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DATA, VIBES AND WHY GEN Z ACTUALLY CARES
Courtesy of the IPA Insight Summit 2025
Setting the scene
Opening the IPA Insight summit 2025, I had the pleasure of listening to Sarah Gale, Director of Research and Insight at Global, talk about data…but, before you zone out—
This information is relevant to you, especially if you’ve ever been bombarded with ads for things, you swear you only thought about. Like seriously…is my phone reading my mind?
Rightly, Sarah put the problem out there, making us think more deeply about whether our data is even doing what it’s supposed to do.
Picture this: You’re doom scrolling through your feed on a Friday night, and suddenly, an ad for a mortgage lender pops up. How convenient. Here’s why:
- You’re 23
- You live with three roommates
- Your main financial goal is affording a fancy coffee. (Message me for recommendations ;) I work in central.)
It made me think…something is seriously off with how brands use data.
Sarah clarified that a lot of marketing data is stuck in the Stone Age—still targeting “households” instead of “individuals” or, assuming we’re all the same based on super broad segments. However, She emphasised that if brands don’t ask why they’re using the data in the first place, their campaigns will be as effective as… revisiting your past after a couple of drinks (spoiler: It didn’t go well.)
Smoothly Leading Us to: The ‘Why’ Behind the What?
One of the key takeaways from Sarah’s talk was mental availability—a fancier way of saying: “Make your brand impossible to ignore.” Or, in True’s words, “Make it memorable”.
Here’s an example Sarah referenced:
When debating on whether to order sushi or pizza at 3AM after a night out, the brands that pop into our heads first own their category. And when I say own, I mean it.
They’ve attached themselves to key moments that most consumers experience more than once in their lives.
Source: Domino’s & Papa John's reported that weekend late-night sales are a major driver of business, often peaking after bar closing times.
So, If you didn’t clock it already, brands want to get into our heads, figure out why we make the choices we do. Then—test, measure, learn and repeat. Yes, just like when we pretend to have our lives together.
(Oh, and if you want our thoughts on True Effectiveness: check out our Eff* Up B2B guide here)*
The Future: Gen Z’s Big Influence & Bigger Expectations
Another standout session for me was from Marina Graham, Research Director and Eric Paice, Head of Qualitative Proposition at MTM London. They made one thing crystal clear:
Gen Z isn’t just sitting back and watching the future happen. We’re shaping it.
So, if brands want to stay relevant, they need to ditch outdated assumptions.
Marina highlighted that gender evolution was once something brands resisted, awkwardly splitting audiences into “masc” and “femme”. Remember the 2011, Dr Pepper “It’s not for Women” campaign. Yeah…time to move on.
Now? Brands are finally recognising that we see beyond gender labels.
One of my favourite examples? is Nike’s “Until we all win” initiative, which states equality isn’t a game—but achieving it will be their greatest victory. Round of applause Nike.
Aside from That? Let’s Talk Gen Z.
To put it simply, all we (speaking on behalf of Gen z) apparently care about is aesthetic. Okay, maybe not all we care about, but it’s up there with well-being and equality.
As Eric explained:
“If a brand understands Gen Z’s vibe and makes them feel like co-authors of their story, they’re in”
But if brands get it wrong? Gosh, I feel sorry for them.
If they get it wrong…I don’t think you want to know what will happen if they get it wrong.
We will cancel the brand faster than a flaky friend making last-minute excuses to bail on plans.
(Flaky friend: A friend that lets you down last minute, making you feel annoyed and rejected.)
Speaking of Flakes…
This leads us on to Molly Bruce, Insight Analyst and Sophie Dimon, Insight Lead at the IPA. Their talk? All about “Flake” culture.
(Not that they’re flaky—far from it. The IPA just loves making up new words, and I’m here for it)
And, if you are planning to “flake” on a friend, here’s the most acceptable “flake news”:
- Mental health…understandable (cited by 47% of 18–34-year-olds
- Family commitments…lol (cited by 50% of 35–54-year-olds)
- Weather conditions…lol (cited by 48% of 55+ year-olds)
Thank me later.
But if you genuinely can’t make it? Just let me know. An email will do after 5:30PM. I’ll probably still turn up and enjoy a few margaritas anyway (only joking, I’m a Gen Z. I’ll be at the gym.)
The New Codes of Luxury: Why Gen Z want vibes, not just price tags
A deep dive into luxury trends wrapped up the summit. Cherry Collins and Ruth O’Neil at Havas Media Network London broke it down:
Old-school luxury? It was all about flashing money.
New luxury? For Gen Z, it’s about meaning.
We care about brands that get us, no ones that play it safe with outdated ideas of exclusivity. If brands asked SMARTER questions to truly understand what we value, they’d win us over.
The Takeaway (Not Pizza Hut)
From the summit, I learned a lot—especially impressive for someone with a short attention span. And that shows something: The summit was packed with invaluable insights proving that if brands:
- Get data right
- Ask “why” before they act
- Align their message with aesthetic
Then they won’t just reach Gen Z. They’ll make Gen Z care. And you know what that means—££££!
