The Gen Z Corner: Authenticity in Marketing

Why Gen Z buys from people, and not brands.

In the ever-evolving world of consumer marketing, one trend has become undeniably clear: Generation Z demands brand authenticity — and they reward such brands with their wallets.

Gen Z is the first generation that has ultimately been exposed to technology for our entire lives — we are natives to the world of social media, content streaming, and easy access to information. As a result, we’ve developed an intuitive radar for inauthentic content that traditional advertising methods may radiate. Highly edited commercials and heavily curated campaigns no longer cut it. What truly resonates are raw, unfiltered, and relatable content.

In other words, we can see right through companies’ overly-polished messages and empty marketing. And we are not buying it — literally and figuratively.

[What is Gen Z exactly? This McKinsey report explains it all.]

From TikTok to Instagram, me and my Gen Z friends are consuming content every single day, and have been for the past 20 years. Needless to say, we are experienced; we know when someone online is being genuine and when they’re not. We gravitate towards creators who simply talk like us and act like us — not those who are trying to sell something. A brand immediately loses credibility when their message is rehearsed and disconnected. We’ve seen too many brands try to manufacture relatability and try to be something they’re not.

All we really want is to be spoken to like a person — not a consumer.

The Rise of the Authentic Influencer

The influencer economy has thrived in an environment of authentic content, and brands will feel the effect when they choose to engage. #GRWM has over 18.6 million videos associated with it on TikTok. A Get Ready With Me video doesn’t just showcase products, but offers a glimpse into the creator’s personal life — and us Gen Zs love it.

This trend started with no intent of creators earning any sort of commission; they were simply filming themselves getting ready for the day, sharing with viewers all of the products they were using. What began as a hobby that influencers were just doing for fun exploded into a powerful marketing tool.

A Get Ready With Me (#GRWM) video doesn’t just showcase products, but offers a glimpse into the creator’s personal life — and us Gen Zs love it.

Watch more GRWM YouTube videos in action.

Now, brands are paying influencers, both major and micro, to feature their products in these videos. Though influencers are now getting tangible benefits out of their GRWM videos, the content remains highly personal and attractive to viewers. 

It doesn’t stop there. Try-on hauls, unboxings, candid product reviews; these types of content all contain aspects of personal intimacy and build trust. In fact, I purchased a product just a few weeks ago that a micro-influencer, who I’d never come across before, was promoting on TikTok. She opened the package, tried on the outfit, and talked to her phone camera about not only the product, but how her day was going. I was invested throughout all 2 minutes and 37 seconds of the video and clicked the link she included in her caption to buy the shirt she was wearing.  

Try-on hauls, unboxings, candid product reviews; these types of content all contain aspects of personal intimacy and build trust.

What stood out to me wasn’t the lighting or editing. In fact, the lighting wasn’t even great and the only edits made were occasional cuts in the video. I connected with her sense of relatability, casual disposition, and authenticity. She mentioned how she’d been feeling off that day and joked about how the shirt is a little out of her comfort zone, referring to her usual style as “basic.” Her mom even walked in halfway through the video (which I can definitely relate to).

It didn’t feel like a sales pitch; it felt like a friend of mine was showing me something she was genuinely excited about. And I wasn’t the only one who felt that; opening the comment section revealed thousands of people just like me: “I feel like I’m on FaceTime with you,” and “You’re hilarious.”

So, by the end of the video, I didn’t just want the shirt, but I trusted her opinion on it. And that trust, even in a 2 minute video from someone with a relatively small following, was more compelling than any traditional advertisement I see on TV everyday. 

Build Your Brand’s Personality

There is an enormous amount of opportunity for brands willing to tap into authenticity — whether by creating more genuine content themselves or partnering with influencers. Too many companies are still stuck using outdated marketing strategies, putting immense amounts of time and money into polished visuals and empty messages that simply do not resonate with newer generations. The brands that do take the leap — those that embrace vulnerability, show behind-the-scenes realities, and let creators speak for themselves — are rewarded with deeper engagement, stronger loyalty, and ultimately, a boost in sales.

Athleticwear company Gymshark has leveraged influencer partnerships and user-generated content and achieved a 214 percent increase in U.S. sales. This success story isn’t just luck or a special case  — it’s proof that when brands commit to authenticity over perfection, they position themselves to connect with the audiences they try so hard to reach.

So, Gen Z isn’t looking for the flashiest ad or most famous face promoting a product — we just want brands to be real with us. We want them to sound like people, act like people, and grow with us.

The brands that are winning right now are those who understand the importance of relatability and have strayed away from trying to be perfect. They’re not afraid to humanize their brand, be transparent, and to meet us where we are, which is online. If companies want to thrive in today’s landscape, they should drop their scripts, show some personality, and remain authentic.

Because we notice and scroll when it’s fake, we will reward brands for being real.