GMG - Gen Z personas

Delivered June 28th, 2019. Contributors: Hillary O. and

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Gen Z Personas in UAE - Types

After examining the shopping behaviors of generation zers in the United Arab Emirates, four different types on gen zers that are buyers of athleisure/streetwear clothing in the country have been put together. They include physical shoppers, online shoppers, social shoppers, and luxury shoppers. 
Physical ShoppersThere are about 1.4 million gen zers in the UAE. Although this cohort seeks out convenience while doing anything - including shopping, they prefer shopping for athleisure and streetwear clothing in physical stores.  
In the UAE, gen zers value the experience and discovery that comes along with shopping in physical stores. 
 Around 80% of gen zers in the UAE "look forward to shopping in stores when they have time."  
The omnichannel experience they get from shopping in brick and mortar stores is undefeated. In addition, shopping for clothing in physical stores has become a way for gen zers in the UAE to "hang out" and connect with their friends.
Due to the large Muslim population in the UAE, athleisure brands like Nike have started offering athletic clothing with hijab. This has led to more teenagers in the country buying them. 
 Adidas and Nike remain the top athleisure brands in the UAE. These companies have physical stores that gen zers flock to in Dubai and other cities. 
Top streetwear brands like Undefeated and Fear of God are housed in several retail stores in the UAE.
Social ShoppersGen zers in the UAE are also known as web watchers. Daily, they consume more content from social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram than other generations. 
Due to the amount of time gen zers spend on social media, they now use these platforms to learn about new streetwear and athleisure clothing. 
They are also heavily influenced to shop for products based on what their favorite social media influencers/celebrities have on. 
Several athleisure and streetwear brands in the UAE retain social media influencers that show off their clothing to their target audience - millennials and gen zers.
 Arwa Al Banawi is a popular streetwear social media influencer in Dubai among gen zers. She recently collaborated with Adidas for streetwear and athleisure clothing in the country.
Online ShoppersIn the UAE, the gen z cohort was brought up in a digital world - as evidenced by their moniker, Digital Natives.  
Gen zers seek out convenience while doing anything - including shopping. This explains why 77% of the generation likes to shop for clothing online as much as possible. 
They spend more than 10 hours daily online and are on their mobile devices more than any other generation.
Athleisure brands like Lululemon have e-commerce websites and apps that make it easier for teenagers in the UAE to shop. 
Several athleisure and streetwear brands offer 24-hour customer service. This enables gen zers to get the personalized experience they want while from shopping online. 
Luxury ShoppersCurrently, the growth in the luxury clothing industry in the UAE is fueled by gen zers in the country. 
According to a study by Deloitte, teenagers in the UAE are richer than the average teenager in other countries. 
In the UAE, streetwear depicts "hip-hop’s affinity for luxury brands." The most common streetwear items include snapbacks, sidewear, and colored sunglasses. 
Luxury streetwear brands like Off-White, Stella McCartney, Z Zegna, Kenzo, and Amongst Few are some of the most popular brands among teenagers in the UAE.
Adidas, Lululemon, and Gymshark are some of the most popular luxury athleisure brands among teenagers and youths in the UAE. 
Research StrategyIn order to determine the three types of gen zers in the UAE who buy streetwear and athleisure clothing, we first searched for existing information on gen z personas in this country based on their streetwear/athleisure buying behavior. We examined credible news websites in the United Arab Emirates such as Gulf News and The National. None of these websites had any compiled gen z personas. We further expanded our search to include personas of teenagers in the UAE to no avail. Next, we turned to data intelligence platforms like Statista. We hoped there'd be a breakdown of the different types of gen zers in the UAE based on their clothing shopping behaviors but this was not provided. We then combed through surveys/studies done on the shopping behaviors of gen zers or teenagers in the UAE and any segmentation of this cohort. We found studies by Deloitte and Nielsen. While these studies had important information on how gen zers shop, there was no set in stone segmentation of their personas.

Our next approach involved expanding our search to the different kinds of gen zers in the Middle East who buy athleisure and/or streetwear. Using the above-mentioned strategies, we only found relevant data on their overall shopping behavior and what they look out for when shopping. 

Since none of our strategies provided the results we needed, we decided to manually compile a list of gen z personas in the UAE based on their streetwear/athleisure shopping habits. To do this, we thoroughly reviewed the data we found on how gen zers and teenagers in the UAE and Middle East shop for clothing, we then selected the shopping behaviors that appeared/was corroborated by several other sources. For example, it is a known fact that gen zers in the UAE are digital natives and seek out convenience in shopping for streetwear/athleisure. Using this information, we formed a persona called "online shoppers." We also sought out the most popular streetwear and athleisure brands in the country and narrowed down their target audience and where most of their sales comes from. We found that teenagers account for a large share of the sales made by some of these brands. Through this, we were able to create four gen z personas in the UAE that are buyers of streetwear/athleisure clothing. Since online and social shoppers are somewhat similar, we provided a fourth type of persona. 

