Mind the Gap – Here comes Generation Z. Are you prepared?

Brands, business leaders, and marketers ignore this new cohort at their own peril. Generation Z, aged 8 to 23, is now America’s fastest-growing demographic, representing 25%+ of Americans.  That makes them bigger than the Baby Boomers, and even bigger than the Millennial generation.  Despite the fact that Gen Z is made up of such young consumers, it is already an important cohort that is making its presence felt across brands, culture and advertising.While many of us have been distracted by the Millennial generation, today we turn our focus to Gen Zers to learn some surprising truths about their attitudes and behaviors, and why ignoring them will be a big mistake for marketers.Our guest today will be Patti Girardi, colleague, author and renowned thought leader in generational marketing. Host is Cyndi Greenglass.Patti GirardiPatti Girardi is an author, speaker and longstanding contributor to the IMC and DMC programs at West Virginia University's Reed College of Media. She is a recognized thought leader in marketing to Millennials and Generation Z. Previously, Patti served as VP, Marketing for Chartwells, the college dining division of global foodservice giant Compass Group. In this role, Patti led Chartwells’ industry-leading rebrand from “Eat. Learn. Live.” to “Where Hungry Minds Gather,” addressing the unique attributes of Generation Z. Patti previously served as VP, Sales & Marketing for Fox Cable Networks. She began her marketing career with Cox Communications, where she held a number of field and corporate marketing positions. Girardi graduated valedictorian from Trinity College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and also holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University.