After Benno’s first blog landed, we started talking and nodding along a lot. His refreshingly honest take on Gen Z shopping habits felt familiar in all the best ways. So naturally, we wanted to dig deeper.
This time, we’re zooming in on one corner of our world that we know inside out: promotions. On-pack, near-pack, online, the work we live and breathe.
But rather than getting stuck in the mechanics, we wanted to hear about the bigger picture.
How do these promotions really land with Benno?
Do they cut through?
Do they even get noticed?
So, we asked.
What Benno Told Us
“I’ve always liked the idea of getting something extra when I am purchasing something, it doesn’t really matter if it’s a freebie, money back, or the chance to win something. If I were to buy the product anyway, it’s an added bonus. Sometimes these bonuses sway me to pick one brand over another.
However, the reward has got to feel worth it. For example, if it is a trip away or tech (preferably Apple!) I’m more likely to go for it. On the contrary, if it’s flat or the entry process is overcomplicated, I’m out. The best promos are the simplest: scan a QR, a few quick details and done.
Even when I don’t win, the brand normally sticks, especially if I’ve seen the promo online first, as it builds familiarity. So, when I spot it in-store, I am more likely to engage and spend!
What puts me off a promotion is when it looks outdated with red banners and shouty fonts. If it looks like an obvious promo, I will walk straight past it unless the brand is one I am already a fan of, then I will make an exception.
There’s something quietly confident in what Benno says, and he’s right. Gen Z aren’t dismissing promotions; they’re just filtering. They’ll engage when it’s relevant, simple, and designed with them in mind.
And that’s good news for all of us who create them.
Our Take: From Scroll to Shelf
What Benno describes isn’t radical, it’s refined. It’s exactly what we’ve seen across our own client work: small shifts make a big difference.
Gen Z aren’t against marketing; they’re just immune to marketing that doesn’t speak their language. The brands that win are the ones that simplify, personalise, and show up consistently, from scroll to shelf.
Here’s what we’re taking from it.
The Digital Spark Meets the Physical Shelf
We’ve seen it first-hand: Gen Z’s shopping journey doesn’t stop online; it continues in-store.
According to Think with Google, 74% of Gen Z shoppers have bought products using a mix of social media, shopping apps, and traditional or digital media to compare and validate their choices.
That makes their path to purchase inherently hybrid. The discovery spark happens online, the confirmation moment happens at the shelf.
When they see something they’ve scrolled past, that “Oh, I know this!” reaction can drive conversion.
For us, this means that the connection between digital and physical is where the magic happens.
What Makes an In-Store Promotion Work
Let’s be honest, most promotions aren’t built for Gen Z. They’re built for visibility, not engagement. But attention from this generation isn’t demanded; it’s earned.
That means promotions need to feel modern, rewarding, and effortless.
The best ones do three things:
- Keep it simple: a QR code, one tap, done.
- Make it personal: rewards that feel relevant, not random.
- Look the part: creative that belongs in their feed, not a flyer.
Take Made by Mitchell’s mystery boxes, when fans discovered each box came with a random-coloured suitcase, TikTok went wild with unboxings and swaps. That anticipation turned a product into a community moment.
Rare Beauty, where people don’t just buy makeup; they buy into meaning. When Selena Gomez’s wedding photos dropped, fans weren’t just looking at the dress; they were sharing in the story. That’s emotional branding at its best.
Research shows that reducing friction, fewer steps, faster flows lifts engagement and conversion rates dramatically, and ads that evoke real feelings are almost 4× more effective at building long-term brand impact.
Simplicity Is the Secret Weapon
Gen Z aren’t lazy – they’re efficient. They’ve grown up in a world that’s instant, intuitive, and seamless.
If entering a promotion feels like admin, they’ll scroll away.
That doesn’t mean they don’t want to take part; they just expect it to be as quick as saving a trending sound or liking a post.
For us, that means one golden rule: simplicity converts.
Design That Mirrors Their World
Here’s where things get interesting. Gen Z’s world is visual, expressive, and online. Yet so many in-store promotions still look like relics from another decade.
The best promos for Gen Z feel scroll-ready – clean, conversational, and relatable.
If it wouldn’t fit between a Get Ready With Me from Alix Earle and a Grace Beverley brand drop, it probably won’t land in-store either.
As Forbes points out, brands that connect with Gen Z are the ones that show genuine authenticity, not performance, not polish, just honesty and confidence.
Don’t Just Promise Value – Show It
We’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating: for Gen Z, the prize isn’t the prize, it’s the feeling behind it.
They want to be part of something, not just win something. That emotional layer is what turns a promo into a memory.
It’s what we created with Extra Refreshers x MattB: the right tone, timing, and reward to meet Gen Z where they are.
Kantar’s research backs it up: campaigns that tap into emotion are far more likely to be remembered and repurchased from.
From Online to In-Store and Back Again
For Gen Z, there’s no separation between online and offline; it’s all one experience. That means if they’ve seen your promo online, they’ll recognise it in-store. That “Oh yeah, I’ve seen this” moment is gold.
By aligning social content, retail media, and physical activations, brands create a unified journey. And even when they don’t win, they remember how it felt to take part. That’s where loyalty starts.
Less Noise. More Nuance
So yes, promotions work.
They just need to work better.
Gen Z aren’t ignoring them; they’re filtering out what doesn’t speak to them. The good news? When we get it right, when creative slaps (we cringed too), mechanics make sense, and rewards resonate, the impact lasts longer than any campaign cycle.
At Lime, that’s what we do best. We are an independent partnership and sales promotion agency based in London.
We help brands cut through the noise with promotions that feel personal, relevant, and real, turning casual scrolls into shelf sales.
Our expert team has years of experience in delivering strategic branding and promotional partnerships.
If you’re interested in learning more about our promotional campaigns and the work that we do, please get in touch with a member of our team today at 02073179280.
