Tomorrow’sshopper:FivewaysbrandscanreachGenAlphatoday

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This is the third installment in a three-part series from BASIC/DEPT® that focuses on Generation Alpha. The previous two parts looked at the world in which they grew up and what makes them different from previous generations.

For this final installment, we’re looking at five ways that brands can resonate with the shopping behaviors of Alphas.

Be Additive to the IRL

• INSIGHT: Gen Alpha may be plugged in, but they crave IRL experiences.
• STAT: Three fourths of Alphas report going outside or reducing technology usage to manage mental health (Razorfish, 2023) but when they do play video games, they want to play socially, with more than 80% saying they’d rather play with others (GWI, 2022).
• RECOMMENDATION: Empower screenless play or exploration, while adding onto the experience.
• INSPIRATION: LEGO Play is a moderated community where kids can safely “share their own creations with friends, watch videos, play games or create a LEGO avatar.” How can an apparel brand encourage IRL gatherings that aim to do the same? How can your brand create experiential event-driven marketing via an in-person community where Alphas discuss how certain articles of clothing amplify their individuality?
• WATCHOUT: For safety reasons, moderate any social extensions and owned channels of the IRL experience so you don’t end up in a PR nightmare.

Let Alpha’s play in worlds they create

• INSIGHT: Playing in a world that their friend down the street created just hits different than a world created by a faceless animation studio a million miles away.
• STAT: Nearly half of kids trust influencers as much as their own family and friends when it comes to product recommendations (Digital Voices, 2023)
• RECOMMENDATION: Allow Alphas to play in worlds made by other kids.
• INSPIRATION: Kidfluencer superstar Ryan’s World partnered with Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr on a line of toys and meal bags. Promoted by Ryan himself to his YouTube audience of 37.5M subscribers, this became the first-ever YouTuber/QSR partnership of its kind.
• WATCH-OUTS: Partnering with influencers whose audiences are largely children can present a host of compliance issues; make sure all aspects of the partnership are FTC and COPPA compliant.

Create branded content and product placements in their digital worlds

• INSIGHT: Gen Alpha might not be able to afford your products yet but the sooner you plant the seed, the more likely money will grow on proverbial trees for your brand.
• STAT: More than half of young people say that seeing a brand in-game would motivate them to buy something IRL or visit a brand’s store (Super Awesome, 2023).
• RECOMMENDATION: Alphas hold a whopping $5T of spending power by 2029. Win them over now and it’ll pay dividends for your brand when they start generating disposable income.
• INSPIRATION: Gucci created the Gucci Town and Gucci Garden worlds in Roblox, where users could try on and purchase digital outfits, play games, and learn about the world of Gucci. Nearly 15 years ago, Mazda leveraged a “dynamic in-game advertising service.” Popular racing games featured Mazda ads on billboards along the virtual racetrack. What’s a modern version of this approach for your brand?
• WATCHOUTS: Branded worlds can feel uninspired or dull. Beyond selling products, have an engaging hook, such as a game that unlocks more branded items.

Use your product to help Alpha’s imagine adulthood

• INSIGHT: Puberty is hitting earlier with each generation and with physical change comes new aspirations.
• STAT: On average, the age of puberty for girls is three months earlier than that of Gen Z (New York Times, 2022). The earlier onset of physical maturity means they feel more pressure to behave like adults from a younger age.
• RECOMMENDATION: Introduce Alphas to adult-oriented shopping categories, like skincare.
• INSPIRATION: Drunk Elephant created content to guide kids towards products that wouldn’t harm their skin.
• WATCHOUT: It’s important to allow kids to experiment without giving them adult neuroses. Make sure all copy and content is kid-friendly and does not push unrealistic or overly adult standards.

Transform retail into community spaces

• INSIGHT: Gen Alpha crave third spaces where they can feel independent from their parents.
• STAT: 75% of Gen Alpha like the experience of going to an in-person store, even though their experiences often begin online (FedEx, 2024). Creating a truly omnichannel experience and opting for more experiential store buildouts, with features like smart mirrors or product customization, can build longterm brand love that harnesses their affinity to the phygital.
• RECOMMENDATION: Transform retail spaces into organic, engaging settings where kids can feel free to hang out without the pressure to shop or constantly be targeted with ads.
• INSPIRATION: Sol de Janeiro created colorful Gen Alpha pop-up shops that “offered immersive experiences such as a play table to test and smell products and a guided meditation.”
• WATCHOUT: Ensure that these spaces actually lead to conversion in addition to building brand awareness/affinity.

Photography: JP Burcks, Michael Baca, Marcella Winograd

Behind the Byline: Noah Jackson & Marc Weinreich

• Noah is a Senior Strategist at BASIC/DEPT® who focuses on finding culturally meaningful solutions to brand problems. Beginning his career as a journalist, he long operated as a music industry jack of all trades, crafting social, content, and marketing strategies for artists including Grimes, A$AP Rocky, and Anderson .Paak. Prior to BASIC/DEPT®, he headed the strategy department at Premier Music Group, where he oversaw Cannes Lion, Webby, and Shorty Award-winning projects. He enjoys trying TikTok recipes and making playlists.
• Marc Weinreich is the Copy Lead at BASIC/DEPT®, overseeing the narrative arc for clients' digital platforms. Weinreich's client work has included Google, Docusign, AT&T, and others. His contributions to the thought leadership platform, Applied®, has focused on ecommerce through a futurist lens.