Next Gen Edutainment

The bar – and opportunity - for edutainment is getting higher – so how is your brand going to meet it?

Gen Z may be quick to jump on the ‘hype’ vehicle – but they’re also hungry for real information. Knowledge empowers ‘better’ consumption. And is a valuable social currency too.

We’re not just talking about the “skintellectuals”- cultivation of consumer expertise will soon impact every category (and platform).

Just look what’s happening on TikTok, where a new kind of content reflects Gen Z’s platform’s shift from light entertainment to serious search. Wikipedia snippets are popping up in results; 23-year-old Kelsey Russell (88.7k followers / 5.2m likes) is reading newspapers aloud; and ‘The Washington Post’ continues to win with its fresh storytelling. 

But what does that mean for brands? Only that big-on-aspiration x low-on-explanation comms may be missing a trick. And that as the edutainment space becomes more crowded, it’s time to…

  • GET CREATIVE & EMBRACE NEW TECH: Swedish innovation lab IN/LAB have created a news service supported by AI-generated music – demonstrating how new tech can be used to bring information to life.

  • DOUBLE DOWN ON PROFESSIONAL INFLUENCERS: Move over celebrity influencers, micro-influencers, and de-influencers - a new gen of professionals (across everything from oral care to financial planning) are using TikTok, offering expert opinions and detailed insight into their work. Now THAT is someone worth partnering with.

  • START SPEAKING TO GEN ALPHA TOO: ‘Edutainment’ is a well-established tool for younger learners – and as this becomes an increasingly powerful consumer base (check out the recent festive period Gen Alpha shopping ‘havoc’ at Sephora) it might be time to consider how early you start educating consumers.

Food For Thought: 

Reality BiteJUDITH MIZRAHI