Gen Z’s TikTok Trends: A New Frontier for Advertisers

This year, the “Brat girl summer” phenomenon has captured the attention of Gen Z on TikTok. Among the trends going viral are the lime green theme from Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign and several other significant movements. While marketers may find it challenging to create timely content for these trends, valuable insights can still be gained for future applications.

1. Brat

The “Brat” trend originates from British pop artist Charli XCX’s album, which has become a viral sensation. This trend features lime green aesthetics, hyperpop video edits, and a popular dance to the song “Apple.” The trend gained momentum when Kamala Harris launched her presidential campaign, rebranding the Biden campaign’s X profile to “Kamala HQ” with a lime green header, reminiscent of the album’s cover art. Charli XCX responded with “Kamala IS brat,” leading to a surge in user-generated content featuring Harris and the Brat theme.

This trend underscores the importance of strong branding. The distinctive lime green and minimalist design of the Brat album makes it easily recognizable and replicable in user content. Additionally, the preference for low production value and authenticity among TikTok users is evident. While it may be too late for marketers to leverage the Brat trend directly, its aesthetic and authentic style offer enduring lessons for content creation.

2. Boots and a Slicked Back Bun/Gen Z Boss and a Mini

In July, a TikTok trend emerged where users hyped each other’s outfits with chants, such as “boots and a slicked back bun.” A beauty brand, tbh skincare, attempted to capitalize on this trend with a video featuring employees’ outfits, using the chant “Gen Z boss and a mini.” However, the post was criticized for appearing inauthentic and corporate, drawing negative comments and sexist remarks.

The brand effectively responded with a viral video that turned the negative comments into chants, demonstrating a successful strategy for handling criticism and maintaining authenticity. This trend highlights the difficulty for marketers to engage in meme culture without seeming disingenuous, but it also shows that standing firm on brand identity and values can turn criticism into an advantage.

3. Underconsumption Core

A trend of creators showcasing the use of products until they are fully consumed or wearing the same clothes repeatedly has gained traction on TikTok. This movement, known as “underconsumption core,” echoes the earlier “de-influencing” trend, promoting sustainability and mindful consumption among Gen Z.

For marketers, this trend suggests a shift in consumer values toward sustainability and long-lasting products. Although directly participating in this trend might be counterproductive for marketers focused on selling products, it is crucial to recognize and align with Gen Z’s preference for environmentally friendly purchases.

4. Everything Olympics

The Olympics have become a pervasive content theme on TikTok, with fans and athletes alike sharing their experiences. With over 1.037 billion TikTok users worldwide, up from 836.8 million during the 2022 Winter Olympics, the platform provides a vast audience for Olympic content.

Olympians who are also TikTok creators offer unique insights into life in the Olympic Village, creating opportunities for brands to partner with these athletes. Unlike other trends, brands can capitalize on Olympics content without appearing out of touch, provided they move quickly to form partnerships and create engaging content.

These trending topics on TikTok reflect evolving interests and values among Gen Z. Marketers can learn from these trends, even if they cannot participate directly, by embracing authenticity, sustainability, and timely engagement with viral content.