Project type:
Target exploration
professional project at Salt Consulting
Year:
2020
My responsibilities:
desk research
discussion guide development
interview facilitation
active participation in analysis and output writing.
Close-up on Gen Z in Japan
The Brief
Inspiration: Rom-coms
This was a self-initiated project that we took on during the lock-down. As the interest in Gen Z as a current and future target group and driver of culture heightened, we decided to investigate what it means to be in your early 20s in 2020. The aim was to learn and grow as researchers but also to produce content for Salt Consulting’s web page.
We kicked off the project by open-ended discussions on how to tackle this mythical creature called Gen Z. Initially our interests fell on dating and romance. We were curious to explore how this generation makes sense of romantic and platonic relationships. Since these are popular narratives in Japanese mainstream media and often sources that model the roles and rituals we are expected to perform, we looked for inspiration in tv-dramas. Our search for inspiration was not limited to just contemporary dramas, we watched titles from the 90s and 00s to understand how these perceptions and concepts have evolved.
Interviewing the extremes
The Analysis
Identity
Self-expression
Exclusive vs Inclusive
We interviewed 6 bright young people - a non-binary photographer, university drop-out turned freelance editor, food and cooking zine editors and a member of an all-girl skateboarding crew. All of them are considered outsiders in Japanese cultural context - they are non-comforming and marching to the beat of their own drum in a society that values conformity.
In the analysis stage surfaced interesting and at times somewhat contradicting facets of how this generation views themselves and relationships. Here are insights from the themes that emerged in the analysis.
As they are born to a society with no guarantees or right answers, Gen Z resist labeling of any sort - both of others and themselves. They don’t put themselves in a box because it hinders them from reacting and adapting under constantly shifting circumstances as they go on creating their lives.
Witnessing corporate and political cover ups and dishonesty in society and media has made them look for and appreciate authenticity. Sincerity, openness and acceptance matter, but this also drives them to become somewhat isolated - expressing their thoughts and needs, expecting anything from others feels like forcing their views on people around them.
Gen Z has a low tolerance for discrimination. They are accepting of differences in society and want to see it become more inclusive, but at the same time make sure to filter who they form relationships with. Social media functions as a personal calling card or portfolio to determine if a person is of the same tribe or not, worth engaging with or not.
Back
My personal take-away
Interviewing Japanese respondents always keeps me alert as a facilitator. There are rich sociocultural layers and nuance piled on each sentence and on each thought that is shared in an interview. This often complicates the analysis process. With young, eloquent and driven targets like in this case, it was easy to forget that their personalities are still under development. There is a lot of life experience that they still have to gain. Even though this generation values authenticity in themselves and others, it crystallized that taking things with a grain of salt to delve deeper is essential in user research.