A recent analysis of the moving trends of young adults in the United States showed that Chicago ranked second in the country for having the highest net migrations among Gen Z adults. Gen Zers’ power as trend-setters is rising, and its impact is driving all generations’ consumer behaviors. This influx of thousands of young people into the purchasing arena presents Chicago business owners with new opportunities to increase their brand awareness, grow their customer bases, and boost their sales.
What’s the best way for businesses in the Windy City to reach Gen Z? Through out-of-home advertising!
You might think out-of-home advertising is an obsolete way of advertising to Gen Z. In a world where many industries have gone digital, you might assume that’s the way forward. Not so; there are several demonstrated reasons why our outdoor advertising experts at View Chicago know out-of-home advertising is even more relevant today.
The relevance of out-of-home avertising in the digital age
One of the many advantages of out-of-home advertising is that you can make the most of the city’s amenities and outdoor aesthetics to augment your marketing campaigns.
Think of Chicago’s prominent public transportation system and the areas near public transportation. With heavy foot traffic, they’re all hubs that your target audience frequents regularly. At View Chicago, our experts find and make the most of popular pedestrian-friendly spaces in the trendiest neighborhoods for up-and-coming generations. In these areas, for instance, you can put up Wild Postings, an outdoor ad format that melds with the feel of a neighborhood, perfect for reaching a target audience of Gen Zers and Millennials alike.
Wild Postings have aesthetics that easily translate to promotion and interaction on social media, a factor that enables businesses to seamlessly integrate physical and digital experiences, giving you a reach for Gen Z’s attention both offline and online
A Wallscape is another hyperlocal advertising format attractive enough to be shared on social media by Gen Zers and Millennials. This type of outdoor ad can be painted directly on buildings and the walls of other advertising surfaces, allowing them to:
Have the feel and appearance of murals and pieces of art, instead of just a billboard
Provide a sense of curb appeal that showcases them as representative of the culture and experience of Chicago living
Feel established and permanent as part of the community
When consulting View Chicago for your local Chicago advertising needs, we’ll help you position HotSpots, Wallscapes, Wild Postings, and more outdoor ads in spaces around Chi-Town that target Gen Zers where they live, go to school, work, and play in the city. Our targeted demographic data lets you show your audience that you’re an authority on the Gen Z market, knowing exactly how and where they shop.
Advertising to Gen Z: Who makes up this audience?
Business owners should delve deeper into Gen Zers’ characteristics and behaviors to truly gain an understanding of the essence of advertising to them as a target audience. While many people see Gen Zers as a homogenous group glued to their screens, the reality is far more nuanced, and knowing the small details can help businesses of all sizes engage in more effective and relevant advertising, edging out competitors who aren’t tapped into the data.
Who is Gen Z?
Gen Zers are post-Millennials. Per the Pew Research Center, a Millennial is born between 1981 and 1996. Gen Zers are those born between 1997 and 2012. Understanding Gen Z means knowing how culturally and socioeconomically diverse this generation is, reflecting the evolving fabric of United States society.
Businesses must recognize Gen Z’s:
Cultural Diversity. Gen Z represents a tapestry of cultures and backgrounds shaped by globalization, immigration, and social movements. Gen Zers come from many ethnicities, races, and nationalities, each with its own values, attitudes, traditions, and consumption habits. As a business owner in Chicago, a city known for having many rich cultural heritages that contribute to the distinctive identities of its vibrant neighborhoods, you can leverage the city’s diversity to appeal to the unique makeup of these young consumers.
Influence on Household Spending. The members of Gen Z may or may not be fully independent adults. Many live with one or both of their parents or other relatives, and they may rely on family members for monetary support. Regardless of their youth and newness to ‘adulting,’ Gen Zers’ opinions and preferences carry weight within their households, often influencing spending and consumption decisions. In Chicago, where family bonds run deep and intergenerational living arrangements are common, understanding Gen Z’s role in family dynamics is crucial for marketers. When you’re directly advertising to Gen Z, you’re advertising to Millennials and older generations in their households and communities by extension.
Out-of-home advertising can appeal to Gen Z with tangible authenticity
Gen Zers have grown up in a world shaped by technology, social media, and rapid globalization. Unlike their millennial predecessors, who experienced the transition from analog to digital, Gen Zers are true digital natives, having never known a world without the internet or smartphones.
Don’t mistake Gen Z’s growing up in the age of social media to mean they automatically prefer all things digital. They are bombarded by online content, constantly inundated with many digital ads, sponsored posts, and algorithm-driven recommendations that come with the territory. Gen Z consumers—99 percent of them—will skip an ad if that option is available. They do all they can to ignore digital advertisements that feel disruptive and intrusive. Likewise, nearly 63 percent of Gen Z use ad blockers to avoid digital adverts altogether. While you want your ad to be disruptive enough to garner attention, you don’t want it to be a nuisance that consumers would rather ignore.
Out-of-home advertising is more effective than ever in this digital age, offering physical displays that can’t be blocked or skipped. From towering billboards to vibrant mural-like Wallscapes, these outdoor ads invite interaction and engagement without overwhelming or alienating viewers. Out-of-home advertising offers Gen Z a refreshing, much-desired change of pace from being bombarded with nonstop digital ads.
By leveraging the power of physical spaces and creative storytelling, out-of-home ads can break through the digital clutter and forge meaningful connections with consumers.
