In recent weeks, several brands that have been most popular with millennials and Gen X have been updating their marketing strategies to appeal to a younger generation. Find out how these companies are refreshing their image with Gen Z in mind in our Marketing Must Reads.

Sour Patch Kids Translates Sour Corporate Lingo

As more members of Gen Z enter the workforce, Sour Patch Kids is setting out to help them decode cryptic corporate-speak. As part of a new campaign, the brand created a “Sour Translator” landing page where users can input a message and receive a blunt interpretation of its true meaning. Anyone who uses the Sour Translator will also receive a “sweet” offer for the candy, redeemable at any Albertsons or Safeway location.

For Sour Patch Kids, the new campaign is both relevant to the key Gen Z audience, where they’re hoping to gain market share, and true to the brand’s “first they’re sour, then they’re sweet” identity. Sour Patch Kids will be supporting their Sour Translator with influencer partnerships, digital out-of-home ads, and in-store messaging at Albertsons. Learn more about the creative campaign here: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2024/09/25/sour-patch-kids-sour-translator-unwraps-messages-obscured-corporate-jargon

Pizza Hut Creates Pizza Box Resumes

Gen Z job hunters in New York can now get a leg up on their candidate competition with help from Pizza Hut. Earlier this month, Pizza Hut launched “ReZAmes,” a limited-time promotion that prints customers’ resumes on the front of a pizza box. The idea is that while many resumes submitted online get ignored, candidates can send the hiring team their resume via a delicious Pizza Hut pie, which is much harder to ignore. Customers across New York City were invited to complete an online submission to send a ReZAme to an employer of their choice, free of charge.

Pizza Hut timed their ReZAmes promotion to the “September Surge,” a time when there is a noticeable increase in available positions near the start of Q4. The campaign hopes to make the Pizza Hut brand, which has struggled with declining sales in recent years, more relevant to Gen Z consumers who are just starting their journey into adulthood. Read more about the brand’s strategy here: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pizza-hut-aims-to-support-your-job-search-with-the-launch-of-reszames-a-pizza-box-that-doubles-as-a-resume-302249649.html

Kay Jewelers Brand Refresh

Kay Jewelers, otherwise known as the world’s biggest diamond retailer, is embarking on their first brand refresh in years. As part of their overhaul, the brand will be modernizing their retail stores, expanding their e-commerce offerings, creating new everyday jewelry lines, and pumping out new, creative marketing messages. The brand refresh kicked off with a new ad this month, focusing on diverse love stories centered in their day-to-day activities. Kay’s retail updates will be rolled out in the coming months and involve integrating more technology into the storefronts, as well as flexible collaboration areas that will allow for gatherings of wedding parties and other groups.

The refresh comes at a time when traditional jewelers like Kay are seeing declining sales as younger consumers turn to smaller emerging brands for their everyday and engagement jewelry. Kay Jewelers’ parent company, Signet, also recently initiated a refresh for their sister jewelry company, Zales. Watch Kay’s latest ad and find out more about their updated marketing strategy here: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/kay-jewelers-brand-refresh-retail-marketing-to-gen-z/727878/

Tinder Looks to Expand Offerings for Gen Z

More than ten years ago, Tinder took off as the leading dating app among the millennial generation. In their latest campaign, the brand is pivoting to focus on their new target audience of young, single consumers: Gen Z. To reach these consumers, Tinder is turning to AI platform Brand.AI for idea generation. According to Tinder’s VP of Global Marketing, they’re using AI to analyze their existing brand assets and come up with potential new marketing directions that will help Tinder expand its “universe.”

Earlier this summer, Tinder also added AI to its in-app experience with a recommendation engine that helps users pick the best photos to include in their profile. With their adoption of emerging technology like AI, Tinder hopes to create a platform that will meet the changing preferences and priorities of young audiences for years to come. Learn more about Tinder’s investment in AI and focus on Gen Z here: https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/tinder-brand-ai/