Businesses are quickly recognizing Generation Z as a significant target market. This generation of Muslim consumers is in school, furthering their education, or has already begun their career path. As a result, they will have a lot more money to spend in the coming years. And this generation already has a significant influence on their parents’ spending. As a result, now is a good time to develop a marketing strategy that is Muslim-Gen-Z friendly.
Typically your Muslim or halal brand wants to reach the largest target group for the best return. Given the fact that the Muslim population is one of the youngest in the world it makes sense that you would target Muslim Gen Z’ers or as they are also known, “zoomers”.
…higher fertility rates of the past created a bulge in the younger age groups. As a result, large young Muslim populations are entering their childbearing years and will support additional future population growth.
Source: PRB
On average girls enter childbearing years at the age of twelve. This means the volume of Muslim zoomers is on the increase. To conquer the $360 billion Gen Z market you have to have your ducks in a row. Muslim zoomers, like their non-Muslim counterparts, are skeptical of businesses and unreceptive to traditional marketing messages. However, you will have their loyalty if you earn their trust and become a part of this generation’s identity.
Who Are Muslim Gen Z’ers?
Muslim Gen Z’ers or zoomers were born between 1997 to 2012. Gen Z people will therefore be between 12 and 26 years old. The oldest of this generation was about 10 years old when the iPhone was introduced. Generation Z is therefore the first generation of ‘digital natives’ who have never known a world without the Internet.
Muslim Zoomers are Digital Natives
Muslim zoomers are truly digitally native. The generation grew up in a time of the internet, apps, social media, and smartphones (and therefore a constant flow of information). This makes them super comfortable with research and data collection, they have no problem switching from online to offline universes or combining the two in the metaverse.
Muslim Zoomers are World-conscious
Generation Z was confronted with a global (financial) crisis at a young age. This makes the generation far more pragmatic and realistic than the previous millennial generation. Authenticity, purpose, and sustainability are critical for this demographic.
Muslim zoomers have also been growing up in a world of extreme Islamophobia and this in turn has made them more conscious of who they are and what they expect from brands pertaining to products tailored to them, stereotypical ads, tokenism, appropriation, and more importantly their Muslim identity.
Muslim Zoomers are Global Citizens
Because Generation Z is so accustomed to the internet, they are truly global citizens. They communicate with people from all over the world through videos and social media. Many members of Generation Z feel more connected to peers on the other side of the world than to other generations in their own environment.
So, most individuals of Generation Z can be seen as global citizens because they have the characteristic of seeing the place dependent and personal values in the world from multiple perspectives.
Source: Generation Z, a generation that grew up as global citizens
Muslim Zoomers are Loyal to Brands They Like
According to a report released by the IBM Institute for Business Value and the National Retail Federation, there are some interesting trends concerning Generation Z and brand loyalty:
- 59% of respondents say they trust the brands with which they grew up.
- 46% of Zoomers stated that they have a “strong connection or loyalty” to a brand.
- 66% have a long history of purchasing from a favorite brand.
This demonstrates that they are willing to build and maintain relationships with the brands they like.
As a result, it is critical for Muslim brands or those targeting Muslim consumers to cultivate their Gen Z customer base according to their specific needs and worldview.
Muslim Zoomers Influence the Entire Family
The vast majority of zoomers are not fully independent adults and continue to live with their parents.
They do, however, generate income and influence how the family spends. According to the same report, they particularly spend or influence the spending of money on food and beverages (77%), furniture (76%), household goods (73%), travel (66%), and eating out (63%).
The Elusiveness of Muslim Zoomers
The term “elusive generation” to describe Generation Z is frequently used. Since they were raised in an era where change has been the only constant, the generation has been able to adapt quickly. After all, they live in a world where extreme speed and information are the norms. Marketing experts struggle to keep up with Generation Z due to their rapid rate of change.
Muslim zoomers’ media behavior is markedly different from that of previous generations. This is primarily because Generation Z is well aware that there is an online world full of unauthentic ad campaigns. The thousands of advertisements that fly around them every day are ineffective. Traditional media, such as television, are also unpopular with this demographic. This may lead your halal brand to believe that Gen Z is elusive.
