Cause marketing continues to grow in South Africa as brands look for unique ways to establish connections with their consumers, especially Gen Z's. The Gen Z consumers’ expectations of strategic brand cause marketing communication campaigns are for them to be authentic in order for them to be effective. This requires campaigns to be transparent, address their immediate community needs and match their brand to the cause(s). In this presentation we present findings from a study asking Gen Z's what their expectations are of brands' cause marketing communication. Key Takeaways: Authenticity is key. Campaigns need to meet Gen Z's where they are online. Gen Z's expect transparency about their contributions. Reputable collaborations between brands and non-profit organisations (NPO) lend trustworthiness.

1. KEYNOTE
JOHANNESBURG ~ OCTOBER 19 - 20, 2023
DIGIMARCONSOUTHAFRICA.CO.ZA | #DigiMarConSouthAfrica
Gen Z's Care - Make it
Authentic and Sincere
Karabo Sitto
SENIOR LECTURER
UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG

2. Gen Z's Care - Make it Authentic and Sincere
Dr Karabo Sitto-Kaunda
19 October 2023

3. 3
Acknowledgements
• Nyiko Sithole – Strategic
Communication PG student

4. 4
Younger consumers
• Born between 1997 –
2012
• Have begun entering
the workforce
Rising spending
power
• 23% of their spending
committed to
purchasing food
Digitally connected
• Are considered digital
dwellers
Socially conscious
• Regard purely profit-
focused CM campaigns
as insensitive
• Have high expectations
of organisations
Profile of Gen Z consumers

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Top
3
social
media
Facebook
TikTok
Instagram
Popular social media platforms
Source: https://businesstech.co.za/news/technology/700467/the-most-popular-social-media-platforms-in-south-africa-2/

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•All lend themselves to images and video format
•Include free mode (data cost sensitivity)
•Lite mode (phone space)
Popular social media platforms
Source: https://businesstech.co.za/news/technology/700467/the-most-popular-social-media-platforms-in-south-africa-2/

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The rise of cause marketing

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Financially driven
Awareness-motivated
Licensing alliance
partnerships
Types of cause marketing campaigns

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•Financially driven – these types of CM campaigns rely on significant
consumer involvement and financial investment, either directly or
through product purchase behaviours
•Awareness-motivated – such campaigns rely on consumers lending
support by sharing information on various platforms to draw attention
to the cause
•Licensing alliance partnerships - royalty income-generating brand
partnerships where a non-profit organisation leases out its logo to a
for-profit organisation for the mutual benefit of both parties
Types of cause marketing campaigns

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•Evaluate the expectations Gen Z consumers of fast-food
brands (FFB) cause marketing strategic communication
campaigns
•Specifically their authenticity and effectiveness
•Focus group – 8 urban Gen Z’s
•Focused on FFB, since 23% of Gen Z consumer spend is on
fast food
•Used experimental design – vignette, to minimise brand bias
Understanding Gen Z’s perceptions of CM - Study design

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•Gen Z consumers expect cause marketing campaigns to be:
1. Reputable collaborations in cause marketing campaigns
2. Target audience-specific and relevant communication channels – linked to their
digital preferences
3. Transparent - Quality of transparency disclosure and post-cause marketing
communication about where the money went
4. The social value of cause marketing efforts – organisations’ campaigns must
address their immediate community needs,
5. Match their brand to the cause(s) – align the brand and its cause to prevent
cause-washing
Gen Z expectations of cause marketing

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Authenticity is key.
Meet Gen Z's where they
are online.
Be transparent about their
contributions.
Reputable brand
collaborations with NGOs.
CM success
Key takeaways

13. QUESTIONS?