Outdated formats: Why classic strategies don't work well with zoomers and alphas
The answer to the question of why strategies that worked well even with millennials don't catch on with younger consumers is simple: just remember that they were born in the late 1990s. Young people grew up in a completely different information environment than their parents and older relatives. "Zoomers" and "alphas" have been living since infancy in a world where the Internet is an element of everyday life, and the phone and tablet were among their first toys.
As a result, the last two generations of adults and maturing people have been accustomed to interactivity, personalization, and immediate feedback since childhood. Their media behavior was shaped not by television and newspapers, but by short videos, stories, streams, and memes. They scroll through the content in seconds, evaluating not so much the content as the first emotion. In such conditions, classic advertising and promotional tools lose their effectiveness, including those that were considered universal.
The main problem with classical instruments is that they are focused on linear, passive perception. Unlike parents and grandparents, young users want to be participants, not viewers, and value speed and flexibility. Formats where it is impossible to take immediate action, express oneself, or get a response simply fall out of their field of vision, including:
Advertising on TV. For generations Z and alpha, TV is not the main channel for receiving information. Even if the TV is on, their attention is often shifted to the second screen — a smartphone or monitor, and standard advertising blocks are ignored or perceived as white noise.
Long offline lotteries. Lotteries still work with generations of zoomers and alphas, but only if the participation scheme is not too complicated and not too long. Registering a receipt and getting a guaranteed result immediately (or after a short time) is a suitable strategy for them. But if you have to wait a long time for the draw, then, most likely, this will discourage you from participating.
Banners on news sites. Alphas and zoomers are characterized by banner blindness: they ignore everything that looks like an advertisement. In addition, many young users install ad blockers or consume content on social networks without clicking on external links. The result is minimal reach and almost zero engagement.
Print outdoor advertising without digital continuation. Street posters, billboards and banners without digital integration lose their meaning for an audience that lives on a smartphone. The absence of a QR code, AR tag, or short link makes such ads useless in the eyes of young users. Even a bright design doesn't save you if you can't immediately start interacting.
How to engage young consumers: current promotional trends
AR-gamification. Zoomers and alphas are focused on interactive and personal experiences. One of the few promotional activities that can really capture their attention is the combination of augmented reality (AR) and gamification. The format of an AR quest or real-time adventure via a smartphone involves the user in a scenario where he himself becomes the main character. AR allows you to build a bridge between the virtual and the physical world: buy a drink, scan a code or receipt, and get into the game. This format captures through the novelty of the experience, gives you a sense of control and engagement.
UGC campaigns through masks and effects. UGC, or User Generated Content, is the content that users create themselves. Since Generation Z and alphas want to be promo participants rather than addressees, AR effects and masks embedded in popular platforms are becoming an effective format: they allow you to create original content in seconds. But it's important not just to launch the mask — it must be part of the narrative and include gamification. For example, a mask can change the background depending on facial expressions, suggest guessing tastes, or cause a random effect. The key to success is simplicity of creation, spectacular visual and ease of publication. The user perceives such content as his initiative, not as an advertisement. He shares it to make a statement about himself, not about the brand. Masks and filters allow you to create content in which the brand is present natively: in color identity, graphic elements, and so on. This is exactly where the power of the tool lies.
Interactive quizzes and tests. Interactive is the basic language of communication with generations Z and alpha. Quizzes and tests designed in a modern visual style work especially well. But it is very important that the result is instant, personalized and suitable for publication. A simple example: complete 5 questions and receive a card with "your taste of summer" or "your drink." Such formats create a sense of personal interaction, give the user a vivid image that they can use on social networks, and this is what makes the promo viral.
Influencers are avatars. Virtual ambassadors are a new generation of influencers, ideally suited to the demands of digital generations. They fit seamlessly into the digital landscape familiar to users who have grown up in the virtual age. Digital characters arouse no less sympathy among the audience than live bloggers. A virtual influencer can run social networks, participate in challenges, be the voice of the brand and the face of AR activations.
Microchallenges with instant results. The young audience lives in the "now or never" format, and responds best to micro—challenges - simple actions with immediate effect. Example: register a receipt and receive a guaranteed prize. The main thing is that this action does not take more than one minute and does not require complex body movements, but would give the result immediately: video, photo, visual response or AR-reaction. Such challenges are easy to integrate into stories, they require a minimum of effort, but they give a sense of belonging.
How it works: The Fresh Bar case
Why are the old marketing approaches proving ineffective when applied to a young audience, what tools are replacing them, and how do they work?
An example of using current promotion trends was the recent promo campaign of the Fresh Bar brand, which produces soft drinks aimed at a young audience. In the "Taste Fantasy" campaign, the developers started from the idea that different flavors of drinks are different bright universes. The company was built around three of the most popular products among young people: Jelly Bears with the taste of marmalade bears, Magic Skills with the taste of blueberries and black currants, and the classic Cola by Fresh Bar.
Each of these drinks has its own AR-world built to convey its atmosphere and range. According to the idea, the consumer should be transported to another universe with the help of animation — into a fantasy world that is completely different from reality. In this fantasy, everything becomes possible: an ordinary room turns into a sorceress's workshop with magic potions and enchanted pots, and marmalade bears fly around the subway car.
To achieve this effect, the company attracted IT specialists who created 3D models, drew animations and came up with interaction scenarios. At the same time, the developers tried not to overload the game with elements so that it could run quickly in a variety of situations.
The user can enter one of the three created worlds and start an AR game via a Telegram bot. Links to it are posted on various platforms: the QR code on the drink bottle, the official website, the Fresh Bar social network, the pages of the brand's ambassador, blogger and aspiring singer Dilara Zinatullina, as well as in other digital channels.
To open access to all worlds, you need to register a receipt for the purchase of a drink inside the bot. Those who pass through all three universes will get a chance to compete for the main prize — a trip to a country inspired by the atmosphere of one of the worlds.
For each registered check, the participant receives a guaranteed gift — a set of Telegram stickers, as well as 1 fresh coin — the internal currency of the promo. These coins can be used to bet on one of the prizes in the weekly merch raffle: hoodies, T-shirts, caps, bags, headphones and other items. The more coins you bet on a certain prize, the more likely you are to receive it.
Gamification is based on a combination of AR mechanics, accumulation of fresh coins and the ability to manage the chances of winning. This makes participating in the promotion not only profitable, but also exciting, making users want to return to the game over and over again and strengthening loyalty and attachment to the brand.
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