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Gen Z Personas in UAE - Persona 1

The first Gen Z shopping persona identified is Physical Shoppers. These individuals embrace physical shopping supported by technology. In addition, they do most of their research online prior to actually purchasing in a store. 
HOW THEY SHOP In general, Gen Zers are known as digital natives but when it comes to shopping, most of them would rather go to a brick and mortar store than shop online. 
Physical shopping for Gen Zers in the UAE is an experience that allows them to hang out and spend time with their friends while also doing something fun - shopping. 
Despite their independence, they'd rather be attended to by experienced sales professionals in streetwear/athleisure stores as opposed to no help at all. 
Gen zers in the UAE use digital payment methods and debit cards while shopping in physical stores.
HOW THEY RESEARCH BRANDS/CLOTHINGThe Physical Shoppers group of Gen Zers are no different from others in that they still research brands on social media before buying. 
About 42% of Gen Zers in a survey indicated that they follow their favorite clothing brands on social media.
Living up to their moniker - screenagers, Gen Zers in the UAE use their phones to compare prices or look up discounts while shopping in physical stores. 
Gen Zers in the Middle East tend to engage in 'webrooming'. This means they do all their research on athleisure and streetwear brands online and end up buying the items in physical stores. 
When these Gen Zers do get to physical stores, most of them are fully convinced of what they want but can still be swayed by friends.  
WHERE THEY SHOP AND WHAT MOTIVATES THEM TO SHOPThe Physical Shoppers group of Gen Zers in the UAE are not loyal to specific streetwear/athleisure brands. They simply go with what they can afford or what is trending among friends and social media influencers. 
More than 60% of Gen Z shoppers in the Middle East are heavily influenced by a brand's values and ethics. 
Gen Zers in the UAE are drawn to athleisure and streetwear brands that reflect real life. Brands like Nike do this through partnerships with loved influencers and marketing. 
A convenient store location influences Gen zers in the UAE to shop at a certain streetwear/athleisure store over another. 
WHAT THEY EXPECT WHILE SHOPPINGThe Physical Shoppers group of Gen zers wants technology implemented in their brick and mortar shopping experience. 
Up to 53% of Gen Zers prefer physical stores with WiFi while shopping. These individuals expect features like interactive mirrors and augmented technology as this helps make their shopping seamless. 
They also expect a visually pleasing store design and display.
In addition, they want a personalized and omnichannel shopping experience.
RESEARCH STRATEGYFirst, we examined the previous request where we found that the first Gen Z shopping persona is called "Physical Shoppers". To provide the shopping characteristics of this persona, we looked for existing information on the shopping behaviors of Gen Zers in the UAE that shop for clothing in physical stores. We perused credible news websites in the United Arab Emirates such as Gulf News and The National. These websites were helpful in providing some shopping attitudes of this group in relation to clothing. We then reviewed surveys and studies done about this group. Surveys by Deloitte and the Nielsen analyzed global teenagers, but also provided some relevant data on UAE teenagers. Since Gen Z'ers in the UAE are between 10 to 22 years old, we used the term "teenagers" in some cases. We also perused data intelligence platforms like Statista. We hoped there would be a breakdown of the different shopping characteristics of Generation Z physical shoppers. This avenue did not provide as much information as we needed. Therefore, we had to expand our search to Middle East teenagers for a more complete response. 

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Gen Z Personas in UAE - Persona 2

