Navigating Gen Z insight: honesty, kindness and fairness

                                                            30th October 2019
                                                        
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                                                                            3 minute read

This article is part of our series on Navigating Gen Z Insight.
You can view the full series or download the report.

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A quick dose of fact-checking reveals many Gen Z claims you may have seen published to be little more than “fake news” with no basis in fact – a big problem for brands wanting to make smart decisions. Brand Genetics is here to help you spot the and navigate the Gen Z waters!

Over the last few weeks, we have discussed Emotional Wellbeing and Physical Wellness, and what these mean for Generation Z. This week we conclude our series by focusing on the 3 core values that are scientifically proven to be important to the next generation.

HONESTY, KINDNESS AND FAIRNESS

The VIA (Values in Action) scale identifies the top values held by a chosen segment or cohort, and this allows brands to align their values with those of their target market. At Brand Genetics, we use this internationally validated framework of positive human values to identify innovation and branding opportunities.

The advantage of focusing on values, as opposed to attitudes and behaviour, is that values are enduring and stable. Values are persistent beliefs about what is good and right, and they act as a moral compass, guiding behaviour over the long term. In contrast, attitudes and behaviours can be highly volatile and dependent on context, circumstance & convention.

As a result, global Gen Z research has focused on cohort values. This research, using the VIA framework has identified the three top values for Gen Z – Honesty, Kindness and Fairness. Each of these provides a clear lesson for brands addressing this generation.

Honesty is about speaking the truth and presenting oneself in an authentic and genuine way. It involves integrity, taking responsibility for your actions, and admitting when having done something wrong.

Kindness is about a willingness to help and care, even if it costs. Kindness involves doing favours and good deeds for others.

The third priority for the Gen Z cohort is Fairness – so treating all people the same and with justice, without bias or prejudice.

So the key questions are, as a brand, are you Honest? Are you Kind? And are you Fair?

Wanting to implement positive innovation in your business? If you’re looking to move beyond fake news and properly understand what makes Gen Z tick, please get in touch – we would love to hear from you!