their in-game competitiveness.

“Mobalytics’ insightful analytics is a great complement to ONE Esports’ captivating storytelling capabilities, and we look forward to helping gamers win more frequently and decisively,” said Alimurung.

Meanwhile, Bogdan Suchyk, CEO and Co-founder of Mobalytics, commented, “We are thrilled to enter into a content partnership with one of the top esports media platforms in the world. As the all-in-one gaming companion for gamers, our in-depth player stats and game analytics will take ONE Esports’ content to the next level and enable readers to master their favourite games. 

“ONE Esports is a reputable producer of gaming, esports, and entertainment content across multiple distribution channels, and this collaboration will bring new storytelling possibilities to the Mobalytics platform and community,” added Suchyk.

In February this year, ONE Esports has also partnered with financial institution HSBC to deliver tailor-made content to help players manage prized resources in multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games, with useful hints and tips.

As countries across the Asia Pacific learn to live with Covid, Asia’s youth are reemerging from two years of restrictions and lockdowns with significantly altered perspectives that are set to redefine culture in the post-pandemic world.

Today’s youth are not sitting around doing nothing, waiting for the pandemic to pass. Instead, they are rewriting the rules and with it, the next chapter of culture. What is clear is that we are not going back to normal and for brands and marketers, this means a major rethink on how to best connect with this cohort.

Across Asia Pacific, Gen Z and millennials are reevaluating their relationships, careers and mental health as a result of the Covid crisis. They are making significant changes to how they live, socialise, and consume, reshaping a world that will be living with the virus for a long time to come. 

According to the study by VICE Media Group, ‘The Next Chapter – Re-Emergence’, which was conducted among 1,740 Gen Z and Millenials from the different markets in Asia Pacific, seven in ten say the pandemic has changed their perspective on what’s important in their lives, with more than nine in ten making lifestyle changes they plan on maintaining.

Meanwhile, almost sixty per cent say the way they work will be the most lasting societal change, with half reporting that looking after their health has transformed forever. These are fundamental shifts with significant implications on how brands should be marketing to them.

Media – from consumption to contribution 

One area of particular concern for young people in APAC is their relationships with the media. Both online and across social media, attitudes have changed markedly over the course of the last two years.

While the pandemic has dominated coverage across traditional media channels, other issues such as those around social justice, climate change, and misinformation that have been running alongside it, overwhelming young people and making them aware of their overconsumption of online content. One in three say the media and news have caused them the most fear and anxiety during the pandemic, with just four per cent trusting the media more since COVID-19 started. 

As one millennial respondent in Indonesia from the said study commented, “I change the way I view media. I used to believe what the media said. But now, I realised media is such a fear-mongering outlet and that’s how they make money, causing panic in public. I really hate the media now and I don’t want to listen/read/watch news ever again.’’

As an escape, they have sought solace in entertainment. According to the study, six in ten have sought out more entertainment content since the start of Covid-19 and 65 per cent say entertainment helps them take their mind off everything else.

In Southeast Asia, 41 per cent have subscribed to a new streaming service and 36 per cent have downloaded a new social media app, with 30 per cent attending a virtual content or event, demonstrating the continued growth and pivoting to alternative communication and entertainment channels. 

Reimagining brand content beyond passive consumption

Young people no longer want to mindlessly consume media. They are seeking content that provides truth, allows for respite and builds resilience. Almost seven in ten want content that provides information based on facts and uncover stories that others aren’t telling them. About 68 per cent want content that makes them laugh and helps them escape, while just almost two-thirds want content and information that inspires self-growth, gives them hope and will enable them to make a positive impact on the world.

Brands need to reimagine content that allows the region’s youth to go beyond simple consumption. There is a clear desire for content and information that is both based on truth and can enable them to make informed decisions to help create a world that reflects their hopes and aspirations. The successful brands will create safe experiences and spaces for young people to connect with them in a meaningful way, providing a sense of belonging and connection. 

As they re-emerge from the pandemic, the region’s youth have changed and their intentions are plain and are here to stay. We have known for some time now that brands are no longer just competing for attention with other brands. They need to look for a visible and valued role that is based inside culture, rather than looking at ways to interrupt it. The after-effects of the pandemic on Asia’s culture shapers is only set to accelerate this further.

This article is written by Lesley John, managing director at Virtue for APAC.

The article is published as part of MARKETECH APAC’s thought leadership series What’s NEXT. This features marketing leaders sharing their marketing insights and predictions for the upcoming year. The series aims to equip marketers with actionable insights to future-ready their marketing strategies.

