Generation Z
Note: This presentation and its contents are for internal working purposes only and not to be shared with third parties outside the University of Waterloo.
About Generations
• Helps us interact and understand
• Era born into shapes personality, behavior, and
outlook
• Constellation of people with unique identifying
characteristics
• Overlaps produce a “cusp” effect
•
Shorter generational spans
Who came before Gen Z?
Time to play – Name that generation
YEARS
1965- Early 1980’s
EVENTS
End of Cold War, First PC, MTV
TRAITS
Individualistic, Flexible, Self-reliant
MOTIVATIONAL
MESSAGES
Do it your way;
forget the rules
Generation X
THEMES
Independence, Latch Key kids
Time to play – Name that generation
YEARS
1946 - 1964
EVENTS
Women’s Liberation, Civil Rights,
Cold War
TRAITS
Optimistic, Work-centric, Loyal
MOTIVATIONAL
MESSAGES
THEMES
You are needed and valued
Baby
Boomers
New
freedom,
Rock’n roll music
Time to play – Name that generation
YEARS
1982 - Mid 1990’s
9/11, Social Media, Reality TV,
AIDS
Tech comfortable, Optimistic,
TRAITS
Entitled
You’ll work with other
MOTIVATIONAL
bright creative people
MESSAGES
Millennials
EVENTS
THEMES
Guided and greatness
Generation Recap
YEARS
EVENTS
TRAITS
MOTIVATIONAL
MESSAGES
THEMES
BABY BOOMERS
GENERATION X
MILLENNIALS
1946 - 1964
1965- Early 1980’s
1982 - Mid 1990’s
Women’s Liberation,
Civil Rights, Cold War
WWar
End of Cold War, First
PC, MTV
9/11, Social Media,
Reality TV, AIDS
Optimistic, Workcentric, Loyal
Individualistic, Flexible,
Self-reliant
Optimistic, Tech
comfortable, Entitled
You are needed and
valued
Do it your way; forget
the rules
You’ll work with other
bright creative people
New freedom,
Rock’n roll music
Independence, Latch
Key kids
Guided and greatness
Next comes Generation Z
What word describes Gen Z?
What do we know about Gen Z
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•
•
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Loosely defined; born after 1995
Oldest are 21
Filling our universities
2 Billion world-wide and one-quarter of the North
American population
Gen Defining Experiences?
Technology
Uncertainty & Change
Raised by Gen X
• Mobile devices,
cloud computing
• Economic downturn,
global warming
• Praised
individualism
• Never know life
without the
Internet, email,
and mobile
technology
• Rise in school shootings and
terrorism
• Prepare them to
make own way
• Increased racial diversity,
shifting gender roles
• Focus on being
resilient, not being
‘special’
Profiling Generation Z
Tech is second nature
• Tech-innate
• Empowered by information
• 1st kids with internet
• Share opinions and
knowledge
• Technology is access to their
virtual world
• Seek a balanced relationship
• Crave constant feedback
• Strong collaboration skills
• Competing for attention
Profiling Generation Z
Realists not
dreamers
Socially Minded
• Practical &
pragmatic
• Make a difference
• Research the ‘real
deal’
• Financiallyconscious
• Desire to give back
• Volunteering
• Environmentally
conscious
Family
Connection
• More in common with
parents
• Tighter connection
• Family = support
group
Profiling Generation Z
Individualistic
Entrepreneurial
Creative
• Value sense of
identity
• Want to be
entrepreneur
rather than 9-5ers
• Spurred by fast
information &
innovation
• Turn hobbies into
jobs
• More time to
analyze & create
solutions
• Determined /
competitive
• Still very
collaborative
• Focus on making
things
• More resources,
pressure and
engagement
• Self-directed
and intrigued
by paths of
self-discovery
Profiling Generation Z
New Communicators
Unique Learners
• Visual
• Faster CPU
• Shorter attention spans
• Multi-taskers
• Bite-sized content
• Less formal style
• Do-it-yourself and P2P
learning
• Content served up in a
fun, creative way
• Knowledgeable and mature
attitude
• Drawn to incognito media
and visual platforms
• Susceptible to inaccurate
sources of information
• Value education and its
rewards
Comparing Generation Z to Millennials
Gen Z
Millennials
Realists
Optimists
Tech Innate
Tech Savvy
Communicate with images
Communicate with text
More individualistic
More group-oriented
Future-focused
Focused on the present
Create stuff
Curate and share stuff
Want to learn something? YouTube it
Want to learn something? Google it
Our prospective & current students
Our current students & alumni
16
Takeaways
Communicating
Engaging
•
Communicate in
images
•
Avoid marketing
“spin”
•
More frequently in
shorter bursts
Combine games with
learning
•
Inspire with social
causes to rally
behind
•
Collaborate with
them—and help
them collaborate
with others
•
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Tell stories across
multiple channels
•
Make it relevant
•
Make content
searchable
•
Draw in with
inspiring &
innovative ideas
Interacting
•
Be authentic
•
Admit when you
don’t know
•
Avoid talking
down
•
Embrace
parents
Thank you
• Siobhan Stables
– Research Manager, M&UR
– [email protected]
• Laura Gordon
– National Marketing & Recruitment
Specialist, M&UR
– [email protected]