Is Gen Alpha the Next Big Marketing Target?

07 Oct Is Gen Alpha the Next Big Marketing Target?

Terms like Gen Alpha, Gen Z, and Millennials might seem like social media trends designed to segregate people of different ages, but there is some merit to the idea of grouping certain age groups. World events shape the way people from a particular generation live. Due to the rise of social media, and the digitalization of marketplaces, indulging in mass consumerism has become the new normal, especially for the youngest generation, Gen Alpha. The oldest of Gen Alpha are still teens, yet somehow, they manage to buy luxury goods, even unaffordable to some adults. Several circumstances have moulded Gen Alpha into the unruly tweens we know them as. But the undeniable fact is that Gen Alpha is the biggest generation today and advertising to them is going to be the next big turn in the industry.

Generation Alpha is a term used to refer to people born between 2010 and 2024. One of the biggest influences on the way Gen Alpha interacts with their environment has been the advent of technology. Most Gen Alpha kids were born during a time when easily accessible modes of digital entertainment like smartphones and tablets were becoming extremely popular. Their parents, who were mostly millennials, did not restrict their use of social media during their formative years. This over time evolved into shortform content like TikTok and Instagram reels, which is effective in grabbing people’s eyes, but it also makes their attention span small. This results in viewers becoming quickly influenced and purchasing things without doing proper research. Most millennials also have decent jobs, so they can provide their children with whatever they demand. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Gen Alpha’s use of smartphones increased further because of remote learning. This is when they started to indulge in content made for and by Gen Z. Impacted by this, most Gen Alpha kids started adopting mannerisms beyond their age and purchasing items targeted towards a much older demographic.

A couple of months ago, stories about Sephora kids were going viral all-over social media. Adults were ranting about how Gen Alpha kids are ruining their in-person shopping experience because of their rude behaviour not just towards store employees but also other customers. One of the things that perplexed everyone was that these kids as young as 7-year-olds were buying expensive beauty products not designed for their use. These included ingredients like peptides and retinol, targeted toward people over 25, as they have anti-aging properties. They also include harsh ingredients that can lead to burns if used by kids as they have sensitive skin. Most kids were purchasing these products upon the recommendation of Instagram and TikTok influencers. Moreover, the parents of these kids were seen complying as they did not want their kids to feel left out.

Gen Alpha are big consumers already, but it is predicted that with time they will become the biggest and most influential generation, this is why many brands are starting to shift their target audience to them. The easy access of technology to Gen Alpha has caused them to grow up as informed consumers. They show high levels of interest in topics such as inclusivity, transparency, and sustainability, which was unheard of by consumers before them. They also tend to factor in brand connections and pop culture in their buying decisions. User-generated content (UGC) has shown to be the most lucrative way of targeting them. In addition to this, Gen Alpha is known to directly influence their Millennial parent’s purchases too, which means that by targeting them brands can kill two birds with one stone. Many believe that despite their lack of in-person social skills, Gen Alpha has extremely good technological and social media skills. 

Brands should focus on incorporating new methods of advertising and product placement that are engaging and incorporate technologies such as Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality.

Even though targeting Gen Alpha can be extremely beneficial for brands, several ethical dilemmas about the subject. Some believe that it is not fair for brands to target young impressionable kids who do not have control over money. They are easily influenced and sometimes end up buying things that can be harmful to them as they tend to blindly trust word-of-mouth content. Others believe it is the influencer’s responsibility to be transparent with their audience and let them know when a product is unfit for a certain age group. Another school of thought believes that it is the parent’s responsibility to monitor the media they consume.

The proper way of targeting Gen Alpha should be a combination of all three ideas. Companies like Sephora should restrict children from buying products that are harmful to them. UGC about certain products should have age restrictions for viewing. And parents should do proper research about things their children want them to buy. If the product is unsafe for their kid, they should firmly refuse.

In conclusion, targeting Gen Alpha be necessary in the future for most brands. It can be extremely beneficial if done properly, but it can also be extremely harmful to the brand’s reputation if they take advantage of this age group. Not being transparent with any clientele, especially young people is a form of coercion. It is the brand’s responsibility to ensure that no one is being deceived or it can tarnish them.