TR BUSINESS: “Blueprint and m1nd-set launch Gen Z insights and consultancy programme”

GenZ RedY is a new insights and consultancy programme designed to help GTR stakeholders better understand and engage with Gen Z,

Travel retail stakeholders are now able to gain a deeper understanding of the Generation Z consumer segment thanks to a new insights and consultancy programme launched by m1nd-set and Blueprint.

Titled GenZ RedY, the new service aims to help those in the global travel retail industry to understand the ‘unique nature’ and ‘diverse behavioural traits’ of this young shopper segment (currently aged between 10 and 27).

The programme, which has been developed hand in hand by the Switzerland based travel retail research agency and the business development agency, will explore how Gen Zs behave, what they shop for, why, where, and how they can be reached with targeted marketing messaging.

It also looks at how Gen Zs from around the world behave when travelling and when shopping in travel retail, and how their behaviour differs from other shopper segments.

“The importance of the Gen Z shopper segment cannot be ignored; just as everyone talked about millennials over the past decade, the industry really has to get a firm understanding of how the Gen Z segment behaves, and in particular how they differ from other segments,” said Thomas Kaneko-Henningsen, Partner at Blueprint.

“Gen Zs are going to be dominating the traveller population in the very near future. Gen Zs will be the biggest customer group by 2028; that is only five years away.

“At Blueprint, we are actively advising clients and partners to understand this young yet high-potential shopper segment as they are really very different to other, older segments, and will need very specific attention.”

Peter Mohn, Owner & CEO, m1nd-set and Thomas Henningsen, Partner, Blueprint.

For the GTR industry, the GenZ RedY programme ‘accentuates the importance of a very specific and tailored approach to this young segment’, according to Blueprint and m1nd-set.

“We see from our research that Gen Z shoppers behave quite differently to other segments in travel retail,” said Peter Mohn, Owner and CEO at m1nd-set.

“This is not only about what they purchase, but also how much they spend, who they purchase for, what motivates them to purchase and where they source their information about retail offers.

“More importantly, they are to be found on completely different social media platforms than their parents and other generations.

“It’s essential to understand that Gen Zs are digital natives, and far more immersed in social media, gamification and the metaverse than the older generations; we need to meet them in their environment and with the right register.”

Kaneko-Henningsen added: “It is imperative the overall travel retail experience is reconsidered, redefined and redesigned to ensure that we as an industry are not ignoring Gen Z shoppers and missing our targets when engaging with these travellers of the future – a not too distant future, I hasten to add.”

GenZ RedY encompasses a four-part research and business development programme: insights, conceptualisation, implementation and assessment.

Part one, insights, is a workshop series, which industry stakeholders can subscribe to for both management and frontline staff.

It’s tailored to all GTR sectors, including airports, airlines, cruise and ferry companies, retailers and brands.

Workshops (of varying length depending on the depth of data required and number of participants) will enable participants to get a firm understanding of Gen Z behaviour, their expectations and desires when shopping in travel retail.

In the conceptualisation phase, GenZ RedY will help stakeholders to identify and explore actions that positively impact the young traveller segment’s satisfaction and spend levels.

At the implementation stage, stakeholders are accompanied in planning and executing specific actions tailored towards the Gen Z segment.

Finally, the assessment phase is designed to help partners measure the impact of the actions undertaken and adjust these actions, where necessary, in close collaboration with the partners concerned.