Cool is still cool to Gen Z

Did your organization stop being cool? How this impacts the bottom line 

Aura. Rad. Boss. Relevant. Chill. Slaps. Fresh. Trendy. Lit. Dope.

Whatever jargon your generation uses to define it, it all comes back to being cool. 😎

For nearly 100 years the word ‘cool’ has been passed down from generation to generation to sum up the concept of being on-trend and in-demand.

Our friends at YPulse hosted a webinar this week on Cool Teen Brands. XYZ University tuned in and pondered our own research results.

We’ve surveyed thousands of people on whether they think their organizations are trendy or ahead of the curve (aka cool). Here’s what we’ve learned:

👉 Roughly 75% ‘strongly agree’ their organizations are ahead of the curve. But when asked to elaborate, less than 15% could provide relevant examples of what the organization is doing to accomplish this.

👉 Approximately 5% want their organizations to avoid being cool. These individuals question the need for innovation and feel a greater sense of comfort and control maintaining the status quo.

Perhaps the concept of cool brings up bad memories of middle school and feelings of exclusion. Let’s face it. At one point or another we all struggled to fit in and feel ‘cool’.

Even as adults, the pressure to be affiliated with something meaningful is immense. We don’t like to admit our organizations are falling outside of the realm of what’s on-trend and in-demand.

But if an organization wants to engage young people, it has to consider whether it’s (actually) moving forward and willing to do something new and different.

According to YPulse’s research of 18-39 year-olds, cool rules. It’s a brand attribute that deeply resonates with young consumers. Moreover, there is huge trickle up effect. Parents and other adults are heavily influenced by what youth and young adults buy and do.

Here are some other cool facts to consider:

💥 Young people consider themselves the trendsetters. Not any company or leader. They are influenced by organizations that continually update their images, align with youth culture, and display authentic engagement. In fact, 86% want to see ‘regular people’ in your organization’s ads and social media posts – especially people who look and talk like them.

💥 It’s got to be worth it. Rising living costs are an issue and competition is everywhere. Young people are intentional about where their money goes and how they spend their time. They want to feel the ‘worth-it factor’ which is rooted in relevance and belonging. If their needs, interests, voices, or values aren't considered, they won’t engage.

What are you creating if you’re not creating something for the future? How inspired would you feel if your sole focus was to create something relevant and meaningful?

Engaging youth makes a positive difference to an organization’s bottom line. It fuels innovation, inspires belonging, and builds community.  

And that’s pretty cool.