With our out-of-home advertising experts at View Chicago handling your local Chicago advertising needs, cultivating meaningful connections with Gen Z consumers is innate. Strategically placing outdoor ads in neighborhoods with high Gen Z populations, like Pilsen, reaches them in ways digital ads never could.
Send messages to Gen Z through their familiar scenery
Pilsen is a youthful, diverse neighborhood. The rich cultural heritage of the community, its hip eateries, and arts-focused venues make this neighborhood a hub for Gen Z creatives and consumers seeking authentic experiences. Gen Zers are apt to explore Pilsner’s Hispanic culture to expand the scope of their creativity and get involved in social activism.
A HotSpot or Wallscape in Pilsen showcasing a local brand or displaying community-centric campaigns that celebrate the neighborhood’s culture and values will give your audience a sense of belonging and resonate with them more personally than a sponsored ad interrupting their online activities.
At View Chicago, we know the neighborhoods and use our expertise to help you own them. For an out-of-home advertising campaign in Pilsen, for instance, you could literally take your marketing strategy the extra mile by not only utilizing billboards but also making the most of the city buses and transit, too.
Think of a University of Chicago student residing in this vibrant neighborhood. Gen Z college students of all ages use the city’s transit to make their way to their classes or extracurricular community activities. As they take the transit, they can observe and experience the rich Latino culture that characterizes Pilsen, such as the local art galleries and colorful murals that line the streets. The neighborhood’s artsy vibe makes it an ideal place to put up Wallscapes, and its geography and the routes many young people take to and from school make it the perfect place for using Bus Wraps, too.
Most of the direct routes from Pilsen to Hyde Park, home to UChicago’s campus, are by bus, with most commuters often making one or more transfers between neighborhoods. If you’re hosting educational opportunities, extracurricular activities, internship and job fairs, or nightlife events for young adults that you want to advertise to Gen Z and Millennial Chicagoans, using Bus Wraps allows thousands of bus riders and people on the bustling streets to see your ad many times a day. Ultimately, bus riders and commuters become experts on what it is you’re advertising. Through targeted bus routes in Chi-Town’s most dynamic neighborhoods, our Bus Wrap consultants can help you implement these moving billboards for advertising in highly sought-after markets.
Promote your products in ways and places that embrace Gen Z’s market preferences
While Gen Z’s seemingly innate digital fluency is undeniable, their shopping preferences may surprise some marketers. Contrary to popular belief, Gen Z exhibits a strong preference for brick-and-mortar shopping experiences. Many consumers in this cohort enjoy the refuge from the digital noise that in-person shopping can provide and find solace in the tangible world of retail.
From browsing shelves to trying on clothes, the physicality of retail offers a sense of gratification and authenticity that online shopping cannot replicate. Advertising to Gen Z in Chicago requires a multifaceted approach that understands and embraces such shopping preferences. By tapping into the city’s pulse and crafting authentic experiences that resonate with Gen Z’s values and aspirations, brands can forge lasting connections and become integral parts of Chicago’s cultural landscape.
Hyperlocal advertising in the heart of the city’s shopping district can keep you ahead of the competition
In Chicago, renowned for its iconic shopping districts that range from the Magnificent Mile to vibrant neighborhood boutiques, Gen Zers can embrace the opportunity to explore and engage with brands directly in the world around them. A strategically positioned HotSpot in the elegant Gold Coast neighborhood, home to the Magnificent Mile, will surely attract the attention of trendy fashion-loving Gen Zers and affluent young professional millennials alike.
Market your business as a space where young shoppers can hang out with friends, interact with your expert team, feel confident about their purchases, and feel like part of the community. For example, do you own a clothing store? With knowledge of your target audience’s and local buyers’ age and style preferences, you can demonstrate your understanding of the neighborhood’s latest trends.
When using a strategically placed HotSpot in the Gold Coast neighborhood, you could display a popular item your store is known for selling and a new item you’re going to start selling. Include a moving call to action that motivates Gen Zers and Millennials to have fun when shopping. Let these consumers know your shop stays stocked with their favorite looks and fresh, new styles that’ll dominate each fashion season.
Obtain out-of-home advertising success for your brand with the best local Chicago advertising agency
Chicago neighborhoods are remarkably diverse, each having charms that allow them to stand out yet having similar characteristics that tie them together. Each neighborhood, in its own way, provides both sides of the coin. Some neighborhoods, such as suburban ones, have quiet sectors where residents can relish being away from the city, while bustling intersections of heavy traffic characterize other neighborhoods. Show Gen Z and Millennial residents and visitors of Chicago that you’re an authority on the Windy City and put up strategically placed ads that display your brand’s established position as part of the community.
At View Chicago, our experts understand that successful out-of-home advertising goes beyond selecting a random billboard location. It’s about knowing the communities and the consumers who comprise them, understanding their values, and strategically placing your messages where they matter most for the target audience who they matter to most.
If you’re ready to identify and leverage the benefits of the hottest out-of-home advertising locations in Chicago or need assistance with effectively marketing to Chicago’s Gen Z customers, reach out to us today. We’re here to help you make a lasting impression that resonates with younger audiences and those who are gaining more purchasing power. With Gen Z identified as your target audience, your budgetary considerations planned out, and your ideal marketing timeline, we can discuss locations and costs and provide you with a custom quote.