Representing more than a quarter of the global population and a projected $450 billion in spending power, Gen Z (18-28) presents a perfect opportunity to create lifelong potato lovers who will drive long-term growth and strengthen demand for potatoes.
The good news is that Potatoes USA's most recent Consumer Attitude & Usage study shows that Gen Z is already eating a lot of spuds, but there's even more opportunity to help them learn about potatoes' nutritional benefits and convenient ways to cook them.
Because Gen Z consumes media differently than older generations, marketing to this age group has to be different, too. Here are four examples of recent campaigns to help Gen Z learn more about the joy and benefits of potatoes.
Campaign #1
Working with Gen Z lifestyle influencers on Instagram and TikTok, where do you go to connect with Gen Z? TikTok and Instagram! In fact, 76% of Gen Z says they use TikTok, and 66% says they're on Instagram.
Potatoes USA worked with Gen Z lifestyle influencers in January to share content showcasing positive potato nutrition information, convenient ways to enjoy the spud, and more.
Results: These campaigns drove over 600,000 visitors to PotatoGoodness.com in January, February, and March to learn more about potato nutrition and convenient, tasty cooking options. That's 58% more visitors than in the previous three months.
Campaign #2
Paid Pinterest Ads: Gen Z makes up over 40% of Pinterest's monthly active users, and it's the platform's fastest-growing demographic.
Three paid advertising campaigns earlier this year featured Pinterest boards," which are a collection of recipes centered around themes like Friendsgiving, the Super Bowl, and potatoes as a "real" food.
Results: These ads drove thousands of additional visitors to PotatoGoodness.com for potato recipe inspiration. Overall top-performing recipes were the Apple-Spiced Potato Cake and Chesapeake Bay Potato Chip Mac for Friendsgiving, while Gen Z loved the Pepperoni Potato Pizza Pockets and Crispy Buffalo Potato Nuggets.
Campaign #3
Spotify Ads: Potatoes USA ran ads on Spotify, the number one music streaming app among Gen Z, for the first time ever. One ad centered on potatoes as a "real" food, and the other around potatoes as a vegetable.
Results: Both ads exceeded industry benchmarks in terms of how many consumers they reached and how much consumers engaged with the ads, ensuring recipients had ample opportunities to see and listen to the message — that potatoes are a real, whole food and can be included in daily servings of vegetables.
For more information: potatoesusa.com