How can you connect CPG marketing to Gen Z? In a recent Adweek article, Will It Stay or Will It Go?, writer Paul Hiebert cited a study that said, “General Mills has been busy publishing recipes for home bakers—who are home with their ovens all the time now—on websites for brands like Pillsbury and Betty Crocker. Together, the two cites receive 7 million unique visitors per month and have seen a 91% increase in 18- to 24-year olds since the pandemic began.”
Gen Z: It’s not all choreographed TikTok dances and middle parts. They’re also storming the domestic side of the internet.
The Resonate Ignite Platform™ has 13,000+ attributes on over 200 million U.S. consumers over the age of 18, so we decided to meet these avid Gen Z bakers and get to know they why behind their mixing bowl adventures. We looked at an audience of 18-24 year olds who’ve baked within the past year — which, at this point, means they’ve baked at some point during the pandemic. With those parameters in place, we have an audience of 15.7 million. Here are a few quick demographic facts:
- 65% are female
- 46% are students
- 19% have a household income < $25K
- 87% are single
- 77% do not have children under 18
Nearly 60% say baking is a top hobby
This group values achievement, living a life full of excitement, and creativity. They’re driven by social status and recognition from their peers. Let’s get into the insights on where they buy their groceries, what they’re baking, and where they’re consuming media, then tie it back to how you can utilize these values and drivers to connect and built loyalty.
Where do Gen Z Bakers Buy Their Groceries?
For all their tech savvy ways, Gen Z is actually 10% less likely to have placed an online grocery order in the past 3 months than the average consumer. They’re 10% more likely to say they shop more in-store than online and 8% more likely to say they shop completely in-store.
And, when they’re in-store, they’re a high value customer: they’re 16% more likely than the average consumer to have spent $1,000 or more in the last 3 months at grocery stores.
So, where do they shop? In the past three months, they’re most likely to have shopped at:
- Aldi
- Kroger
- Whole Foods
- Trader Joe’s
When deciding on a grocery store, they’re 16% more likely to look for a large product selection, 17% more likely to look for responsive staff (looking at you, Trader Joe’s!), and 13% more likely to look for loyalty programs. Their primary purchase driver is best price and/or sales.
Where Can CPG Marketers Connect With Gen Z Bakers?
For a demographic that is driven by recognition from peers and social status, it’s not surprising to learn that they’re 36% more likely to talk about a product or service on social media and 34% more likely to follow a brand on social media than than the average consumer. This is a group constantly plugged in and continuously consuming videos, including recipes, via TikTok. As quickly as a block of feta melts in the oven, they’re racking up views and skyrocketing another recipe to viral fame.
Gen Z bakers are 900% more likely to be on TikTok than the average consumer
Source: Resonate Ignite Platform™, March 2021
If you’re looking to connect with this group, think about how you can grow your CPG brand’s social channels and how your products can be leveraged into easy-to-make and easy-to-share recipes. One viral recipe can inspired thousands of spinoff posts as these Gen Z’ers look to share their own experience on social. Remember #dalgonacoffee? It started on TikTok, spread to Instagram, and instant coffee sales responded accordingly.
But, of course, media consumption doesn’t survive on social alone. This group of Gen Z bakers is more likely to stream via Apple TV, Google Chromecast, and YouTube Premium. Additionally, 17% are getting their best baking ideas from the U.K. (read: they watch The Great British Baking Show).
Source: Resonate Ignite Platform™, March 2021
How Can CPG Marketers Tap Into Gen Z-er Interests?
You know where Gen Z shops for their groceries and where they’re finding and sharing inspiration in the kitchen, but how can marketers really tap into the messages that will hit home with 18- to 24-year olds? By knowing not just the where or what, but the why
Why does Gen Z bake? Is it to feed themselves? To celebrate? To post on social? Let’s dig into the data.
- They’re 150% more likely than the average consumer to bake for stress relief — after a long day of pandemic scrolling, a warm chocolate chip cookie sounds good, right? Connect with messages that bring back those feelings of comfort food.
- They’re 119% more likely to bake something new. When you’re stuck at home, what else is there to do but try new recipes? This is where you push something new to go viral.
- They’re 25% more likely to bake for a creative outlet. Get a little crazy with those recipes!
- They’re 83% more likely to bake for a shared experience with others and 43% more likely to bake for family and friends. Even if we’re not hanging out in big groups, that’s still a good reason to share recipes that feed a (small) group or to incorporate messaging that shows Gen Z-ers with their roommates or, if they’re still students living at home, their family.
Source: Resonate Ignite Platform™, March 2021
And, Just For Fun, What Are Gen Z Bakers Whipping Up in the Kitchen?
Going back to those getting creative in the kitchen, we’re impressed at the 19% who are ambitiously baking pastries — 97% more likely than the average consumer. Others are making cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and cakes. Additionally, they’re 19% more likely than the average consumer to bake bread.
Source: Resonate Ignite Platform™, March 2021
Connect Your CPG Marketing to Gen Z Audiences
If you want to dig deeper into the data on Gen Z bakers, and other generational audiences, request a demo today. We can walk you through the specific ways you can utilize Resonate’s data to target microsegments and inform messaging, strategy, product development, and more. And, in the meantime, check out our 2021 State of the Consumer for a human-level look at consumers today.
