On the third day of the Goafest 2018, a teenager took center stage to give insights on the need for brands to be authentic when marketing to Generation Z.

“I am a 15-year old who has directed multi-million dollar campaigns for brands such as Target, American Girl, Disney and more. Brands want to work with young directors like me because their chief marketing officers know that their biggest pain point is reaching out to kids like me,” said Amelia Conway, Director, Adolescent, which is a US-based youth marketing and advertising agency.

She said that the days when brands could reach young consumers just by putting their ads on prime time are over.

“Most adults in advertising think they can sit in a room and can come up with a clever idea and if everyone in the room likes it ..they can put a million dollars behind it and the kids like me will watch and buy it. It does not work like that anymore.” Conway added.

After all the Generation Z , unlike the previous generations, has grown up with access to internet, mobile phones and social media. She pointed out that young consumers have the tools that enable them to make content themselves and their friends. With the advent of the social media, they can also now find the content they want to watch, she added.

“Many of us began building our personal brand before the age of 13. I started creating content at the age of 11. This means big brands and businesses need to realize that we aren’t just young consumers but also their competitors. So brands need to entertain, empower and collaborate with young consumers, ,” Conway said.

She also stressed on the need for brands to focus on authentic and genuine content. She said that kids, adolescents and the youth, can clearly distinguish between the content that is genuine and the content that’s not.

The 15-year old film maker also believes her story breaks the myth that age or gender can determine a person’s capabilities and hoped that it will give courage to others to pursue their dreams.

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