Length: 5-7 minute read

If your business targets Generation Z (those born between 1996-2010) you might want to say goodbye to traditional advertising tactics (Facebook included). When it comes to marketing to teens, iconic fashion brand Supre has had its fair share of experience. In this article, Supre’s Marketing Manager Rachel Taylor talks about the power of the micro influencer and how brands should publish content to engage with their customer.

By: Rachel Taylor, Marketing Manager, Supre

It’s unusual for me to meet a female between the ages of 10 and 40 years of age who hasn’t heard of Supre (and who hasn’t had our label in their closet at some point). As an almost 35-year-old brand, Supre has always garnered attention, sometimes controversial, as a fashion brand for teenagers wanting to make a statement.  In late 2013, Supre was purchased by the Cotton On Group at a critical juncture on its business and brand journey. Some would have called it a declining reputation; I often think about it now as a crisis of identity. A brand synonymous with all things teenager at its height in the late 90s, early 2000s, Supre had lost touch with the rapidly changing culture of our core audience.

Over the past four years Supre has re-discovered their inner teen and a credible voice with Generation Z (for reals bae). A huge part of this momentum shift has been contributed to our harnessing of social media, social influencers and a new wave of micro community advocacy, that’s less about the fashion we sell and more about the values we keep.

Every week Supre connects with almost a million teenage girls across our digital platforms (three times the size of our community in 2014). Our boom of growth, 50% YOY in ecommerce sales and credibility with our teenage audience is intrinsically linked to the new age of social media culture and our ability to tap into it first.

From partnering with influencer Sarah Ellen at the age of 16 when teenagers loved her just for her funny eye-brow video clip, to creating an underground micro influencer program rewarding our fans, snap chatting our way to 5,000 views, filling shopping centres with screaming customers to meet their social heros or creating a voice on topics that make a difference on our social channels – every step has been influenced by our robust and often loud community of girls.

If you want some advice on how to both utilise and be an influencer, preparing yourself for the upcoming world of Generation Z (and don’t have 25 minutes to come and see me at the Online Retailer Conference – I get it. By Day 2 in the afternoon, I would be looking for a wine too), here are my quick tips for preparing yourself for the social generation to come:

• Hire the social obsessed
  

  If you are over the age of 24 years old this is probably not you (you can love social media but unfortunately it’s not in your natural DNA). The social obsessed are young, clever and not averse to risk. They are a networked generation that can stalk out influencers, communities, cultures and stories for your brand to connect with. Even better if they love your brand, they themselves will be some of your greatest micro influencers as you grow.

  

• Earn your circle of influence

It’s better to be deeply connected into a social network of 10,000 than engage 1 million who couldn’t care less. In 2015 we created a micro influencer program (which still exist today), identifying genuine brand advocates of Supre on Instagram. Referred to as our Girl Gang we surprise and reward them (real rewards, using the mail, not a discount) to thank them for their support. Find brand advocates who genuinely love your brand, they’re out there. They may be small, and sometimes left field, but their communities are full of real and interested followers. Provide rewarding, tangible experiences for them using the budget otherwise spent on that sponsored social post. If they love your brand, love them back.

• Press play
  

  In a recent survey of 8,000 teenagers we asked them if you only had one choice – You Tube or TV? Over 62% said You Tube, 10% up on the year prior (sorry Free to Air TV – I still love you). Instagram Stories, Facebook Live, Snapchat, You Tube – whatever channel you are playing on video must be one of your most important content strategies to develop. Generation Z don’t want to read long format articles but they also crave content deeper than a single image.

• Cultural not commercial content
  

  Social media and influencers are a unique and exciting publishing house – not a boring advertising tool. Generation Z want content that requires their opinion, comment or most importantly, their involvement. If your brand engages an influencer at any level, talk to them about collaborating on content, involving their networks to develop a story that’s real, cool and relevant.

If you want to hear about all this, and even more, come see me at Online Retailer! I am speaking at 2pm on July 27^th.

I look forward to meeting you all.

Rachel