The Youth Has Its Own Bullshit Filter!” Futurologist

“THE YOUTH HAS ITS OWN BULLSHIT FILTER!”

How does Generation Z shop and how can I win them over as a target group? Trend researcher Tristan Horx of the Zukunftsinstitut sat down with style in progress to take a closer look at relevant consumer behaviour. Text: Nicoletta Schaper. Photo: Klaus Vyhnalek

Mr Horx, can we call what we have today a youth culture?

We definitely cannot speak of a homogenous youth culture, because the megatrend of individualisation has ensured it is as heterogenous as ever. However, it makes no sense to even think in categories such as youth. Target groups are dead. It’s all about lifestyles. In this context, we can see that the younger generation continues to differentiate itself.

Isn’t the great diversity also caused by digitisation?

Technology is more the means to an end. The driver of individualism is a purely human need.

In the 1980s and 1990s, groups such as the Poppers, Punks, and Eco-Warriors defined the youth.

These groups are even more differentiated today. However, today’s punk lacks the original anarchist mindset. We are doing pretty damn well, so what should the youth rebel against? Everyone is stuck in their own mini-rebellion. This is why fashion is influenced by the hyper-individualisation trend.

Accordingly, brands are generating less revenue with mass products.

That’s why H&M is struggling with its image as a mass producer. Fashion has become cheap and we own a lot of it, which is why the consumer prefers to buy three expensive t-shirts instead of ten for five Euros each. Less is more. Everybody is aware that producing fashion is not sustainable. This increasing awareness is, however, countered by the strong urge to individualise.

What does the youth spend money on?

They spend more on experiences than on things. This means that the primary driver of consumption has changed fundamentally. The focus has shifted from ownership to experience. The latter’s social value is reified by the corresponding social media post.

So, is fashion becoming less important?

On the contrary, fashion is on top of the youth’s agenda, especially as social media attaches such a high value to the visual aspect. But given that the young generation grows up in an over-digitised environment, it has developed its own bullshit filter. The youth is quick to identify advertising that is driven by algorithms and to notice that an influencer who constantly posts about Nike sneakers is merely an advertising tool of the brand. I tell the companies I consult to forget influencers. As soon as they gain a certain reach, their authenticity drops significantly. Local bloggers, on the other hand, are more beneficial, because they are more tangible and credible.

What’s your conclusion in terms of fashion consumption?

Given the massive choice of brands and styles, retailers with a well-individualised range can experience a renaissance. Many young people are overwhelmed by the oversupply. However, retailers still need to realise that the value of good advice is a real opportunity.

Has digitisation handed power to the consumer?

We have reached the point where companies such as Amazon and the like are trying to hack into our psyche and consumption behaviour. But we consumers won’t let them get away with that forever. A backlash is building up slowly. People want to share their experience with their closest friends, not with 5,000 friends on Facebook.

How can one reach the youth as a target group?

How can we bypass the aforementioned bullshit filter? I hear that question at times, especially in connection with marketing measures for a young target group. The simple answer is to offer a good product! Anyone who strives to be perceived as authentic should take consumers seriously and make every effort to understand them. Consumers have a huge choice! They’re gone at the first whiff of bullshit…