A brand feels authentic to Gen Z when its actions make its promises believable: the product works as described, policies are clear, public values shape real decisions, and people can find evidence behind important claims. There is no single Gen Z playbook. Build for a specific audience, category, and market, then check whether customers’ experience matches what your brand says.
What makes a brand authentic to Gen Z?
Authenticity is a judgment people make from what they can observe, not a quality a brand can declare about itself. A polished campaign cannot compensate for unreliable service, vague claims, or a visible gap between stated values and everyday choices.
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Keep the evidence in view. In Ipsos’s May 2024 Generations Report, 92% of Global Gen Z respondents indicated that being authentic and true to oneself was extremely or very important. That figure is about personal authenticity, not a direct measure of brand preference. The same report says 67% of Global Gen Zs are open to new brands or products if they align with their values; it is a reported openness, not a forecast that a values-led message will convert customers. Ipsos, Generations Report (Thailand version), May 2024.
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Those global summaries should not be treated as a description of every young customer. Geography, category, budget, and individual experience matter. For example, Ipsos’s report says 43% of Gen Z in Thailand expect to cut back on non-essential spending and 51% prioritize their finances because of rising prices. That is specific to Thailand, not a universal Gen Z spending pattern.
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Turn values into decisions customers can see
Choose a small number of values that genuinely guide the business. For each one, identify what changes in the product, service, workforce, or partnerships because of that commitment. If no decision or practice would change, the value is probably functioning as campaign language rather than an operating principle.
- Make the claim specific. Replace broad declarations with a clear description of what the brand does and where the commitment applies.
- Show the relevant evidence. Explain the policy, process, or product choice that supports the claim, and make the information accessible where customers need it.
- Own the boundary. State what the commitment does not cover or what remains unresolved instead of implying more progress than the evidence supports.
- Check for contradictions. Compare public messaging with product quality, customer support, pricing, and partner behavior. A mismatch is more persuasive than a slogan.
A 2025 Clutch consumer survey release reports that 56% named a mismatch between a brand’s values and actions as a trust-breaker. Clutch does not provide sample size or full methodology in the accessible release, so treat this as a survey-reported signal rather than a precise estimate for Gen Z. Clutch, “Clutch Report: Brands Are Losing Consumer Trust Fast as 97% Demand Authenticity,” December 2, 2025.
Make useful product and process facts easy to inspect
Transparency helps people evaluate claims when information is observable, understandable, and intentionally disclosed. A 2024 Psychology & Marketing study develops a perceived brand transparency scale around those dimensions and reports positive relationships between perceived transparency, authenticity, trust, and related evaluations. It does not establish that every disclosure causes commercial success in every market. Montecchi et al., “Perceived brand transparency: A conceptualization and measurement scale,” 2024.
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Offer information that helps customers assess the specific claim, rather than burying it in a volume of undifferentiated detail. Depending on the category, useful evidence may include materials, sourcing, how a product is made, what a price or subscription includes, the limits of a feature, or how returns and support work. Put those facts in plain language and near the claim they explain.
Clutch’s 2025 release says surveyed consumers named transparency about processes or materials (69%) and unfiltered reviews (62%) as indicators of authenticity. These are not Gen Z-only findings, and the release does not provide full methodology; use them as directional consumer-survey results, not universal rules. Clutch’s survey release.
Represent people and customer experiences realistically
Use images, stories, and examples that reflect the people and situations the brand actually serves. Ipsos specifically reports global Gen Z pushback against unrealistic beauty standards. That finding supports care in beauty representation; it does not prove the same response in every category.
When sharing a customer story, get permission, preserve the person’s context, and avoid presenting an exceptional result as typical. A credible account is specific about what happened and does not imply that every customer will have the same experience.
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Creators can help explain how a product fits into real use, but choosing someone with an audience is not proof of authenticity. Ipsos reports that 63% of Global Gen Zs trust product or brand recommendations from influencers more than what brands say about themselves. This is relative reported trust, not evidence that every influencer campaign performs better. Ipsos, May 2024.
- Choose creators for relevant experience and audience fit, not reach alone.
- Let them describe genuine use in their own voice; do not script unsupported praise.
- Clearly disclose paid or otherwise material relationships.
- Do not edit out reasonable limitations or turn one person’s result into a general product claim.
These are safeguards for a credible partnership, not a promise of campaign performance. The creator’s experience should be distinguishable from the brand’s claims, and both should be accurate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep a recognizable voice without chasing Gen Z slang
A consistent voice makes a brand easier to recognize; imitating the latest slang can make it sound like it is performing for an audience rather than speaking to one. Adapt tone to the platform and community while keeping the same underlying character: how the brand explains a problem, responds to criticism, and treats customers should remain coherent.
Clutch’s 2025 release reports that consumers named a distinct brand voice (55%) and consistent messaging (41%) as authenticity indicators. It also reports that 59% named generic or robotic messaging as a trust-breaker. These figures are from a broad consumer survey release, not a Gen Z-only study, and its full methodology is not available on the page. Clutch, December 2, 2025.
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Generative AI is not automatically incompatible with authenticity, and the evidence does not justify a universal claim that AI-written content always harms trust. A 2024 experimental paper investigates whether generative AI use in social media content diminishes perceived brand authenticity, but the available summary does not establish enough detail to generalize its results. As an editorial practice, have a person verify factual claims, tone, and context before publishing, and do not imply a human experience that did not occur. “Do you create your content yourself? Using generative artificial intelligence for social media content creation diminishes perceived brand authenticity,” 2024.
Test credibility with the audience you intend to reach
Ask people in the relevant market and category what they understand from a claim, what proof they would expect, and what feels inconsistent with their experience. Use their answers to find gaps, not to solicit approval for a finished campaign. Transparency information also needs to be findable and salient: a 2025 Journal of Business Research paper describes active, passive, and dormant ways consumers engage with it, suggesting that audiences differ in how they seek and process information. “Consumers demand transparency… but do they actually engage? Exploring motives and interactions with brand transparency information,” May 2025.
Quick Recap
Before publishing a claim or campaign, check:
- Is the claim specific enough to verify?
- Can the brand show relevant evidence in language customers understand?
- Do product, service, and policy behavior match the message?
- Can the intended audience find the evidence without being overwhelmed?
- Are the people speaking for the brand credible for this audience, with relationships disclosed?
- Does the evidence support the claim for this geography and category, rather than a broader audience the data does not cover?
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