Youth Engagement – Chapter 7: Communicating with Gen Z

Engaging with Gen Z requires new modes of communication and new ways of thinking about building relationships. “If you’re really thinking about messaging being meaningful to people, as opposed to selling something, then users’ online time and attention and level of engagement is the new KPI [key performance indicator],” says Peter Rodgers, Director of Marketing at the Madison Symphony Orchestra. “Storytelling is the key aspect,” he continues, citing the success he has had with short videos, such as those where staff members talk about what’s on their Spotify playlist. One especially light-hearted video went viral, with over 200,000 views. “Engagements were not just local but all over the country. We saw comments that this was fun to see from a symphony orchestra.”

“As with EDI and community outreach, if you don’t go where they are you can’t expect them to come to you,” Rodgers explains. With Gen Z that means social media, and in particular Instagram and TikTok. “If we don’t expand our media mix to the kinds of places where people are, it doesn’t matter what our product is.” On the content side, the Madison Symphony Orchestra is fortunate to have a digital marketing team that includes a member of Gen Z, Chris Fiol, as Digital Marketing and Engagement Strategist. Adding this position was a long-term project for Rodgers. The position began part-time but, by virtue of results, has now gone full-time. “You overcome resistance with transparency and careful, frequent communication. You only need a few champions who understand and can support these initiatives.”

To learn more about Gen Z’s preferences in terms of programming, concert formats and the overall experience of attending an orchestra performance, watch the League webinar Adapting to Changing Audience Preferences, featuring research findings produced by WolfBrown, in partnership with the League. For an in-depth focus on the preferences of audiences of color, including younger audiences, review the League Insights and webinar exploring findings from the Slover Linett report Taking Another Listen.

As Dan Trahey at El Sistema USA says, young people “speak the language of the neighborhood. The energy is different with youth-led messaging.” In the Youth Ambassador Program described in Chapter 4, young people are responsible for operational communications. “Sometimes I’m biting my tongue—they’re learning how to send an email. But kids don’t respond to adult emails, only to other kids.”

Photo: Youth Ambassadors are responsible for operational communications at El Sistema USA. Credit: El Sistema USA