Gen Z's drive toward niche pushes brands to change strategy
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Audiences have splintered into several information bubbles, based on ideology, wealth, jobs, age and location — making it nearly impossible for big brands to reach every consumer.
Why it matters: In the age of media fragmentation, it's not just about finding an audience, it's about creating a cult.
By the numbers: Strategic communications firm Confidant partnered with marketing insights firm Vytal to survey 1,000 U.S. adults between the ages of 18 and 59 to better understand brand devotion amid audience fragmentation.
- 88% of Americans engage in niche communities and 45% of Gen Z, millennial, and Gen X Americans feel more connected to these communities than to mainstream culture.
- Nearly half flock to brands that cater to specific interests over those with broad, mass-market appeal, with Gen Z being the most likely (53%) to prioritize niche brands.
The intrigue: 51% of consumers say that feeling part of a brand's community is important to them, and 53% are likely to try a brand recommended by their community.
- "As a brand, it's really hard to connect," says marketing specialist and founder of SW Projects Sara Wilson. "These communities are places that brands can plug directly in to people's personal identity, whether that's values, beliefs, interests, hobbies, fears or desires. And in that way, these communities are so powerful and can be gold mines for brands."
The big picture: The findings reflect a growing demand for authenticity, relevance, and a sense of belonging — which many individual creators and influencers have prioritized when building their trusted audiences.
- This becomes even more important as younger audiences abandon traditional media for information and flock to news influencers and content creators on social platforms.
Zoom in: This means communication teams have to be more strategic and creative when it comes to finding and infiltrating the niche communities of their clearly defined audiences.
- Tactics include booking the right podcast interviews, reading the right Substacks, partnering with the right creators and monitoring the right Reddit threads.
What they're saying: Brands must build genuine connections and offer consumers more than just products — they'll offer belonging, says Garland Harwood, co-founder of Confidant.
- "In today's increasingly fragmented culture and media landscape, communicators planning next year's campaigns must prioritize the niche communities in their orbit. By showing up authentically— honoring a community's rituals and meaningfully contributing to its culture —brands can inspire a deeper devotion that drives loyalty and turns members into enthusiastic advocates," he added.
💭 Eleanor's thought bubble: When I talk to communication teams, I often ask them how they think about the "P" in PR.
- So much time is spent hand-wringing over the "R" — relations — but not enough time is spent debating whether the public at large is reachable, worth engaging and pertinent to achieving business goals.
More of Axios: TikTok, podcasts, Substack: How Harris, Trump and CEOs adapt to new media
