ZCON 2024
ZCON is an innovative conference that last month brought together 150+ content creators and representatives from 500+ brands to challenge the rules of business engagement. Unlike traditional corporate gatherings where experienced executives dominate the conversation, this event flips the script: here the voices of Gen Z take center stage and CEOs and CMOs listen and learn.
The Power of the Creators of General Z
“Gen Z creators are content machines,” explains Regina Harris, talent manager at Digital Brand Architects “They love to create content whether it’s paid for or not.” This natural inclination toward content creation sets them apart from previous generations, who often approach digital content more methodically.
What makes Gen Z unique is their unprecedented commitment to authenticity and social impact. “They desire honesty to a level that may not be healthy,” notes Harris. “The release is all hype and what’s almost expected, but it really comes from a place of wanting transparency.”
Olivia Frary, Head of ZCON at UTA Next Gen, emphasizes this generational shift: “What we always say is that teenage girls set the trends of any generation. Even just thinking about high school, all 13-year-old girls who had a Direction fan sites are now the most powerful marketers I know.” She adds, “I think the difference is that Gen Z is not afraid of that digital footprint… You see broadcasters going at it 24 hours a day, completely unfiltered.”
The evolution of content creation
The content creation landscape has undergone significant changes in recent years. Harris reflects on this transformation: “Hauls were amazing. They weren’t called hauls. They were called hauls. And we loved doing a good haul in 2014… No matter what company it was, there was no shame in the company from which you were buying.”
However, the approach has evolved with increasing awareness of social and environmental issues. “I don’t think overconsumption is over,” Harris admits, “but now we have to be a lot more tasteful with it. There might be a load, but you can just spread it over a few TikToks. Or maybe it’s in a video, and it’s like 10 items, but 10 items at most.”
Reimagining corporate spaces
ZCON, launched last year, represents a radical reimagining of traditional business conferences. The event came out of Juve Consulting, which Frary describes as “one of the largest Gen Z, Gen Z run, Gen Z lead marketing agencies created by diverse young people who are really tired of being in rooms and looking at corporate spaces to “represent them.”
“We created ZCON as a space and platform for diverse young voices to be heard. It’s the first ever conference with only Gen Z speakers,” explains Frary. The event was born out of a vision to transform the way corporations engage with young leaders.
“So we often have different young people who are leaders, who are entrepreneurs or content creators or business owners themselves, who are told they have to wait their turn,” notes Frary. “Our goal was really just to turn it on its head and say, what if we had a room where the CEOs and CMOs of Fortune 500 companies are actually the ones who are listening and learning from different young people and the lived experiences that different young people are facing?”
The Rise of Digital Activism
One of the most striking aspects of Gen Z’s influence is their approach to social activism through digital platforms. Harris explains the organic evolution of this movement: “I think initially, they just wanted to be heard. The Internet was a place where you could say, ‘I can live in this small town where nobody really understands me, but I can find my online community.”
This community building has evolved into powerful social movements. “They became content creators themselves and wanted to start posting about things they care about,” Harris continues. “They realized that we can’t just talk. We really have to start doing our research and disseminating research in a way that is digestible to the masses… These infographics that have really been the backbone of so many movements, because you’re getting these micro doses of information.”
Beyond traditional programming
The ZCON conference featured innovative sessions that transcended typical corporate discussions. “One of my favorite talks was actually hosted by Maya Urban,” Frary shares, describing a panel on faith that included “Justina Miles, who’s actually a Deaf performer, who went viral for was the sign language interpreter during Rihanna’s performance at the Super Bowl.
The event also brought together activist-influencer Amelie Zilber with March for Our Lives founder Cameron Kasky for authentic conversations about social impact. “Their conversation was absolutely captivating,” notes Frary. “We called it ‘making it from group chat’ and it was full of lots of exciting surprises.”
Social Impact Initiatives
ZCON’s commitment to social impact goes beyond discussion. “At the core of what we do is really, we really want to focus our values,” says Frary. “We have holidays instead of holidays, we have moderation instead of a party.
The event included numerous hands-on initiatives: “This year, our non-profit partners were Earth Justice, Born This Way Foundation, Jed Foundation… We had 5 Gyres, who led a workshop on on-site waste sorting at ZCON this year.. . We had an incredible organization called Strategy for Black Lives Matter, another incredible organization focused on the Arts called Noise for Now and When We All Vote.”
Intergenerational influence
The event’s impact extended beyond its target demographic. Harris, who attended as a speaker and participant, shares her surprise: “There were so many generations in the crowd. I saw so many millennials lit up… They were proud of us, proud of what we’re doing.”
She continues, “There was a moment on stage that I remember giving the millennials in the crowd their flowers because it was like, you know, you kind of made us… You walked, now we’re running. We’re going to we do all these things because we have seen what you have done.
The Evolution of Brand Partnerships
For brands looking to connect with Gen Z creatives, Harris emphasizes the importance of authentic collaboration: “Yes, give them a creative brief, they want to know what you want, but when you give a creative a creative brief, leave space. enough to have creative freedom, because after all, they know their audience better than anyone.
She challenges traditional approaches to influencer marketing: “I’ve had a number of talents say they want it mentioned in the first three seconds. And that just doesn’t make sense. They’ll click on the video in the first three seconds if they hear ‘Sponsored from’… These are the old days of doing influencer marketing.”
Looking Forward
As ZCON prepares for its next iteration, Frary shares exciting plans: “We’re very excited to take this event to different spaces and different demographics, different geographies… We’re toying with the idea of bringing it back in LA. But it was a really exciting thing this year that was so much bigger and better and it’s just grown in every way.”
For young creators looking to make their mark, Frary shares a powerful insight from the conference: “Shame is the cost of entry…if you feel embarrassed about something, as long as it’s not hurting other people, that feeling it’s something. That’s so important to keep going and keep going when you feel that, because that means you’re on the right track.”
Harris adds her advice: “Don’t think of any job as too small, because it usually leads to the next thing, the next thing… Never think of any opportunity as too small. Just learn as much as you can while you can. as much as you can”.
As Gen Z continues to reshape the business landscape, ZCON stands as a testament to the power of giving young voices a platform. Through its unique approach to intergenerational dialogue and social impact, it’s not only changing the way conferences work – it’s changing the way business is done.
Excerpts from an episode of the Business of Creators podcast, where industry leaders share insights on the creator economy.