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<p>From our unique lane as consumers, creators and trendsetters, Gen Z women represent the future of advertising.</p>
<p>But navigating the industry can be daunting for Gen Zers, especially considering the ongoing gender gap and the expectations on our generation to be up to speed with everything happening in trends and culture.</p>
<p>Sure, you can use us in your agency as a focus group, but you can also value our point of view as collaborative problem solvers. Let&#8217;s move beyond the barriers of extended process and embrace the creative spark that Gen Z women bring to the industry.</p>
<p>Here are five ways brands and agencies can accomplish this:</p>
<h2>Enhance initiatives affecting women and women’s rights</h2>
<p>With fresh recollections of experiences growing up female in today’s world, Gen Z women possess a keen awareness of critical issues affecting them—from unequal pay to workplace harassment and the overturning of Roe v. Wade.</p>
<p>While all female perspectives on these issues are valuable, Gen Z offers the unique ability to relay the current cultural and social opinions of youth. We possess a strong desire to amplify our perspectives and leverage our communities via social media to address topics affecting women&#8217;s rights.</p>
<p>When it comes to categories such as beauty and wellness, Gen Z women are fueled to fight the trauma caused by false advertising claims of physical perfection and beauty stereotypes perpetuated by generations before us.</p>
<h2>Embrace diverse thinking</h2>
<p>Women from diverse backgrounds—such as those who grew up economically disadvantaged and accustomed to hardship, or working mothers who juggle responsibilities—all possess experiences that can enrich the advertising landscape. When recruiting Gen Z talent, consider diverse perspectives and untraditional backgrounds alongside traditional metrics. Take a lesson from the fashion industry, where nimbleness, a deep understanding of trends and rapid-fire creative decision-making are essential.</p>
<p>My generation has honed these skills through social media, unlocking the ability to swiftly decode and capitalize on trends. Most importantly, let’s not forget how critical it is for Gen Alpha women to grow up in a world where they see diverse leaders who look and think like them.</p>
<h2>Encourage risk-taking</h2>
<p>Gen Z has grown up in an era of deleting a text after regretting hitting “send” and the relentless pressure to look flawless on social media. The overbearing pressure for perfection, especially for females, is not only exhausting, but can affect the essential learnings behind taking risks.</p>
<p>Consider Gen Z marketing sensation Zaria Parvez, who <a href="https://www.teenvogue.com/story/duolingo-tiktok" target="_blank" rel="noopener">courageously embraced risk-taking</a> upon joining Duolingo as a new social media manager. Her strategic decisions to lean into unhinged humorous content propelled the brand to become one of the most talked about on TikTok. The risk-taking that ultimately drove that success underscores the critical importance of encouraging young talent to embrace bold initiatives.</p>
<h2>Leverage the potential for collaboration</h2>
<p>Like every generation, we&#8217;re weary of being lumped together as a group merely for marketing purposes. However, we are proud of one universally ascribed label: self-expressionists.</p>
<p>Through fashion, social media and personality, who&#8217;s to say we can’t offer the same amount of unique and diverse expression in the creative brief? Most of us hold entry-level positions, but that doesn&#8217;t mean we&#8217;re not up for the challenge or task of working through a brief or even building it from the ground up.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s crucial to seek input from a range of Gen Z voices to understand how consumer traits vary and how these insights can be not only integrated into strategy but used to build strategy from the ground up. So, yes, use us as a focus group, but real success comes from using us as an integral part of your team.</p>
<h2>Don’t let process kill creativity</h2>
<p>Hiring diverse voices requires not only bringing them in but ensuring that they are in an environment to flourish. This includes avoiding practices that stifle creativity, such as an overreliance on process. Instead, prioritize learning and personal growth for entry-level roles. Flexibility and openness are crucial for developing innovative potential.</p>
<p>So, as you welcome new Gen Z female hires, it’s crucial to recognize how our values have already helped reshape the ethos of advertising today—and how they can shape a positive industry future. Remember, according to <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2021/article/projections-overview-and-highlights-2020-30.htm#:~:text=Between%202020%20and%202030%2C%20the,of%20165.4%20million%20in%202030." target="_blank" rel="noopener">the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</a>, Gen Zers will make up about 30% of the U.S. workforce by 2030.</p>
<p>We are here and here to stay, so let&#8217;s embrace diverse voices and empower the next generation of female creatives and leaders.</p>


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