Last week I received a call from a colleague who works in a very traditional media agency. By traditional, I mean that they still heavily depend on media outlets such as radio, TV, and newspapers to get their clients’ message out, even if their clients are teenagers and young adults. Until recently, they have not fully embraced, and do not fully believe in, the impact of digital and social media.
My colleague asked me to recommend him the top social media influencers in Abu Dhabi to invite for an event in the capital Abu Dhabi where an important announcement will be made and they want to appeal to the young demographics who are between the ages of 12-20. They finally jumped onto the wagon, and I was thrilled to see that.
I have not been paying that specific age group - who are more referred to as Generation Z (born between 1995 and 2012) - any attention in my marketing consultancy work, because they have not been the target audience (generally millennials) of the clients I work with.
But then when I was going through my Instagram’s followers list, I saw how many of my ‘kid’ cousins are heavily using social media, and base all of their purchase decisions on what social media influencers advocate, or what they see as popular online.
Generation Z is expected to reach 2.56 billion people globally by 2020. According to research firm Marketing Charts, 85 per cent of Generation Z in the USA uses social media to learn about new products, and of course they do that through mobile phones. In addition, fellow research house Shoppercentric’s research shares how 50 per cent of Generation Z in USA uses Instagram, and 41 per cent of them use Instagram to contact retailers.
These Generation Z users are shaping how future retail and marketing will be conducted, and if your business does not adapt to ways of reaching them from now, you could be falling behind.
So what can you do to make your brand more Gen Z friendly, and appeal to them?
If you are not on social media you have to be.
Generation Z are mainly on channels such as YouTube, Instagram, and SnapChat. A study by Trifecta, a research institute in North Carolina, found that smartphones are used for about 3 hours a day by Generation Z users to consume TV shows, music, and social media. YouTube and media platforms such as Netflix are very popular among Generation Z users, who tune in to those channels to consume TV shows and vlogs more than TV. My teenage cousins, for instance, do not mind the absence of a TV set. Instead, they watch the latest shows on their phones. In fact they like it more that way. TV is not convenient anymore. They want to hug their phone under the blanket while they watch their shows. Sitting on a sofa and watching a show played on a TV screen across the room is not as comfortable they say.
To plan a successful branding and marketing strategy, be sure to incorporate the social media channels that those Generation Z users are tuned into. If you plan on producing video content, it would be worthwhile to see what competitors or popular vloggers are doing, and produce something that your target audience would tune into. Keep in mind that their attention span is even shorter than that of millennials, and even the way that you edit your content will have to be different to appeal to them.
Mobile before web
Though Generation Z are heavy digital media users, mobile is a preferable option over laptops, so if you want to drive them to visit your website from your social media channels, ensure that your website is mobile adaptable, and optimized for different screens.
Know who they are tuned into
Though millennials and Generation Z are both 'young', who these two age groups tune in to are totally different. If you are interested in connecting with Generation Z, it will be smart to tune into those influencers to understand the psyche and the voice that appeals to Generation Z users. See what kind of content they relate to most, and what messages resonate with them most. See the comments they write under posts, and what videos/images are shared most.
Generation Z are shaping the future of marketing and how retail will be conducted; this age group is projected to overtake millennials in size and purchasing power according to 13D Research. Look at what appeals to them, and who they listen to, to better position your brand.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer who manages her branding and marketing consultancy in Abu Dhabi.
The biog
Name: Greg Heinricks
From: Alberta, western Canada
Record fish: 56kg sailfish
Member of: International Game Fish Association
Company: Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Correspondents
By Tim Murphy
(Grove Press)
RESULTS
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More on Quran memorisation:
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
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The biog
Favourite pet: cats. She has two: Eva and Bito
Favourite city: Cape Town, South Africa
Hobby: Running. "I like to think I’m artsy but I’m not".
Favourite move: Romantic comedies, specifically Return to me. "I cry every time".
Favourite spot in Abu Dhabi: Saadiyat beach
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
more from Janine di Giovanni
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
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Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
