Gen Z And The Demand For Culturally Relevant Content

The Gen Z population spends a lot of time looking at their screens, scrolling, binge-watching, and absorbing content. And, they want content that is culturally fitting to them.

Raised in a fully digital world, they have reshaped how content is created and shared due to their demand for culturally relevant and highly personalised experiences.

Brands should understand Gen Z content preferences in order to stay relevant in the market. Just having an online presence doesn’t cut it anymore. Rather, it is about connecting with the Gen Z audience in a way that feels inclusive and authentic. In the blog, we will explore more about the Gen Z demand for culturally relevant content.

Why Culturally Relevant Content is a Game Changer?

For Gen Zs, it is all about representation. They desire to see themselves in the content that they consume.

Be it a social media campaign, a Netflix show or a YouTube video, they want to see people who look like them, think like them and live like them. So, representation is not just important, but expected.

This is because Gen Z highly values equality, diversity and inclusion. And, what better way for brands to align with this than through representation of diverse identities in their content.

Take the Netflix series Kota Factory, for example. This series is a perfect example of how proper representation can resonate well with the audience. Kota Factory showcased the realities of students in Kota and touches on the challenges and struggles faced by them in the Indian education system.

Localisation for Gen Z: The Key to Connecting Globally

Localisation is about more than just translating words. It is about translating the vibes — the emotions, the humour and the context. Gen Z wants content that not only speaks their language, but also feels like it is made for them.

Consider the case of memes. A meme might become trendy in one country while becoming a total flop in another. This is because culture varies.

So, understanding the local culture matters. And that’s where localisation comes in. It is about creating content to fit not just the language of a region, but also its culture, preferences and values.

In the current online landscape where borders blur, digital localisation is the key. Brands need to change everything — from words and slangs to humour and cultural aspects — in order to resonate with the global audience.

Interestingly, the Gen Z audience is the largest generation so far and they are global minded. And brands that focus on localization for Gen Z are the brands who will come up in the top.

Any content that doesn’t align with the cultural nuances of a region becomes irrelevant to the Gen Z population. An irrelevant content does nothing to grab the attention of the audience in today’s competitive digital space.

Digital Localisation Trends: How Brands Are Adapting to Gen Z

Brands are finding different ways to adapt to the demands of Gen Z in order to connect better with this culturally conscious population. Below are some of the digital localisation trends embraced by brands to tailor content for the digital natives.

1. Region-Specific Social Media Content

Social media is where Gen Z spends most of their time online. Brands embracing localisation are killing it by creating social media content that is fully localised.

An instagram post for Gen Z in Europe might focus on memes and reels trending in Europe, while a post for Gen Z in India will use local references, slangs and languages according to the different regions of the Indian subcontinent.

This is how brands are successfully engaging with the Gen Z population across different regions of the globe.

2. Multilingual Engagement

In general, Gen Z audiences have an expectation that brands literally speak their language. While English is the common language used worldwide, many digital natives prefer content in their native language.

Because of this, creating multilingual content isn’t optional anymore. Brands that have understood this have started curating content in multiple languages. Such brands also leverage multilingual customer support or subtitles for video content to build trust and rapport with the Gen Z community.

3. Localised Storytelling

For Gen Z, storytelling has to feel local. This means that stories must be relatable and close to home for them. They connect deeply with content that is in sync with their personal and cultural values.

A brand like Amul with their ad campaigns focused on bringing out current events in a humorous, witty fashion, is a great example of localised storytelling that relates to the audience.

Another good example is Closeup’s “Paas Aao” ads that address the cultural nuances, social norms and generational shifts in romantic relationships. This resonates with Gen Z individuals, who are themselves navigating the traditional and modern ideas about love.

The Future of Culturally Relevant Content for Gen Z

The generation of Gen Z is alway connected online and exposed to worldwide media. Even though they are global in so many ways, they still hold deep value for their local identities and cultural experiences.

They crave content that matches with their global mindset as well as highlights their local culture. And in the future, there will be more and more content that is personalised and culturally relevant to the specific audiences.

Brands who get this right have the potential to become the go-to for Gen Z. The secret is to create content that is authentic, relatable and culturally attuned in order to connect meaningfully with this population.

Conclusion

Gen Z has literally transformed the way content is created and shared in the digital world through their need for personalised and culturally attuned experiences. In order for brands to connect with Gen Z, they must up their game by investing in localisation and by creating culturally relevant content.

Brands and individual content creators alike can stay relevant by coming up with ways to create content that resonates with a global audience while keeping the local culture experience intact.

At Kalakrit, we offer translation and localisation services that can help you connect meaningfully with your audience. Your message will be conveyed such that it resonates well with them. Want to know how we can help you create culturally relevant content through our services? Reach out to us.

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