In the past, there was a clear distinction between internet culture and popular culture. Since the internet became such an everyday use in our lives, internet culture became so influential it seeped and merged with popular culture. Platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram have all contributed to this development. With that, anything that gains popularity online now has a significant impact on mainstream society.
Additionally, with the rise of content personalization, pop culture has also become more individualized. People have more control over what they consume and participate in. As a result, anything that is able to drive a collective power of internet users has the ability to propel trends into public consciousness. Traditional gatekeepers of pop culture such as traditional media outlets are no longer the sole drivers of what becomes popular.
Consumer Behaviour According To YouTube’s Culture & Trends Report of 2022
We have come to a new era of digital technology. While millennials are generally the most tech-savvy and are always looking up tutorials on YouTube, Gen-Z’s are the heavy consumers of entertainment with 38% of them having reported spending over four hours a day browsing through social media. Additionally, almost 85% of the Gen Z group have posted video content online in 2022.
As pop culture adopts internet culture and continues to evolve, we could consider that Gen-Z will play a major role in how pop culture will be defined in the near future. With that in mind, let’s talk about Gen-Z’s behavior towards online videos.
According to YouTube’s Culture & Trends Report of 2022, about 65% of Gen-Z YouTube users report that content that is personally relevant to them is of greater significance than content that is widely discussed.
While memes were generally intended to be taken lightly, it has now developed into a highly interactive form of cultural expression. About 57% of Gen-Z’s have agreed that they enjoy brands that participate or engage with memes.
Advertising Trends To Follow In 2023: Attending To The Culture
Now that we’ve covered how consumers behave on YouTube, let’s get their attention.
Since TV shows are somewhat more relevant to the demographic, you could use it to your advantage and craft ads that have TV show themes. For instance, you could promote fur coats with a Game Of Thrones themed video! In fact, TV-related searches accounted for 35% of the most popular queries on YouTube.
Certain companies such as Tinder or Amazon have proven to be successful in promoting their ads using memes. It’s that little bit of laughter that keeps your ad memorable and quite possibly pique interest in consumers, igniting a desire to engage with the brand.
Short-form video apps have also been an explosive trend over the years. YouTube has adopted this feature onto their platform and now has billions of users everyday. 59% of Gen Z users have also agreed that they have discovered brands and products through these forms of videos which now makes short form videos a favorable method for spreading brand awareness.