If you are a marketing leader and have insights that you’d like to share with regards to the upcoming trends and practices in marketing, please reach out to [email protected] for an opportunity to have your thought-leadership published on the platform.

Jakarta, Indonesia – The Ministry of Communication and Informatics of Indonesia (Kementerian Komunikasi dan Informatika), alongside with the National Digital Literacy Movement, has announced a collaboration with local pop bank HIVI! band to promote digital literacy, targeting Gen Z audiences. The band consists of Ilham Aditama, Nadhia Aleida, Febrian Nindyo, and Ezra Mandira.

Through this collaboration, HIVI! band wrote and produced a campaign song titled ‘Cerita Dunia Maya #MakinCakapDigital’ to send messages to Gen Z to use the internet for positive activities as well as educate them to be brave and responsible in exploring themselves through digital content.

Furthermore, the collaboration has produced easy listening music that aims to raise young people’s awareness in using the internet for good purposes. The campaign also aims to avoid negative impacts that might be harmful, especially to the mental health of young audiences.

With the lyrics “Di dunia maya kita semua punya cerita, di dunia maya kita semua bisa berkarya!” (We all have stories in the digital world, we all can be creative in the digital world), the song calls on all young people to use the internet for positive and productive activities as well as be the change that they wish to see in the world, starting from themselves.

The ministry cites data from online media company Katadata that the country has over 200 million people who have been actively using internet platforms to maintain their social interactions and also to stay productive while staying at home due to social and economic restrictions.

“However, digital technology also has negative impact when it is used for circulating hoaxes, cyber-bullying, radicalism, and even terrorism. Thus, equality in digital literacy is crucial as it will encourage young people, in particular, to use the internet wisely,” said Rizki Ameliah, coordinator of Digital Literacy Kemenkominfo.

Rizki added, “Music is a universal language and it enables people to relate their life with any particular song, so it will be easier to penetrate the messages of the digital literacy campaign to young people and wider attention across the nation.”

The song is available for streaming both on YouTube and Spotify.

Israel – Global in-game ad solution Anzu.io has unveiled its new Roblox offering, where Anzu’s viewable impressions, brand safety, and detailed campaign reporting will be available to advertisers running in-game campaigns within Roblox.

Roblox is a global metaverse where millions of players gather to create, share, and play games in immersive worlds. Anzu finds that majority of Roblox’s users are under 16 of age and believes the partnership presents advertisers with a unique opportunity to connect with this elusive cohort.

“The game-changing move brings Anzu’s tech to Gen Z’s most popular platform, opening its 202 million monthly active users to brands and agencies globally via scalable in-game ads,” said the company in a press statement.

According to Anzu, in Q3 of 2020, Roblox racked up over 8.71 billion hours of engagement with users spending more time on the platform than on Tiktok, YouTube and Instagram combined.

Anzu, which already works with leading games companies, including Ubisoft, Amanotes, and Lion Castle Entertainment, to run in-game ads said that it aims to bring its learnings and success to the Roblox platform.

Michael Sligh, the creator of one of Roblox’s biggest games of all time ‘Work at a Pizza Place’, said, “We look forward to seeing real-world brand ads appear within our games as players will be able to experience them just like they do in the real world, adding a sense of realism to our gameplay. They will also provide us with an additional revenue stream without taking anything away from how players experience games, allowing us to spend more time improving them and building out new ones that the Roblox community can fall in love with.”

Itamar Benedy, CEO and co-founder of Anzu, said, “Today marks an important milestone on our road to building the cross-platform advertising solution that reaches players no matter where they are or what they are playing on.”

Benedy adds, “We are thrilled by the interest and uptake we have already seen from both Roblox’s developers and some of the world’s leading brands and agencies which are excited to be part of Roblox’s vision of becoming a true Metaverse, representing the future of how people learn, play, work, consume entertainment, try on and shop fashion, and interact with brands. This aligns with our belief that gaming is becoming a one-stop-shop where people are increasingly spending much of their digital lives — cementing the fact that gaming is a crucial channel that advertisers can no longer afford to ignore.”

Anzu believes that its dedication to child safety is a huge pull for advertisers. The Roblox platform is fully GDPR compliant and a member of the kidSAFE Seal Program, which has been approved by the Federal Trade Commission as an authorized safe harbor under COPPA.

