According to The Morning Advertiser’s sister title MCA’s 2017 Pub Market Report, those aged 18–24 are less inclined to visit the pub to have a drink and catch up with friends and would rather update Facebook or post on Snapchat.
A third of those in the age category are now teetotal and consider social media as a better use of their time than popping to the local, which makes the pub the 16th most popular pastime among the group.
In-depth research among 1,000 consumers aged 18–34 has built an accurate picture of attitudes, interests and behaviours of Generation Z and Millennials, the report said.
Getting to grips with Millennials
Now pubs have got to grips with Millennials, the next big question is what does Generation Z want and what will get them to the bar, asks the report, which also claims to give the answer.
One thing, however, is clear and that is free WiFi and a wider range of soft drinks is no longer enough to keep younger consumers coming back.
MCA executive director Simon Stenning said: “The fix is more complex. For pubs to position their venues for young people, they need to consider a range of influential factors, including the pub environment and experience.
“Our young adults pub visits survey gives pub operators and suppliers a valuable compass for increasing their relevance to changing consumer needs.”
Read the full report
To purchase the full report and find out how you can attract Generation Z and the Millennials, contact Laura Bicknell by email at Laura.Bicknell@mca-insight.com.
Meanwhile, there are seven things pubs can do to attract the elusive Generation Z according to Chloe Combi, author of Generation Z: Their Voices, Their Lives.
Social media-savvy operators are more likely to attract the smartphone surfers, as well as those who offer unusual, picture-worthy drinks, according to the author.
Of pubs using social media Combi said: “I speak to CEOs and they say ‘I don't have time’. My answer to that is most pubs have fairly young bar staff, put them in charge of it. Have a social media person, [let them] create a Snapchat story of a Saturday night, it's amazing marketing.”