Crocs unveiled its first new global brand platform in nearly a decade to better appeal to a younger generation of consumers, according to a press release. "Wonderfully Unordinary" centers on self-expression and real-world experiences in a culture "saturated in imitation and algorithmic sameness," Crocs said. The titular anthem spot depicts a pair of featureless store mannequins as they come alive and grow increasingly human after being outfitted in Crocs' signature porous clogs.
A group of Gen Zers 200 deep, snaked down Houston Street in hopes of shopping at a pop-up for Rogue, a Y2K-focused vintage retailer operated by the TikTok star. Inside, they browsed racks of vintage picks and vinyl records, but it was the charismatic, acid-green-haired Rogue, who was arguably the biggest draw. She posed for selfies with fans, as she does at all her stores, which are styled like deliberately dishevelled millennial bedrooms, complete with early-2000s ephemera like Britney Spears posters.
Since entering the U.S. market in 2008, candy maker Hi-Chew has developed a loyal Gen Z fan base by building a lifestyle brand through key partnerships across fashion and gaming, as well as deploying buzz-worthy in-person activations. Such efforts helped U.S. product sales surpass $100 million in 2021. Last year, parent Morinaga America announced plans to expand U.S. production capabilities based on strong demand. Going forward, Hi-Chew - which is a top-selling candy in Japan and is celebarting 50 years in business - is hoping to connect with Gen Alpha, a cohort it is still learning about while maintaining a relationships with existing customers
Moxy (a Marriott brand) is a trendy new hotel chain for travelers who are young at heart. As a relatively new brand in APAC, having only entered the market in 2017, Moxy needed to make a splash with its 2021 China launch, prioritizing increasing brand awareness while establishing a compelling positioning with fast-growing Gen Z consumers, with the ambition to triple its property footprint within the next five years.
A staple of the early-aughts, True Religion has benefitted from larger cultural nostalgia around Y2K. But now, the brand isn't just resonating with its core demo of millennials - it's starting to make inroads with Gen Z, too. While those ages 25-45 have been a key demographic for True Religion, about six months ago, the brand noticed that people ages 18-25 were shopping it more, Kristen D'Arcy, the brand's chief marketing officer and head of digital growth, told Modern Retail.
Just in time for back-to-school season, the Mentholatum-owned skincare brand has launched 'Zitcoms,' a content campaign that trades clinical messaging for something teens actually want to watch: awkward, self-deprecating humor. The series, created with agency The Bam Connection, uses influencers, everyday consumers and even high school drama departments to stage mini sitcom-style skits about acne struggles. The result is part branded content, part user-generated experiment and part theater performance, designed to feel more authentic than glossy ads and more relatable than medical claims.
At the core, Labubu and Sydney Sweeney aren't radically new; they're evolutions of age-old marketing patterns. History is repeating itself. Labubu mirrors the Beanie Babies craze of the '90s: collectible, emotionally charged, and driven by hype cycles.
