Gen Z is Rewriting Brand Relevance

The SenseMaker Insight Panel - Hear Live & Direct from Gen Z

On Tuesday, Dazed hosted its first UK Brand Summit at Mason & Fifth in Westbourne Park. The event showcased a public-facing version of SenseMakers Insights product, our Studio Insights research tool that gives brands direct access to frontline perspectives, real-time reactions, and grounded cultural intelligence.

Strategy Director Izzy Farmiloe was joined by four Gen Z tastemakers - Aarony, Gracie, Habi, and Shel - to unpack what truly matters for brands seeking cultural relevance. Here’s what they shared.

Meet the Panellists

Show that you’ve done the groundwork - know your audience

Aarony was keen to emphasise that brands need to genuinely understand and engage with their communities, rather than just broadcast superficial marketing.

"I really like when a brand knows themselves and knows their audience... I feel like Diesel's been doing it for me with their Durex collaboration… Take the time to know who your audience is: understand if it's girlhood, or if it's skaters, or something like that, that they enjoy. Be in those spaces, know where they hang out, what they are interested in, how they express themselves." 

- Aarony Bailey, Filmmaker and Photographer

Ethics matter - more than you think they do

Gracie and Aarony both mentioned that youth expect brands to have clear values and speak out on political issues, with silence no longer being acceptable. Panelists also criticised performative activism, and called for brands to provide tangible financial support to communities. Focus on purpose, not just product.

Gracie brought in a tub of Ben & Jerry's ice cream as an example of a product that spoke to brand relevance:

“Ben & Jerry's has been very vocal in terms of their solidarity with Palestinians, with standing up for trans rights, and for democratic rights… It's all well and good being like OK, I can put a rainbow packaging on my Coca-Cola bottle, but if you're not actually doing anything to help anybody - people are actually going hungry, people are not being able to make ends meet - distributing your wealth is the start to making people interested in your brand."

- Gracie Brackstone, Artist

"I don't personally have time for someone who doesn't have an opinion or isn't using a platform to share or to enlighten people about certain topics... if you have something to say, I admire that so much more than complete silence."

- Aarony Bailey, Filmmaker and Photographer

"I'm particularly interested when artists are really outspoken in a really genuine way, and passionate about their ideals... Chappell Roan came out and was talking about the music industry... Billie Eilish made a comment about there being a lot of billionaires in the room, and to share your money."

- Shel Kaplan, Community Manager, Dazed

Be transparent

Habi and Shel drew attention to the fact that young consumers research purchases carefully and want to know exactly where their money goes.

"I will take a longer time to buy something, if that means I get to actually dig deep into where my money is going, like who is making these clothes, where did they come from, what are the materials." 

- Habi Diallo, Branded Content Editor, Dazed

"One thing that's like a conception of our generation is that we actually spend a lot more time researching and being intentional with purchase decisions." 

- Shel Kaplan, Community Manager, Dazed

Community creates brand accessibility

Despite being digital natives, panelists valued real-world experiences and community-building over purely online engagement.

"When young people are putting those stickers on their laptop and they're in like a library or something, they're more likely to attract the type of people that have similar interests to them. I had my Dazed tote bag when I was at Leeds... That just like kind of naturally brought me to people that I wanted to talk to... People are desperate to go outside and be among people and actually speak to people or just find people that have shared interests. That’s why I think Lucila Safdie’s film club means something." 

- Habi Diallo, Branded Content Editor, Dazed

"I've found that sense of brand and community so strong amongst streetwear brands and skateboard brands like Palace... to be around so many different types of people within those generations. When things are so online at the moment I feel like it's such a beautiful mixture of creating connection." 

- Aarony Bailey, Filmmaker and Photographer

It’s the small brand gestures that matter, too

Small, thoughtful touches from brands are remembered and valued as signs of genuine care.

Aarony brought in her Diesel's wash bag gift that came with a bikini she had bought for a holiday last year, to illustrate this point:

"Brands don't actually look after their customers anymore. Like I remember buying an iPhone several years ago, and I would get stickers, a charger, headphones - we don’t get that anymore. I used to also collect stickers gifted to me from Glossier. I feel like that's kind of been lost a little bit." 

- Aarony Bailey, Filmmaker and Photographer

Habi also highlighted that small gestures can be touchpoints that widen your brand's accessibility:

"Most people who are familiar with her and love her brand are not necessarily going to be able to afford £700 jeans, but they can take their friends and go to the cinema and watch a film, and maybe leave with an object that makes them feel like they're a part of something."

- Habi Diallo, Branded Content Editor, Dazed (on Lucila Safdie giving out headbands and stickers at her film club)

The bottom line

What emerged clearly from the panel is that brand relevance for Gen Z isn't just about polish or aesthetics; it's about integrity and intentionality.

Whether it's a free sticker that sparks connection, a film club that builds community, or a public stand on human rights, young people are looking for brands that understand their values run deeper than their purchasing power. They're willing to research more for brands that demonstrate genuine care - not just for their customers, but for the communities and causes that matter to them.

"Brands need to look around and register the social climate that youth are absorbing every day online - political polarisation, silencing, economic struggles and an ever-growing climate emergency. They should ask themselves: 'How can we engage with these issues and prove to youth that we are on their side, we support them through their struggles, support their passions, their hope for the future? How can we bring youth together with our community?'"

- Mina Polo, Junior Strategist

To learn more or schedule a demo of our SenseMakers product, contact the Dazed Studio team or izzy.farmiloe@dazedmedia.com to learn more about our services.