Generation Z (also known as Generation M, the Net Generation, or the Internet Generation) is a common name in the US and other

Western nations for the group of people born from the early to mid 1990s to the present. The generation has grown up with the World Wide Web, which became increasingly available after 1991. The youngest of the generation were born during a minor fertility boom around the time of the US Global financial crisis of the late 2000s decade, ending around the year 2010, with the next unnamed generation succeeding. They have been born and raised after the Cold war era and the fall of the Soviet Union. Members of Generation Z are typically the children of Generation X; their parents may also include the youngest Baby Boomers as well as the oldest members of Generation Y. Other common terms Due to media attention, a variety of terms are being used to describe Generation Z in the USA, including:
y y

Generation M (for multitasking) Homeland Generation] (from within the Strauss-Howe generational theory, similar in type to the Silent Generation)

Observed traits and trends Generation Z is highly connected, as many of this generation have had lifelong use of communications and media technologies such as the World Wide Web, instant messaging, text messaging, MP3 players, mobile phones and YouTube earning them the nickname "digital natives No longer limited to the home computer, the Internet is now increasingly carried in their pockets on mobile Internet devices such as mobile phones. A marked difference between Generation Y and Generation Z is that members of the former remember life before the takeoff of mass technology, while the latter have been born completely within it. This generation has also been born completely into an era of postmodernism and globalization. Generation Z are known for curating online at a rapid pace: sharing thoughts and observations on a variety of media, topics and products Some parents of Generation Z are working part time or becoming stay-at-home parents so that children are raised by them and other family members instead of a day care facility. However, Twenge cites a recent poll of young people from the 2010 Cassandra Report, compiled by a market research firm known as the Intelligence Group, which found that 81 percent of 7- to 13-year-olds expect they will have their "15 minutes of fame." Characteristics Of Generation Z

The generation born after the year 1994 until 2004 is referred to as Generation Z. There is interest in this generation as in another few years the members will be joining the workforce and contributing to the economy of the country and the society. Knowing the characteristics of Generation Z will give people a better understanding what these kids are all about and what motivates them. This is the first generation to be born with complete technology. They were born with PCs, mobile phones, gaming devices, MP3 players and the ubiquitous Internet. They do not know life without technology. Hence, they are often termed as digital natives and are extremely comfortable with technology. They can email, text and use computers without any problems. In addition, members of Generation Z can understand and master advancement in technology. Unfortunately, this reliance on technology and gadgets has had a negative effect on the members. They rather stay indoors and use their electronics than play outdoors and be active. They are leading a sedentary life that can result in health problems later on. For them, social media platforms are a way to communicate with the outside world. They are not bothered about privacy and are willing to share intimate details about themselves with complete strangers. They have virtual friends and for them hanging out with friends means talking to them over the cell phones, emails and text messages. However, at the same time, this generation is considered to highly creative and collaborative and will have a significant impact on the way companies work when they join the workforce. Members of Generation Z are adept at multi-tasking. They can text, read, watch, talk and even eat simultaneously. However, this has also led to reduced attention span leading to what psychologists call acquired attention deficit disorder. This generation is unable to analyze complex data and information as they cannot focus for very long. Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y are ubiquitous terms among marketers. So who is Gen Z? Gen Z is also called Generation I or Generation Next. While research is limited on this pre-teen generation, many consider the Gen Z birth period between 1994 and 2004 the oldest of which are currently of driving age. It is estimated that Gen Z are 23 million strong and growing. While parts of Gen Y have distant, hazy memories of a pre-smartphone world, Gen Z has no recollection. As a result, Gen Z are true digital natives having grown-up on iPods, text messaging, Facebook, smart phones and YouTube. They are coming of age publicly on the web, are true multi-taskers and have a no-holds-barred attitude about blogging and digital publishing. Defining Characteristics Speed Demons Growing up on the web, Gen Z lives in a wold of instant gratification. Speed Demons thrive on acceleration and next, next, next. To Gen Z, dial-up is as ancient as the dinosaurs. This

