Yubo And Other Gen Z Brands Recognize Importance of Gender and Identity Respect

Yubo, a popular social livestreaming app, is quickly gaining steam in the Gen Z community, partially based on the company’s commitment to recognizing, respecting, and empowering users. Other brands are following suit, fostering a connection with users, customers, and fans via their values.

In an increasingly fast-paced digital world, brands often have difficulty connecting with their audiences. Younger demographics, such as Gen Zers, are especially skilled at manipulating technology.

If a brand wants to successfully convey its message, it must abandon traditional (and ineffective) methods of marketing its products or services. Instead, the brand must respect its audience’s beliefs and establish common ground, a cornerstone for Gen Z favorite, Yubo. Then, it’s possible to move forward with a compelling message.

Why Brands Must Align with Their Audience’s Values

Each brand’s need to identify with its audience’s values was a partial outgrowth of the COVID-19 pandemic. As locked-down consumers were compelled to spend endless hours at home, they found themselves reflecting on what was (and was not) important to them.

Consumers of all ages also thought about their place in the world, and they re-evaluated their priorities accordingly. Equally importantly, they thought about the quality of their relationships.

When governments lifted the lockdown orders, and life gradually began to regain some semblance of normalcy, many people had adopted a completely new approach to life. Today, these consumers are bringing their newly minted mindsets to every aspect of their lives.

Younger Consumers Align Their Values and Purchases

Specifically, Gen Zers are making conscious choices about the way they spend their time online, and their purchase decisions. By choosing what to buy, and deciding where to purchase it, they desire to reshape their local communities and their larger environment. During the purchase process, they are reaffirming their role in society.

To delve further into this topic, New York-based 5W Public Relations conducted a pandemic-era study on consumers’ buying motivations. The firm’s 2020 Consumer Culture Report found that consumers (especially younger consumers) have become more socially and politically conscious about the products they purchase.

Stated another way, these consumers buy their groceries, clothing, necessities, and “splurge” items from companies that share their social and political beliefs. The opposite is also true. If a business projects a socially conscious image, but its actions or communications do not reflect that philosophy, it can expect strong customer pushback.

Given the report’s conclusions, brands that market to younger consumers should carefully consider their messaging structure. By aligning the business’ values with its audience’s values, the brand stands a good chance that its message will resonate with potential customers.

Gen Zers Show Impressive Buying Power

Enter Gen Z, a fast-growing demographic group that contains individuals from 10 to 25 years of age. Although many Gen Zers are still under the legal age of 18, they possess substantial buying power, for two reasons.

First, Gen Zers have a strong impact on their family’s spending habits. They are vocal about their food, clothing, gadgets, and household product likes and dislikes.

Many Gen Zers are also technology experts who can provide well-reasoned advice about computers, mobile devices, and other electronics products. Young Gen Zers are not afraid to challenge older family members and often make sensible arguments.

In addition, Gen Zers represent the economy’s future. This cohort’s older members have already graduated college or entered the workforce. With decades of potential buying power before them, they are worthy of brands’ sustained attention and focus.

Important Factors in Gen Zers’ Buying Decisions

When Gen Zers are considering a brand or product, they want to know the company shares their own values or social beliefs. Marketing Dive cites a January 2021 Forrester survey that determined that Gen Zers are more likely to spend time on this research than Millennials or Baby Boomers.

Specifically, the study team found that 51 percent of Gen Zers will take time to verify that a brand’s corporate social behavior aligns with theirs. If the brand fails the test, the Gen Zer will shop elsewhere. Not surprisingly, the survey also found that Gen Zers distrust the average company more than millennials, Gen Xers, or baby boomers.

Reaching Gen Zers Involves Messaging Alignment

Brands should think carefully when preparing a message to a Gen Z audience. First, each Gen Zer has a personal brand. These young consumers want a company to acknowledge their individuality in any marketing or communications message.

Brands Should Share Social Cause Commitments

Gen Zers are frequently committed to multiple social causes. They are often passionate about gender or LGBTQ issues. In addition, they may feel strongly about racial tension and immigration concerns.

In Gen Zers’ view, employers and brands that practice corporate social responsibility do not go far enough. Gen Zers expect these corporate entities to share the young idealists’ core beliefs.

How Gen Zers View Gender Roles

Gen Zers are actively engaged in all aspects of the gender conversation. For comparison, over 12% of United States millennials say they are gender non-conforming or transgender. Further, the majority of millennials say gender is more of a spectrum than a binary construct.

Gen Zers’ gender-related views extend further along the spectrum. In fact, they are quite comfortable with the concept of multiple genders. Gender binary, gender fluid, and gender-neutral are three frequently discussed gender types. Generally speaking, Gen Zers prioritize personal authenticity rather than trying to conform to specific gender categories. 

Within the United States, 56% of Gen Zers know an individual who prefers a gender-neutral pronoun. In addition, 59% of Gen Zers want forms to include additional options besides the binary “man” or “woman” choices. On a global scope, 25% of Gen Zers say they will switch their gender identity at least one time throughout their life.

How Yubo Furthers the Gender Conversation

Gen Zers who want to share their thoughts on gender-related topics (or chat about anything else) are gravitating to Yubo. This community-focused live-streaming platform invites users to share via video discussion rooms and live chats.

Yubo users are invited to join this virtual meetup. Chatting with others who have similar interests, or playing games with friends is the order of the day.

Yubo’s Emphasis on Users’ Well-being

With a strong focus on authenticity, Yubo encourages everyone to “come as they are.” Company leaders understand what’s important to their Gen Z user base, and they ensure that the Yubo platform speaks to those needs.

Specifically, Yubo proactively supports the LGBTQIA+ community. The company highly encourages minority visibility, and it also maintains a strong anti-bullying stance. Company leaders regularly engage with users, and lead initiatives, about important topics. As a customer-centric company, Yubo is dedicated to providing the best possible experience for its users.

How to Reach Gen Z: Gender-Neutral Marketing

Brands that intend to market to Gen Zers must respect this demographic’s gender preferences. Again, these young people embrace an entire spectrum of gender identities, and they view gender as a fluid concept that can change.

Gen Zers’ gender attitudes are mirrored in popular culture, where celebrities and style mavens often embody similar ideals. These cultural influences have always been part of Gen Zers’ life experiences.

Creating Compatible Ads and Marketing Messages

Not surprisingly, Gen Zers expect brands’ advertising and marketing messages to mirror the same gender-focused mindset. To reach this audience, brands should create targeted media ads and messages containing characters with diverse gender identities. Although gender binary characters are not excluded, Gen Zers also want other genders to receive adequate representation.

In addition, some brands’ ads now reflect the emphasis on changing gender roles. To illustrate, young men may be featured in makeup or blow-dryer ads. Young women might appear in ads for pickup trucks or shop equipment.

Embracing the Gender Conversation

As Gen Zers continue to navigate the gender identities spectrum, Yubo stands ready to support them in their conversations. Through inclusive infrastructure and targeted initiatives, Yubo provides the foundation for continued exploration. Taking a cue from this innovative approach, other companies are following suit.