Digital technology is having an effect on a myriad industries, including the way that brands interact with their desired consumer.

The profound changes that digital is bringing forth means the tactics and methods employed previously have far less sway than they once did, with the changing face of the everyday South African consumer also having an impact.

Looking specifically at this is local research firm GfK South Africa.

“We’re seeing the needs, expectations and behaviours of young South African consumers evolve at a pace that threatens to leave brands behind,” says Rachel Thompson, insights director at the firm.

“As centennials – or Generation Z – move into the workforce and become the next wave of consumers, brands will need to rethink many of their assumptions about what customers want,” she adds.

With that in mind Thompson has leveraged the information discovered in GfK’s latest Consumer Life and FutureBuy reports in order to identify consumer needs for brands to look at when thinking about young South Africans.

What the data tell us

As for the first need, it’s best to sum it up with some Queen lyrics. “I want it all, and I want it now.”

This feeds into GfK’s statistics which say that 62 percent of South African consumers want shops to be open and accessible all the time. Furthermore a third of consumers are willing to opt for an inferior product if they can get their hands on it quicker than the better alternative, with this number rising to 42 percent among Gen Z consumers.

It’s also why Thompson notes that innovation for Gen Z consumers involves a faster way of dong things.

The next need is the access to information, with 87 percent of Gen Z customers listing knowledge as their number one value.

“Generation Z is South Africa’s most educated generation yet, with a higher proportion having the opportunity for tertiary education than earlier generations. Plus, ubiquitous mobile connectivity has empowered them with instant access to information from a device they can hold in their hands,” explains Thompson.

“Not only do they like acquiring knowledge, they also value sharing their insights, and opinions with friends and family via social channels,” adds the director.

Another significant need as identified by GfK is experience, with 55 percent of Gen Z stating that experiences are more important to them than possessions.

“Ownership of many commodities is already just about extinct – rather than buying software, CDs, or DVDs, for example, we subscribe to music streaming, video streaming and cloud software services,” notes the GfK exec.

“Brands that focus on selling products need to be thinking about how they can turn them into delightful experiences,” she advises.

Sticking with the notion of experiences, GfK adds that Gen Y and Z consumers are becoming increasingly swayed by tailored products and services.

“Our research shows that personalisation continues to grow in importance as consumers ask where a product can add more tangible value to their lives,” adds Thompson.

“They want to be able to make products more relevant to their personal lives – if brands don’t offer personalised offerings, these consumers will either try to configure the offerings to their own needs or look to another provider,” she says.

The last need has to deal with the home, or rather how consumers can add more personalised entertainment services to their household. According to GfK, both safety and convenience or contributing factors in this regard.

“Given South Africa‘s safety concerns, consumers are staying at home more, where they recognise that they have access to a wider range of personalised and premium entertainment choices,” points out Thompson.

“Between video and music streaming services, the proliferation of food delivery services, and more ecommerce options, this trend is likely to grow,” she concludes.

[Image – CC 0 Pixabay]