The second type of Gen Z shopping persona identified is Social/Online Shoppers. These are Gen Z'ers who tend to shop mainly online or via social media platforms. As expected, most of their research on what streetwear/athleisure to buy is done online. In addition, they expect a seamless online shopping experience and want to be able to easily reach out to their favorite clothing brands via social media. 
HOW THEY SHOPSocial/Online Shoppers are Gen Z'ers that like to shop online and via social media.  
More than two-thirds of Gen Z'ers in the UAE would rather shop for clothing online due to its convenience. 
When shopping for streetwear and athleisure clothing online, most Gen Z'ers in the UAE use digital payment methods like Apple Pay or debit cards.  
HOW THEY RESEARCH BRANDS/CLOTHINGThe Social/Online Shoppers group of Gen Z'ers find out about streetwear and athleisure brands through their favorite influencers on social media. 
These individuals leverage the instant shopping features provided by social media platforms like Instagram to find out about clothing. On Instagram, brands are now posting pictures of influencers in their clothing. One can simply tap this picture to see the type and price of clothing. 
Compared to Gen Z'ers in other parts of the world, Gen Z'ers in the UAE use Facebook often. Facebook and Instagram are some of the most popular channels used by this group to find out about brands.
These Gen Z'ers also discover new streetwear/athleisure clothing through vloggers on YouTube.  
WHERE THEY SHOP AND WHAT MOTIVATES THEM TO SHOPThese Gen Z'ers are attracted to international streetwear and athleisure brands like Off-White due to its popularity among their favorite celebrities. However, international brands are not doing very well in attracting them. They either are too edgy or too conservative.  
Although the UAE is quite conservative, due to its diversity, teenagers in this country are more liberal and want the perfect balance of conservative and edgy clothing 
The Social/Online Shoppers group of Gen Z'ers are more interested in brands that reflect their values and are social conscious. 
Gen Z'ers in the UAE are driven by what celebrities and social media influencers are wearing. 
More than half of Gen Z in the UAE revealed that seamless retail apps and websites have more influence on their purchases than TV or banner ads. 
WHAT THEY EXPECT WHILE SHOPPINGGen Z'ers in the UAE prefer shopping online through their mobile devices rather than on their desktops/laptops. Therefore, they expect their favorite streetwear/athleisure clothing brands to have easy to use mobile apps. 
As online/social shoppers, these Gen Z'ers expect a seamless mobile/digital experience as they have no patience for apps and websites that are tricky to navigate. 
Over 60% of teenage online shoppers in the UAE revealed that they will not use a website/app that is difficult to navigate while more than half said they will steer away from e-commerce websites that take time to load.  
Gen Z'ers in the Middle East expect brands to not only be active on social media, but to also have a cool and interesting aesthetic.  
They also expect an omnichannel experience. They want to be able to reach out to brands via social media or chat if they have issues with their website or app. 
RESEARCH STRATEGYWe first reviewed the previous request where we found that four different personas had been created. It was mentioned there that online and social shoppers are similar. Thus, we decided to group them as one. To provide the shopping characteristics of this persona, we looked for existing information on the shopping behaviors of online/social Gen Z shoppers in the UAE. We perused credible news websites in the United Arab Emirates such as Gulf News and The National. These websites were helpful in providing some shopping attitudes of this group in relation to clothing. We then reviewed surveys and studies done about this group. Surveys by Deloitte and the Nielsen analyzed global teenagers, but also provided some relevant data on UAE teenagers. Since Gen Z'ers in the UAE are between 10 to 22 years old, we used the term "teenagers" in some cases. We also perused data intelligence platforms like Statista. We hoped there would be a breakdown of the different shopping characteristics of Generation Z online/social shoppers. This avenue did not provide as much information as we needed. Therefore, we had to expand our search to Middle East teenagers for a more complete response. 

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Gen Z Personas in UAE - Persona 3

The last Gen Z shopping persona identified in the previous response is Luxury Shoppers. Gen Zers in the UAE spend six times more on clothing than their counterparts in other parts of the world. These luxury shoppers research clothing online prior to eventually buying them in a physical store.
HOW THEY SHOPGen Zers in the UAE do not equate luxury shopping to self-worth or status. In fact, they fully support inclusion and want the luxury brands they buy to have similar values.
Gen Z luxury shoppers in this country want to be able to share their streetwear/athleisure shopping experience with friends online. 
Gen Zers in the Middle East are richer than most Gen Zers in other countries. In addition, their willingness to buy luxury brands is stronger. 
These individuals will rather shop for luxury streetwear and athletics in physical stores. However, they also want to have the option of shopping online for convenience.
Middle Eastern teenagers are knowledgeable when it comes to luxury clothing. Therefore, they know exactly what items they want to buy before visiting a store. 
HOW THEY RESEARCH, WHERE THEY SHOP AND WHAT MOTIVATES THEM TO SHOPPrior to making a luxury purchase, Gen Zers in the Middle East scan reviews online.  
Luxury Gen Z shoppers also learn about new athleisure and streetwear clothing/brands from their peers. 
Luxury Gen Z shoppers in the UAE are easily influenced by what teenage fashion icons like Brooklyn Beckham are wearing.
Trust is one of the major motivators for luxury Gen Z shoppers in the UAE. They only buy brands they trust. 
Compared to other Gen Z shoppers in the UAE, luxury teenage shoppers are loyal to luxury brands that reflect their values. 
WHAT THEY EXPECT WHILE SHOPPINGWhile shopping, Gen Zers in the UAE want to have a unique and personalized experience all through their buying process.
To them, shopping in physical stores is a way to create lasting memories with friends. 
Since technology plays a pivotal role in the lives of Gen Zers in the Middle East, they expect luxury brands to have apps and websites that are easy to navigate.  
They also expect luxury brands to have a social media presence and to actively engage with their followers on social media. 
Since luxury Gen Z teenagers in the Middle East travel a lot, they expect brands to have a global presence.  
RESEARCH STRATEGYFirst, we examined the previous request where we found that the last Gen Z shopping persona is called "Luxury Shoppers". To provide the shopping characteristics of this persona, we looked for existing information on the shopping behaviors of Gen Zers in the UAE that shop for clothing for luxury clothing. We scoured credible news websites in the United Arab Emirates such as Gulf News. These websites were somewhat helpful in providing some shopping attitudes of this group in relation to clothing. We then reviewed surveys and studies done about this group. Surveys by Deloitte analyzed global teenagers, but also provided some relevant data on UAE teenagers. Since Gen Zers in the UAE are between 10 to 22 years old, we used the term "teenagers" in some cases. We also combed through data intelligence platforms like Statista. We hoped there would be a breakdown of the different shopping characteristics of Generation Z physical shoppers. This avenue did not provide as much information as we needed. Therefore, we had to expand our search to Middle East teenagers for a more complete response. 