Gen Z prefers personalized ways of self-expression, especially digitally. Over 76% of metaverse users in the U.S., U.K., and China say that their avatars better convey their unique individuality compared to the real world, according to a 2023 report by Wunderman Thompson.
Branding techniques for Gen Z Avatars
Avatars are now digitally engineered to become more expressive and have the ability to attract millions of customers, with Reddit Collectible Avatars, aka Reddit NFTs, alone now having over 10 million users, since launch 1 year ago in July 2022. The event took place on a collectible avatar marketplace, Ethereum‘s Layer-2 scalability platform Polygon. The platform allows users to display various avatars on social media.
Gen Z is attracted to metaverse environments with avatars that either keep them anonymous or allow them to express themselves in a way that truly reflects their identities and personalities, something they may not be able to do in real life.
Read: Spheroid to launch AI avatars in Augmented Reality
“Representation, experimentation, and aspiration are key as Gen Z create avatars that reflect aspects of their identity which feel underrepresented in the real world, experiment with their identity through role-play, and feel freer to be ‘themselves’ without the limitations of the physical world,” a Nokia and Ipsos report revealed.
According to Gartner research, Gen Z consumers are 1.5 times more likely to follow a brand with content that boosts their own image.
The question is for brands to find out how they can engage with next-gen youth and deploy dynamic self-expression in digital spaces.
“Brands will need to demonstrate Gen-Z-level seamless movement across digital and in real life, hone thoughtful and personal messaging, and be willing to speak out on relevant social issues. Failing at any of these points means falling out of step with these important tastemakers,” Jack Mackinnon, senior principal analyst at Gartner, said.
“Individuality, discernment, and openness will continue to be the name of the game for this large, diverse, and adaptable generation.”
Millennials versus Gen Z avatars
Just because Gen Z are dominating the avatar space, it doesn’t mean that older generations are not in it. Even Baby Boomers use avatars as well to communicate, post, and to express their feelings.
Gen Z tends to create avatars that reflect their true and unique self via stylistic alterations done to their hairdos, makeup, apparel, and accessories. They aim to make social networks in the metaverse, break rules, and become rich while keeping equity and diversity top of mind.
Millennials meanwhile prefer avatars that fall in contrast to their actual appearance, choosing to make dramatic enhancements while also using real-world branded apparel or accessories.
For them, the metaverse is a space to innovate, and create immersive interactions and experiences. Millennials are open to making virtual sales transactions and digital economic activities.
Avatars and the fashion industry
The metaverse and wearables have given the fashion industry a new way to express itself with digital wardrobes worn by what else, avatars, but which also applies to people, animals, and things.
Avatars are transforming consumers’ experiences and allowing more freedom to express themselves when online shopping with brands personalizing that experience for individuals using cartoon avatars or AI-generated face morphing, among others.
The global digital clothing industry is estimated to reach $4.8 billion by 2031.
But it’s not just Gen Z and Millennials being targeted for digital presence as an avatar.
Video conferencing platform Microsoft Teams is now introducing customizable 3D avatars with reaction features and recently TikTok launched AI-powered avatars that can be switched up daily.
Microsoft Teams Avatars
Microsoft Teams officially launched on June 1, 2023, its virtual avatar allowing users to continue their dialogues without using the camera.
“Avatars for Microsoft Teams gives you that much-needed camera break, while still allowing you to collaborate effectively. You can add a new layer of choice to your meetings and represent yourself the way you want with customizable avatars and reactions,” a Microsoft note explained.
TikTok Avatars
Lensa, a paid app, reached the top of the U.S. App Store charts as global users posted artistic renditions of themselves that they generated. AI photo editors have since boomed on the U.S. App Store and platforms like TikTok have since got on the Avatar bandwagon.
TikTok is in the process of testing and introducing a new tool that allows users to create generative AI (GenAI) avatars, according to a report by TechCrunch.
The tool is accessible once a day and can generate up to 30 avatars, taking a couple of minutes each and allowing users to choose to download one or several of these AI avatars to either tag an avatar to a TikTok story or upload it as a profile avatar.
For more technology news, click here.
