The Ads Don’t Work for Gen Z

It was only after moving to London that I realised how intense it feels to be constantly targeted by brand messaging. In Iran, where I’m from, young consumers aren’t yet bombarded with targeted ads online. But in the UK, being Gen Z comes with a flashing target sign. Every scroll and stroll feels like an occasion for one more brand to ask for your attention, loyalty and, of course, money. 

At first, I was fascinated. But very quickly, I felt paralysed. Overwhelmed by choice and overstimulated by brand campaigns, I stopped myself from engaging with any of it. In Farsi, my native language, we have a word for this feeling: kalafeh. The best translation is the feeling of having 30 tabs open and no idea where the music is coming from. That’s how a Gen Z consumer feels today. 

We are the most targeted generation by ads and brands in history and we’re aware of it. According to Analyzify, 80% of Gen Z feel they encounter more brand advertisements than any other generation. Ads follow us everywhere – on social media, between every YouTube video, embedded in apps, plastered across newsletters and spam we never signed up for, and even in real life – wherever we go.

Gen Z’s Martha Stewart summer era

That’s why Gen Z are logging off. We’re embracing what Pinterest has called the ‘Martha Stewart summer’. This shift towards analogue and digital detox is all about adopting a slow way of life. As explored in LS:N Global’s Digital Detox Destinations microtrend report, this surge of interest for a world sans digital devices is rooted in anemoia – a longing for a time we’ve never lived in, but deeply crave.

I’m not the only one feeling paralysed by constant brand messaging. To make things official, I created a short Google Form and shared it with some of my Gen Z peers across the UK, Iran, France, Austria, Canada, The Netherlands and the US. I wanted to better understand how overwhelmed they feel by brand marketing, what they are tired of and which brands – if any – are getting it right. 

More than 70% said they often feel overwhelmed by the saturation of brand content targeted at them, while the rest answered that they sometimes feel this way. Not a single person answered ‘rarely’ or ‘never’.

Social media paralysis

TikTok consistently came up as the worst offender. One respondent compared TikTok Shop ads to scams while another added: ‘Even when creators say ‘I’m not being paid’, the affiliate links in their bios say otherwise. It makes me lose trust in them and the brand.’ Several mentioned that they now rarely scroll without feeling uncomfortable, as if someone is constantly trying to sell them something. 

Instagram fared no better. Respondents described ads in Stories and Reels as ‘irrelevant’, ‘too frequent’ and ‘unskippable’. Pinterest, once a go-to destination for inspiration, was also called out for being ‘bombarded with sponsorships’. 

One participant shared an anecdote that perfectly summed up this feeling of paralysis. While shopping for mascara at Boots, she opened TikTok to check which product was most recommended by influencers. Instead of finding clear guidance, she was hit with a wave of sponsored content and branded recommendations. ‘I ended up trusting none of them,’ she said. The experience left her feeling uninformed and overwhelmed.

The branding playbook to attract and retain Gen Z

Even brands that started off strong can quickly become ‘too much’. Hailey Bieber’s Rhode, which found immense success among Gen Z consumers, was mentioned as a brand that had crossed into inauthenticity. ‘Too many fake compliments by influencers,’ one person said. ‘It just doesn’t feel real any more.’ 

My peers weren’t all cynical, however, as many of them shared more about the brands that have successfully found the right recipe to attract and retain Gen Z. The answers ranged from global giants to independent labels. Apple, Nike, Spotify and Converse were named for their consistency and clarity.

Loewe, Bottega Veneta, Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga earned respect for staying recognisable and culturally engaged. The real winners? Refy, Nude Project and Joseph Atelier – not for flashy campaigns, but for feeling authentic.

‘Most Gen Z-owned brands just get it,’ one respondent wrote. ‘Maybe brands need to have someone our age on the team to actually understand how to talk to us.’ For many, it was all about channelling the right intention. 

When respondents were asked to recall memorable campaigns, Loewe came up for its playful yet luxury-coded tomato bag, born from a viral tweet. Others cited Fenty Beauty’s long-term commitment to inclusivity, Refy’s use of genuine user-generated content and Sephora’s knack for tapping into Gen Z humour on TikTok. Even fast food brand A&W got a mention for a quirky frozen root beer campaign that stood out for its originality. 

My peers and I aren’t anti-marketing. But we will leave brands on read when marketing feels manipulative, excessive or dishonest. If you want us to engage, meet us with respect and cultural fluency, and give us some breathing room.

Flooding us with ads won’t build connection – it builds resistance. Many of us are already deleting apps, setting screen time limits or simply longing to be left alone. Want to reach Gen Z? Stop shouting. Start listening.

Dede Mivehchi is a London-based fashion marketing student at London College of Fashion and a foresight intern at The Future Laboratory.