10 LIFESTYLE COSMETICS
The challenge of appealing to Millennials and Generation Z
n Richard Scott – Editor, Personal Care
Dividing age groups into manageable, targetable sections makes a lot of sense, but of course it does not come without drawbacks. There are obvious differences between the generations, and the ability to profile a person’s consumption based on their date of birth saves a lot of time, but it only works on a large scale and does not take into account localized preferences. It is, in essence, a very broad-brush approach to product development. But, despite recent focuses on increased personalization of personal care products, the industry remains largely structured in favor of a ‘one size fits all’ format. In recent months there has been some
discussion on how to create products that appeal to consumers who fall under the terms ‘Millennials’ and ‘Generation Z’. On the face of it, these two groups have very similar values, and importantly both have grown up with the internet and social media as an ordinary part of their lives (‘digital natives’). But there are some subtle differences between the two, which can make creating products tricky.
Who are Millennials and Generation Z? Millennials are identified as people who were born between 1980 and 1995, while Generation Z were born between 1996 and 2015. As mentioned, the values shared are very similar, but perhaps the two big events that shaped the key differences between them are 9/11 in 2001 and the global financial crisis of 2008. When these took place, much of Generation Z were well on the way to adulthood, whereas millennials felt the repercussions from a much earlier age, and this will have had a deep impact on their outlook. Since these events, attitudes to international politics, big business, and career prospects have changed considerably.
Why are they perceived as difficult consumers to appeal to? Taken as a whole, these two generations are less trusting than their predecessors, particularly with regard to big corporations.
PERSONAL CARE NORTH AMERICA
They want products that are more suited to their individual needs, they need total inclusivity and they want brands to communicate directly to them. As we have seen from numerous
discussions on the topic of greater personalization in our industry, this is clearly not an easy task to achieve; certainly not on a large scale and at a normal price point. Trust is also an important focus currently, with ingredient suppliers aiming to make shorter, more trust-enhancing ingredients lists with more identifiable INCI names. This is predominantly the impact of Generation Z desire filtering through the marketplace, and probably as a result of online debate or YouTube/Instagram influencers. The difficulty is that while Generation Z
consumers want authenticity and transparency, the people they trust most are online influencers, rather than academics, brands or even traditional celebrities. Generation Z exist in two worlds, the online and IRL (In Real Life), and this makes them more elusive for companies to appeal to and so need to exist in these spheres with them. Trust is also sought in the lifecycle of the
product; from the sustainability of the ingredients, the packaging and its transport. Young people have a greater
understanding of supply chains and how the impact on the environment and the communities within can spread.
How can manufacturers overcome these challenges? Millennials and Generation Z consumers have a highly tuned sense of when they are being ‘sold to’ and react against it quickly. The ethos represented by a product or a brand needs to be sincere and demonstrated throughout the business. Ultimately, the products exist because of the ingredients, and it is here that the most important and impactful choices can be made. Each ingredient in a formulation aimed
at this demographic needs to be considered carefully, because the ingredients list will be as much the face of the product as the packaging. This means sustainability, anti-waste, and cruelty-free are non-negotiables for this market. Waterless formulations are another strong option for Millennials and Generation Z consumers, because they have become acutely aware of the need to conserve water supplies and the damaging impact of transporting huge quantities of water unnecessarily. Generation Z have stepped up the push
May 2020
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