Gen Z doesn’t care about your guidelines

This generation didn’t grow up with brands. They grew up through them.

They’ve seen the polished feeds, the empty taglines, the overpriced collabs. They know when a brand is trying too hard. And they swipe past it without hesitation.

If you want to earn their attention, looking good isn’t enough. You have to feel real.

What Gen Z expects from modern brands

They expect style, but also self-awareness. Speed, but also depth. They want visual flair, but they also want substance. A brand that speaks their language, but doesn’t try to sound like them.

They don’t follow brands. They engage with brands that move like people.

Authenticity isn’t a moodboard

You can’t fake being culturally fluent. You either get it or you don’t. The brands that connect with Gen Z are the ones that know who they are, speak with purpose and build experiences that feel designed, not marketed.

That means less polish. More intention. Less fluff. More context.

What this means for branding today

If your visual identity doesn’t hold up across content, product, packaging and platform, it’ll get ignored.

If your tone isn’t consistent, it’ll get called out.

If your brand exists only in design decks and not in the real world, it won’t matter.

Design for them means showing up fully. Visually. Strategically. Emotionally.