Gen Z’s Short Attention Span Is a Myth. Here Are 5 Keys To Capturing Their Interest.

There’s a common narrative around Gen Z: they have short attention spans, they’re chronically online, and they’re disengaged. And to reach them, marketers need to jump on the hottest microtrend and flood them with content. 

But after a year of building Sunnie, Hello Sunshine’s Gen Z-focused media, experiential, and lifestyle brand, I don’t believe Gen Z has the attention problem that most people assume. 

When something catches their interest, they’ll spend hours exploring endless rabbit holes—reading books, rummaging thrift store racks, and yes, scrolling through TikToks. 

They aren’t incapable of paying attention, they’re just decisive about what deserves it—especially in today’s over-saturated media environment.

Being intentional about what deserves their time—and their joy—is a way for them to reclaim control and agency.

Here’s how marketers can crack the Gen Z code:

Start with a community-first strategy vs a social-first strategy 

One of the biggest misconceptions about Gen Z is that their lives happen entirely online. With the loss of third spaces, Gen Z is yearning to take the group chat offline. Social platforms are often where their discovery starts, but we’re increasingly seeing that they’re looking for continued connection beyond social media.

Ninety percent of Gen Z girls value brands that help create opportunities for real-world connection, according to a study we conducted with Westfield Rise. We also found that 73% view malls as a primary social gathering place. They’re not necessarily shopping, but looking for somewhere to spend time together.

The brands that are breaking through today understand that offline communities are often more important than the online ones, and in-person vibes cannot be replicated.

Dig the rabbit hole, don’t build the billboard

Traditional marketing often focuses on reach, but we’ve found that Gen Z responds to targeted depth. 

Whether it’s wellness, fashion, sports, or niche internet culture, this generation is constantly exploring rabbit holes that help them discover who they are. The deeper they go, the more they find a sense of belonging. The opportunity for brands is to be part of these journeys and to build alongside their consumers. 

Some of the most successful experiences we’ve created at Sunnie, such as Sunniefest or Sunnie Reads, have worked because we created passion-based communities—we built third spaces where Gen Z immediately felt like they belonged. 

For us, the goal wasn’t exposure, it was creating energy that can only be felt in-person and building low pressure environments that allow Gen Z to follow their curiosities and find community.

Make experiences that require them to slow down 

With our lives moving so fast, the things that stick are the ones that slow us down. 

Gen Z wants to slow down to counter their constant digital overstimulation—whether they pick up an analog hobby like bedazzling, start a birdwatching club, or master the art of “nothing-maxxing.” They want content and experiences that will stretch time and get them out of the endless scroll. 

Brands need to be as intentional with how they show up as Gen Z is with their time. 

Bring back joy of ‘stumbling upon’

For previous youth generations, exploration and discovery was self-directed: ripping out magazines for outfit inspo or swapping CDs with college dormmates to listen to a new-to-you band. 

Gen Z’s world is curated by algorithm, and the randomness of finding something you love on your own has slipped away. Yes, the algorithm is shaped by their likes and interests but it’s also informed by their insecurities—and they are looking for off-ramps. Novelty lies in discovering something on their own, to curate cool for themselves. 

The approach of “surprise and delight” can no longer be superficial, fleeting moments but rather need to evolve into experiences where Gen Z can discover another side of themselves, and be a moment of exploration.

Co-creation is the new authenticity 

When we started Sunnie, the room was filled with mostly Millennials, Gen Xers, and a few Gen Zers. We quickly realized that we needed Gen Z to be both our inner and outer voices. We created a Sunnie Advisory Board filled with Gen Z trailblazers to help us both conceptualize Sunnie and bring the brand to life. They advise us on strategy, creative feedback, and telling us when we need to pivot.  

We learned that Gen Z doesn’t want to be treated as an audience, they need to be treated as co-creators. In our research, 87% said they want a role in the creative process with brands. That’s a staggering shift from traditional marketing assumptions.

For this generation, collaboration isn’t a campaign mechanic. They expect to have the opportunity to shape the culture they’re being asked to join.

In a world where life feels overprogrammed, optimized to be frictionless, and where the battle for Gen Z’s attention is constant, the brands that will break through are the ones that create space to be human, play in the spontaneity, and allow Gen Z to feel all their senses in ways that respect their time and attention. 

The brands that will build the future with Gen Z will be the ones that respect their attention, reminding them how to be human, and adding some friction back in the best ways.