Unpacking Gen Z emotions – in mere days – to Drive engagement and brand growth

The CHALLENGE

A leading beverage industry client sought to establish clear next steps for a brand strategy activation, but – only days before launch – needed to confirm occasion-based Gen Z emotions. Through partnership with Burke and Seed Strategy, the client brand team was able to quickly – and deeply –understand a nuanced emotional occasion to better connect and engage with this generation. ​

The APPROACH

The power of an integrated, cross-functional team helped discover, illuminate and activate insights – in only nine days. Instead of a traditional project pathway, the Burke and Seed Strategy teams adapted a flexible, truly agile approach. The Burke team began with insight mining via qualitative online bulletin boards to immerse into the Gen Z mindset, all while Seed Strategy’s team started a narrative document based on ingoing hypotheses and simultaneous secondary and social research. As responses and video replies were coming in from the qualitative, Seed’s team worked in real-time to incorporate and validate key themes and insights into a narrative document. Additionally, an agile quantitative study was launched, optimized to include late-breaking learnings and language, ensuring it would deliver the most relevant and useful information to strengthen the narrative story that was unfolding – uncovering a 360-degree view of segment emotions and occasions.

The OUTCOME

By adopting a flexible, collaborative, and efficient workstyle, the client was provided with a clear, intentional path forward for their brand strategy activation – all within mere days. By avoiding a siloing of responsibilities, and instead encouraging all team members to engage in each step, all teams were able to stay in-sync and proficient as each expedited phase was unfolding and flowing into the next. Ultimately, the teams helped the client quickly explore behaviors, emotions, and occasions – unlocking a path to deeper consumer connection, in this case, illuminating opportunities around Gen Z that can prime growth well into the future. ​