But there's a flaw in that equation.
92% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know more than paid advertising. Young people trust peer content over four times more than branded content. That makes paid reach often the most expensive road to little or no brand loyalty.
And the effect runs deeper. A campaign that adds nothing for young people themselves doesn't just underperform. It teaches Gen Z your brand is noise. Every next campaign starts at a disadvantage. The moment the media budget stops, so does the attention.
You're not buying attention. You're renting it. And the rent keeps rising.
There's another route: from campaign to community strategy. Involve young people in your brand strategy, not just your output. Create value for them, not just for your brand. Then you're not building an audience that watches and turns its back, but a youth community that joins in and talks back. That conversation isn't a bonus. That's where brand value is created.
Community building takes more time. It's harder to measure in the first months. But it's the only thing left standing when the ad budget stops.
So: is your brand listening to young people, or still renting attention?