How to Market to Muslim Gen Z’ers
We have established that standard marketing messages, TV and radio advertisements, or long stretches of text, do not work with Generation Z. Fortunately, there are numerous tactics that can be used to win over this group.
Add Purpose to Your Muslim Brand DNA
Display your company’s values (and make sure you mean it). Gen Z prefers to buy from brands that practice social responsibility and authenticity. This generation is particularly concerned with sustainability. If your halal brand is not good for the world, these young people will quickly lose interest.
To appeal to Muslim Generation Z, it is critical to tell a sustainability story in which they recognize themselves. It is also critical to connect it to Islamic values, which taught about sustainability centuries before anyone thought about it. As a result, as a Muslim company, you play an important role in the creation of a better world. This is where you can distinguish yourself as a halal business and truly bind the Muslim zoomers to you.
Diversity, in addition to sustainability, is an important value for Generation Z. The generation grew up in a society full of different cultures and social groups. The internet allows the generation to easily connect with even more diverse (sub)cultures. As a result, they are very open-minded. Halal brands must also demonstrate this openness to Gen Z.
Get Your Halal Brand to Sell Real Value
Generation Z is extremely frugal and budget-conscious. For example, 57% prefer to save money rather than spend it. During the global crisis, the generation saw people in their community lose their jobs or homes, and older siblings and sisters rack up large student debts while failing to find well-paying work. As a result of these experiences, Generation Z has become a financially conservative generation. So you need to show your product’s value for money to entice them to buy.
Reviews are a major factor for Gen Z when deciding whether to make a purchase. Muslim zoomers are much more likely to believe the opinions of others than advertisements. Do you want your halal brand to appeal to this generation? Get your reviews and testimonials in strategic places and work with Muslim nano and micro-influencers.
Be One With Muslim Zoomers
Be Where They Are
While millennials attempt to stay current on almost all social media platforms, Gen Z makes a more obvious choice in this regard. The generation is particularly active on TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram. For many Muslim zoomers, social media is crucial. Online connections are nearly as valuable to Generation Z as in-person connections. Make sure Gen Z can find you where they hang out. Remember, “out of sight, out of mind”.
You are already taking the first step toward reaching this target group by being active on platforms where Gen Z hangs out, but you are not quite there yet. It is equally important to ensure that the content you share is relevant.
Create Channel-Specific Content
Brands frequently duplicate a campaign and distribute it via multiple channels. Instead, when creating content for TikTok, keep the platform’s audience in mind. The same can be said for Snapchat and Instagram.
Generation Z prefers businesses that use each social media platform uniquely, just as they do:
- Instagram is for aspirational posts.
- Use Snapchat for everyday moments.
- TikTok is for fun and popular challenges.
Snatch and Grab
Generation Z spends a significant amount of time online. They get a mix of news, entertainment, and messages throughout the day as a result of all that scrolling, they are accustomed to consuming information at breakneck speed.
However, all of that online consumption has a drawback: the attention span of Generation Z is not particularly long. You have 8 seconds to catch their attention. That is how long it takes the average young person to decide if something is important enough to pay attention to.
A survey of Canadian media consumption by Microsoft concluded that the average attention span had fallen to eight seconds, down from 12 in the year 2000. We now have a shorter attention span than goldfish, the study found.
Source: The New York Times
Create content that is tailored to a short attention span. Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram, which favor short videos, are popular among the Muslim Gen Z population. So keep your communication short and sweet.
Videos that are brief and to the point are ideal for Generation Z. It is not necessary to hire a professional video crew for this. Authentic videos are precisely what help to win the hearts of Muslim zoomers. You can get a long way with a little imagination and a reasonably modern smartphone.
What is the most effective way to capture the attention of Muslim Generation Z’ers? Keep them entertained! For example, short tutorials in which you demonstrate your product. Messages that are clear, authentic, and concise work best with this generation. Humor is a big winner as well if you know how to be really funny.
General Advice
The Muslim consumer market is extremely profitable yet extremely complex. The different generations are just the tip of the iceberg. Muslim Ad Network can help you navigate through the complexities of the Muslim consumer market through targeted advertising while maintaining Islamic Advertising Principles.
start targeting muslim consumers