Anzu has already signed partnerships with many popular Roblox creators, bringing in-game advertising to games, including Work at a Pizza Place, Speed Run 4, Wacky Wizards, and Fashion Famous. Anzu also shared that is in talks with a growing number of developers who are excited at the idea of having real-world brands appear within their games on the platform. 

Manila, Philippines – Gen Zs are now growing up and are now fully demonstrating to the world their unique needs and desires. Dubbed as the most digital-savvy cohort to date, Twitter, one of the go-to platforms of the said group, has released its own findings on how the generation is using the platform and the implications of each to their social inclinations and consumer behavior.

According to Twitter’s data for Q1 2021, 61% of the Gen Z audience on Twitter use the platform on a daily basis. Within their conversations on the platform, Gen Zs’ passions are as diverse as they can get where across different topics, there is almost an equal percentage of Gen Z users conversing around them such as gaming and tech with 63%, food and beauty with 61%, and music with 60%.

This isn’t surprising as according to the same data, Gen Zs see themselves as ‘open-minded’ with 81% describing themselves as such. On top of pop culture, Gen Zs also show great interest and concern towards news at large, where 50% use Twitter to read news stories to be up to speed with current events.

In terms of consumer behavior, Twitter has become a source of finding out about products and brands, where Gen Zs are shown to more likely buy brands they have seen advertised on Twitter with 60%, based on the platform’s data for Q2-Q3 in 2020.

Chandan Deep, Twitter’s head of emerging business for Southeast Asia, said that there’s no better way to understand the Gen Z mindset than to delve into their world on Twitter.

“Twitter allows Gen Zs to freely express themselves, connect with communities, and at the same time, empower them to pursue and champion their values, interests, and passions,” said Deep.

“Gen Zs have always been active on Twitter, but there are still plenty of things to learn and discover about them because their interests are so diverse. We see a trend wherein Gen Zs rule conversations and are active in engaging with brands especially if it gravitates towards the things that matter to them,” added Deep.

Singapore – In the wake of the pandemic, there is no doubt that people are showing unprecedented concern over their health. Within ‘health’ meanwhile, we’re looking at a variety of areas and for the Gen Z demographic in Singapore, specifically, there has been a heightened interest in skincare at the farther period of the pandemic, a report from communications agency DeVries Global shows.

With more than a year into COVID-19, skincare has now emerged to be top-of-mind. The report notes an uptick in skincare consumption among Gen Z’s in Singapore, with 84% of the respondents saying they care for such endeavors. Demographic-wise, 67% of the total female respondents and 57% of the total male respondents consider skincare as an integral part of overall health.

In addition, over 80% of the respondents say that they would consider switching skincare brands if it’s proven to improve their skincare health. Meanwhile, for those who refuse to switch, the reason boils down to three factors: satisfaction with their current brand, competitor brand’s price, and personal concerns on whether the competitor brand will work for them.

In order to convince consumers to switch from their current brand to another, the report’s data showed they would need to be recommended by health professionals (287 respondents), reviewed positively by other customers (280 respondents), and should carry scientific study results (211 respondents).

Marketers have long held the belief that attention is a diminishing commodity, especially among Generation Z. However, attention has not diminished, it has diversified. To manage the onslaught of information they face each day, consumers prioritize content that engages them. For brands, this means working harder than ever to capture the attention of their audience – and this involves rethinking the way they sell and service by using interactive and immersive technologies like augmented reality (AR).

Immersive AR ads have shown to be an impressive user engagement tool, garnering 17-times more engagement compared to static ads, according to a study by Snapchat, which compared shoppable Snap ads to standard Snap ads of the same products. Here in Asia-Pacific (APAC), spending on AR and virtual reality (VR) is expected to grow at a rapid rate of 47.7% and reach US$28.8 billion by 2024. Recent data from Statista also estimated that by 2023, there will be 2.4 billion mobile AR users worldwide, a rise of 2.2 billion from the 200 million seen in 2015. Clearly, there is a demand for this technology.

There is opportunity for marketers to capitalize on. As a digitally native generation, Gen Zs spend a large part of their time on mobile. In APAC, almost a third of Gen Zs spend six hours or longer a day on their phone but at the same time, they are also thoughtful about the ways they engage with the internet. It comes as no surprise that Gen Zs turn to AR to communicate with their close friends, and to explore the world around them. This situation lends itself as an opportunity for brands to engage with them in this manner as well.

Before we delve into how brands can use AR, let us take a step back and look at what makes Gen Zs tick.