segment lives for speed and sluggish technology is useless technology. Google with its emphasis on performance and speed is well positioned to meet the high-demands of this Gen Z segment. [Gen Z] will be so good at processing information that they will open doors we can only knock on today, writes Penelope Trunk, founder of Gen Y social networking site, Brazen Careerist. Community-Organizers Gen Z has grown up with social communities, such as Facebook or Orkut. Meeting, befriending and interacting with the online community is second nature. Accordingly, Community-Organizers value is in their ability to spread messages to vast sums of internet users. Famed generational experts Strauss and Howe theorize that generational behavior is cyclical (e.g. Gen X are independent, Gen Y are team players). This thinking would therefore indicate that Gen Z should be independent. However, the community-oriented nature of the digital world and Gen Zs place in it might trump this theory. Open Books Of course books are only a metaphor (the Kindle is the new book). Open Books find little value in privacy. Personal information is only sensitive when it comes to money. Everything else is fair game. Consider the issue of privacy as it cascades through Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y. Privacy is less of a concern with the more tech-savvy generations. If you thought Gen Y was lax on privacy, Gen Z will blow your mind. Micro Miners Think 19th Century Russia. Dostoyevsky could publish a 600-page book and it would be the hottest paper in all of Russia. Fast forward to the digital age and we have a much different picture. Today, attention spans could not handle even a 400-page book. Fast forward into the Gen Zs future and everything is broken into bite-size, manageable pieces. Micro miners thrive on small bits of information. Think Boing-Boing in Twitter-length messages. Information is condensed into its very essence. Micro-blogging, social platforms like Tumblr will emerge very popular among Micro Miners. Macro Trends Freedom: New way of creativity The 2010 Freedom trend is about the rise in selfpublishing tools, such as Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter. As Gen Z are true digital natives, self-publishing tools are a staple of their online lives. Speed Demons enjoy Bloggers simple, accessible user interface, community-organizers leverage Facebook groups, Open Books use life-streaming sites like Twitter and Micro Miners are Tumblr users for its easy search and discovery tools. Predictions There will be a push in marketing to create more captivating campaigns as 60% of Gen Z want to consume relevant, interesting advertisements. To appeal to this growing audience,

marketers will need to focus on entertaining Gen Z potentially incorporating self-publishing tools into marketing campaigns to make a connection, then add a brand message. Let Gen Z take control of your brand by fusing entertainment with user-generated content. Consider outsourcing your advertising through user generated campaigns, similar to Pizza Hut.

We all know about Gen X (that's me) and Gen Y. The different trends identified in each generation have allowed marketers and businesses to adopt strategies accordingly. Now, the next generation of consumers is beginning to have an impact. This is Generation Z; children born after 1995. Yes, that means that the top level of Gen Z is still only 13, but today's 13 year old is a very different creature to previous generations and is an indicator of how businesses should be planning ahead. Parents always joke that their child knows more about the computer than they do. More often than not, the child in the family was using MySpace years before Mummy and Daddy realised how convenient it was for communicating with family and friends. They program the video recorder. They understand the intricate system of remotes to put on a DVD. They can build websites while many parents are still struggling to understand Google. But what happens when these switched on teenagers become the working, spending consumers of tomorrow? Will business keep up where parents haven't? Analysing Generation Z Marketing Charts reports on a study carried out by Experian Consumer Research into the daily habits of 6-11 year old children. Although a US based study, the trend is so strong that it would be ridiculous to suggest a similar result wouldn't occur here in Australia. The research shows that 89% of this group is active online; and have developed very different communication styles and preferences to their parents. Due to the huge influence digital technology has had in their short lives, these children have experienced radically different childhood experiences to adults. The continual flood of on-demand information and entertainment provided by modern technology has also developed some other noteworthy trends. As reported by Marketing Vox, Generation Z will be the most multi-tasking generation to have ever existed, perfectly comfortable with multiple information streams and activities running concurrently. Having a number of browser windows open at once, the TV on in the background while sending messages to friends is extremely common. Plan for Future Consumers Now These are the consumers of tomorrow. In five years, Generation Z will be working, earning and consuming. That means businesses have a five year window to prepare to deliver product

and content in the methods preferred by this highly important group. There will be an increase of online shopping and downloading. Quick solution marketing that provides instant answers and fast purchasing will increase. This generation will be less tolerant of businesses that prefer to maintain traditional forms of communication and marketing. No email enquiries asking for a quote from these guys - they want to click and choose online, pay immediately and receive an instant response so they can move onto something else. This active group will be less interested in hybrid marketing - where an online presence merely enhances an offline business. Your business better be fully capable of servicing a customer without forcing them to the phone or suggesting they drop into your high street store. By then, they've already clicked back and bought from your competitor. Social media is increasingly going to play a part in business / consumer relationships. Generation Z is far more interactive than any previous generation. Not for them the passive marketing of television or magazines. TVCs can be skipped with a DVD recorder and you can't click on a magazine. That isn't to say that traditional marketing will disappear, but there will continue to be a shift to online media, whether through a PC or laptop or mobile phone, with the features and rapid response functionality they demand. Traditional business models should start preparing for future marketing trends now. The early adopters will reap the rewards of the new consumers when they come of age throughout the next decade. Understanding the different behaviours, interests and preferences of this group can inform the strategies you adopt, regardless of whether you personally behave in this way. You may not be web savvy, but within five years, your business will need to be as savvy as the kids are now.