The 6 Marketing Tips Gen Z Buys Into

From fastvertising to value, how brands can connect with a generation shaped by uncertainty

By Steven Faerm

As the fashion industry prepares for 2026, the only certainty we have is that things are – and will continue to be – uncertain. Global change is a constant, whether we’re talking about tariffs, politics, or the rise of Gen Z as a financial force to be reckoned with.

Gen Z may be enigmatic, which has only intensified the industry’s need to understand what truly motivates them. Before they spend money on your brand, they need to be convinced. Which marketing tactics are most impactful for this rising generation? How can you use them to build brand loyalty and convince them to buy from you? What’s the best way to navigate Gen Z’s sometimes paradoxical priorities? Here are some strategies that work.

Tip #1: Keep up with the culture

The days of months-long planning for marketing campaigns are gone. Today, culture moves at the speed of light and if your brand doesn’t keep up, you’ll be out of the zeitgeist before you know it.

The key is something Harvard Business Review has dubbed fastvertising: marketing that arises from the ever-evolving culture around fashion and turns audience participation into branding, whether that’s responding to TikTok micro-trends or participating in cultural moments in real time.

Speed and relevance matter if you want to create shared experiences that elevate your brand. We’re living in vulnerable times, so sharing content with some humility and humor can help you connect with your customers and speak directly to what they’re feeling.

Tip #2: Tap into Gen Z’s generational anxiety

There’s no denying that Gen Z has been shaped by the world around them. These are young people who experienced The Great Recession of 2008 and COVID-19 in their formative years. They know what it is to be uncertain, and that’s made them anxious and hyper-focused at the same time.

On the one hand, financial anxiety might lead to reduced spending and a desire to save for the inevitable “rainy day” of a future recession or economic downturn. Gen Z is still willing to spend money on things that matter to them, and that’s where fashion brands can meet them in the middle. For brands, this means positioning fashion not as impulse spending, but as an intentional purchase tied to identity, longevity, or emotional payoff.

Tip #3: Recognize Gen Z’s ambition

There’s a tendency, particularly among those of us who have been in the fashion industry for a long time, to view younger generations as being lazier or less ambitious than we were. When it comes to Gen Z, that generalization couldn’t be further from the truth.

I’m seeing a sense of renewed ambition in my undergraduates these days. They know they can’t count on economic stability, so they’re creative and focused on making their own luck. Brands can tap into these feelings by turning fashion into something dependable and escapist at the same time by offering reliability in quality while still providing emotional escape.

On a related note, we can also look at fashion as an opportunity to assist Gen Z with their ambitious goals. Fashion has always been aspirational, and Gen Z is an ideal market for fashion that speaks to what they hope to be.

Tip #4: Embrace Gen Z’s longing for simpler times

Related to the overall anxiety and uncertainty that Gen Z has experienced is the built-in longing for simpler times. We can see that yearning in some of the recent 2025 holiday fashion marketing. Brands like Ralph Lauren have gone all-in on nostalgia in the past few years. At a time when everything feels as if it’s built on quicksand, it’s essential to provide customers with something they want. Cozy and even old-timey vibes are exactly what stressed-out young people crave as they strive to build a solid foundation in times that are both uncertain and
unclear.

Tip #5: Focus on providing value

When consumers’ finances are strained, it doesn’t always mean they won’t spend money on a luxury brand. McKinsey has reported that 73 percent of Gen Z in the US say they have cut back on their spending. They’re still spending money, but they want value in return for their spending—and fashion brands at every level need to use their marketing budgets to emphasize value if they want to attract (and retain) Gen Z customers.

McKinsey has pointed to the relative success of jewelry brands—where prices have risen more slowly than in other fashion sectors—as a useful example. Gen Z consumers want to treat themselves, but they want to feel confident that they’re spending money for products that last. At the same time, they want premium shopping experiences. Brands that focus on value and creating exceptional customer experiences are most likely to perform well even when spending is lower than normal.

Keep in mind, too, that value isn’t always tied to price alone. For example, sustainability continues to be important to Gen Z shoppers and they are likely to value brands who use sustainable materials and manufacturing and give back to their communities regularly.

Tip #6: Create meaning and sales will follow

One thing we’ve learned about Gen Z is that, while they may be financially conservative in some ways, they’re still willing to splurge at times. A PwC study revealed that Gen Z has cut back their spending on everyday items but will spend more for luxury items that feel meaningful to them.

Likewise, they’re more likely than older generations to search for coupons and discount codes and to wait for items to go on sale before they purchase. The key for those of us in the industry is to create meaning when we can to engage Gen Z shoppers. Meaning, not discounts alone, is what ultimately converts Gen Z interest into long-term loyalty.

Teaching Gen Z fashion students has given me a front-row seat to the concerns, ambitions, and preferences shaping a new generation of consumers. While much about fashion marketing remains the same, selling to Gen Z requires a recalibrated approach—one grounded in cultural fluency, emotional relevance, and a deep understanding of how to earn trust. Brands that recognize these shifts, connect meaningfully with young consumers, and deliver value beyond price are far better positioned to build long-lasting loyalty in an increasingly uncertain marketplace.

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