This article just blew my mind 🤯 I do not typically write this kind of content but I am inspired. Five thoughts: 1. The article itself is backed up by the experience of reading it. It makes it's own points brilliantly in the UX. Weather it's digital or IRL, the message is clear. Marketing is about the EXPERIENCES you can provide. Stop trying to funnel the ocean of consumers and dive in. 2. Even though this article is about how Gen Z behaves in the market place, the cat is out of the bag for all of us. When is the last time you blindly trusted what a company had to say about the company? Amazon is a mess. We don't even trust our own eyes without doing research (looking at you royal PR). Users want to see the good, the bad, and the ugly in order to trust their expectation of a product. They're engaging in the comment section, looking for user generated content, and prioritizing value and loyalty over luxury and convenience. 3. Youtube (57%) being the most popular place to learn about new brands was a surprise to me, but if you combine it with Tiktok (53%) it's clear that video is Queen Z and they trust their personalized algorithm to fetch the latest and greatest and filter the junk. 4. I was raised by a master of the thrift store, the resurgence of which parallels the modern consumer mindset. Many of my millennial friends get overwhelmed with the "diamond in the rough" nature of thrift shopping but thrift store enthusiasts understand that the goal is not to know what you want going in the door, but to stay curious and explore until you discover something that inspires you. I light up when someone wants to go to the thrift store with me, not because of the anticipation of what I am going to buy- i often walk away without buying anything- but because the experience of thrift shopping is the best part. 5. What makes me feel real in an ever increasing digital world? Conversation. Authenticity. Community. Anyone see the Freaknik doc? Remember the rim shop that became the beating heart of the community? One person said "it was a rim shop that barely sold rims" but they were sitting in an interview 30 years later talking about the community that was built there. Loyalty is built from the user experience post purchase, making sure the user feels a part of something because they've bought in, that they're connected to the world in a meaningful way. If you have made it this far, let's connect. What are your thoughts on the modern consumer mindset?