Understanding Gen Zs in APAC

With an attention span of mere seconds and a wealth of content available at their fingertips, engaging Gen Zs can be a challenge. As such, it is doubly important for brands to fully understand the unique traits of this demographic so they can tailor their offerings to this audience.

Like their global peers, APAC Gen Zs have a strong appreciation for digital communications and technologies. A Generation survey by Snapchat conducted in December 2020 found that Gen Zs in APAC are not confined to traditional methods of communications, and favor communicating with photos (78%), emoji or emoticons (75%), videos and video messages (59%), among others. They also gravitate towards immersive video and mobile games, including AR experiences.

In addition, Gen Zs are strong supporters of the causes they believe in. The same piece of Snapchat research found that half of the surveyed respondents say they are less likely to buy from a brand that chooses to promote the opposite side on social issues that matter to them. Conversely in APAC, Gen Zs are more likely to shop from brands they support, even if it’s less convenient for them to do so.

There is no better time than now to leverage AR

By 2025, Gen Z will make up a quarter of the APAC region’s population. As this generation of digital natives rapidly warms to the concept of AR, it will become an increasingly important tool in the marketing mix of advertisers.

Consider AR as you would with any tool in your marketing arsenal. The two marketing fundamentals – objective and audience – still stand. Brands will first need to define their objectives and the results they hope to achieve from the campaign, then understand their audience like the Gen Zs. By defining these parameters at the onset, brands will be able to use AR where appropriate to elevate their current offerings to the audience.

There are many great examples of creative AR-powered offerings. One example worth noting is the work done by Singaporean creative technology studio, MeshMinds. They held the city-state’s first AR-powered exhibition Sustainable Singapore, where the AR artwork of 20 local artists used the AR app Artivive to weave in additional storytelling elements to lend more magnetism to their artwork.

Brands in APAC can also take a leaf out of their global peers’ books. Understanding Gen Zs’ need for engaging content, luxury brand Gucci launched its first-ever global AR shoe “try-on” campaign on Snapchat in 2020, where users can virtually try on Gucci shoes on the app. After seeing how they looked wearing the brand’s latest sneakers, users were able to purchase the shoes directly from the Lens.

A one-up from existing technology, AR brings to the table an optimized digital experience that can set brands apart. Advertisers need to view the AR as a permanent addition to their media plan and instead of a mere novelty.

AR will have a profound impact on the future of marketing

Gen Zs are a formidable force that is poised to take over the current active generations. Coupled with their growing spending power and influence, Gen Zs are set to reshape the future advertising landscape in APAC. 

As such, brands need to develop a better understanding of the devices that Gen Z consumers use; where and how they consume content; and the role they wish to have in the direction their content goes. This ensures the impact and relevance of a brand’s marketing piece and goes a long way in building brand love and brand loyalty.

AR is one of the many up-and-coming technologies that brands need to get on to gain a competitive edge. It is exciting to consider how we are only at the beginning of what is possible.

This article was written by Kathryn Carter, head of APAC at Snap Inc.

Singapore – Singaporean Gen Z consumers are now expecting that their favorite brands to be more responsible and transparent in their business strategies in an age where fake news and information is rampant, new study from consumer communications agency DeVries Global shows.

According to the study, a whopping 96% of respondents indicated that they “are willing to pay a premium for brands they deem transparent”, which best reflects the fact that the digitally native generation has a growing appetite for authenticity and honesty among brands. 

Despite the evident doubts raised among Gen Zs, 57.8% of the respondents said that they are bothered to filter out what is true or not on what they see online, and only 10.8% of the respondents said that they are ‘pros’ at filtering false information.

DeVries-Global-Singapore-Gen-Z-Study-Transparency-1

Furthermore, 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.

Singaporean Gen Zs have a higher tendency as well to be willing to boycott the brand over several negative factors, with unethical corporate practices (55%), false advertising (44%), animal testing of products (41%), negative personal experience (33%), lack of transparency (13%) and negative impact on the environment (12%) being the well-known factors Gen Z consumers will frown upon.

“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,” the company said in a press statement.

DeVries-Global-Singapore-Gen-Z-Study-Transparency-2

The study also noted that the current generation has also a greater inclination to check reviews before buying products online, with 77% of the respondents saying so. Other purchasing factors that influence Gen Zs include price (55%), brand reputation (39%) and recommendation from friends and family (38%).

For Li Ting Ng, director of innovation and client experience at DeVries Global Singapore, transparency has become the norm among Gen Z consumers, and are questioning brands that are jumping on conveying transparency in their marketing, despite doubts of making change in their business strategies.

