Sorry millennials, Gen Z isn’t reading all that copy

The internet has found a new way to pit millennials against gen Z, and this time, brands are joining the group chat.

A growing social media trend is seeing brands rewrite their marketing copy for both audiences, spotlighting just how differently each generation communicates online.

Millennials tend to favour fuller explanations, polished storytelling and structured messaging. Gen Z, meanwhile, prefers speed, brevity and vibes. Think fewer words, more emojis, lowercase captions and an “if you know, you know (iykyk)” energy.

What began as light-hearted jabs over side parts, skinny jeans and crying-laughing emojis has now evolved into a commentary on marketing itself. Same product, same campaign objective, completely different language instincts.

Naturally, brands wasted no time jumping in. From food and beverage players to lifestyle and finance names, companies are using the trend to show they can speak fluent millennial and gen Z, sometimes with surprising accuracy, and sometimes with the energy of a dad discovering slang on TikTok.

Here’s how some brands are putting their "Millennial vs Gen Z" marketing personas to work.

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1. American Express

2. Care Bears

3. Cerave

4. Crocs

5. Darlie Singapore

6. DBS Bank

7. Dutch Lady Malaysia

8. Gong Cha Malaysia

9. Listerine

10. MAMEE MONSTER

11. Nespresso

12. Secret Recipe Malaysia

13. Stanley1913

14. Typo 

15. ZUS Coffee

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