“This is a smart and informed generation that values and demands transparency but understands 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,” Ng stated.

Meanwhile, Rafidah Rashid, managing director at DeVries Global Singapore, commented, “The Gen Zs are at the very forefront of culture, and there is no better time than now for brands to get a head start by getting ahead of what matters to them.”

Sydney, Australia – Being digital natives themselves, Gen Z consumers in Australia are now demanding greater service from brands online, new survey from digital experience platform Sitecore shows.

About 1 in 10 will switch their loyalty after a poor online shopping experience – most (55%) will give multiple second chances. However, Australian Gen Z shoppers have a low tolerance for browsing online stores, as most will give up after no more than 10 pages of browsing (on average, five pages of browsing).

Meanwhile, a quarter or more Gen Z in Australia also rank same or next day delivery, easy site navigation, and having items in stock as their top three criteria of shopping online. More than four in ten Gen Z in Australia say that having a free delivery option is most important to them in online shopping. However, free delivery is less important to Gen Z (44%) compared to older generations (55%). Gen Z are also more likely to say that an app or website that works well on mobile is critical to their shopping experience (60% vs 49% for older generations).

“The pandemic has tested the loyalty of Gen Z shoppers in Australia, leading them to become digital converts who show less loyalty to their pre-pandemic ‘go-to’ brands. They are also opting to shop more via mobile and direct from brands. Australian Gen Z treats online shopping as an experience to enjoy and expect highly personalized, exciting online experiences that work on mobile and can offer same-day delivery,” said Paige O’Neill, chief marketing officer at Sitecore.

In addition, despite huge patronage to online e-commerce sites, top physical retail outlets will remain attractive to Gen Z, particularly for exploring such as shopping local, socializing, and window shopping—but Gen Z shoppers said online brings the convenience factors such as advantages of availability of products, lower cost, time-saving, predetermined purchases, or just simply being able to stay in. 

Socializing as a reason to go back to retail stores and malls is particularly strong for Gen Z (47% vs. 30% among older gens). Gen Z is more likely to say their online experience with local retailers was not as slick as they expected it to be (40% vs. 26% among older gens).

Singapore – Social storytelling platform Wattpad, through its advertising and partnerships arm Wattpad Brand Partnerships, has partnered with pop culture-inclined marketing agency Culture Group to bolster’s Wattpad presence in the Southeast Asia region.

Through the partnership, Culture Group will help connect brands to Wattpad’s growing Gen Z audience, which has now reached a global community of over 90 million people, including more than 22 million users in Asia-Pacific countries. Wattpad is a platform where users can post self-written stories, novels, and full-on books, which are then voted by readers by genre and popularity. 

Over the years, Wattpad has been recognized by various media entities in Southeast Asia. The company’s studio division, Wattpad Studios, has produced hit projects like ‘Slow Dancing’, a six-episode series from Mediacorp and Wattpad in Singapore; and ‘Turn On’ from Wattpad, Vidio, and Screenplay Entertainment in Indonesia. 

Wattpad also works with Anvil Publishing, Inc., one of the leading book publishers in the Philippines, to bring Wattpad stories to bookstores. The companies have partnered to create Bliss Books, a ground-breaking YA imprint for Filipino book lovers.

Furthermore, the move will offer advertisers more opportunities to tap into Wattpad Influencers, original stories, and thriving Southeast Asian fan communities for innovative brand campaigns and activations. Brands will be able to create content-driven marketing programs in a variety of formats, including audio and video content, associated with fan-favorite Wattpad’s stories. 

Commenting on the partnership, Chris Stefanyk, head of Wattpad Brand Partnerships said their expansion to the SEA region responds to a larger untapped younger generation for brands to be exposed to.

“Southeast Asia is home to some of the largest and most engaged communities on our platform, and there’s enormous potential for brands to tap into the Wattpad Stars and long-form Influencers that have found international fame on Wattpad. We’re excited to work with more brands in Southeast Asia to tell their stories in a culturally relevant way that resonates with today’s youth,” Stefanyk stated.

Meanwhile, Culture Group’s founder and president Michael Patent, stated, “We believe firmly that Gen Z is the world’s ‘creation generation’ and nowhere is this more apparent than on Wattpad, where amazing stories are told. We’re thrilled to be partnered with Wattpad in creating immersive, multi-format partnerships through content and fan communities in Southeast Asia.”