363. YPulse. Ad Effectiveness and DEI.
May 15, 2025
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Marketing to Gen Z and Millennials requires a shift from traditional methods. In this episode, MaryLeigh Bliss, Chief Content Officer of YPulse, discusses their latest reports on advertising effectiveness and DEI. She shares how young consumers respond to marketing and the importance of authenticity and social media presence for brands.
Key takeaways from the interview include:
Social media is paramount: Young consumers primarily notice ads and make purchasing decisions based on what they see on social media platforms, especially TikTok and Instagram for younger audiences.
Authenticity matters: User-generated content and unscripted videos are more effective than polished, brand-produced content. Consumers prefer content from "real people.”
DEI is crucial: Young consumers support DEI initiatives and are more likely to boycott brands that pull back from them. They want to see diversity reflected in advertising and marketing.
YPulse is the leading authority on Millennials and Gen Z: tweens, teens, college students and young adults. They provide strategic insight to companies and organizations via their subscription-based syndicated research content as well as their custom research and consulting services. Staffed with a cross-functional team of researchers, marketers, writers, and technologists, they give their clients a 360-degree view of what it’s like to be a Millennial or Gen Z today.
As Chief Content Officer, MaryLeigh Bliss oversees YPulse’s syndicated products. Her role also involves acting as a culture and youth insights expert, consulting with brands to identify actionable insights, align young consumer strategy, and layer generational and youth knowledge over data findings.
MaryLeigh has worked with a range of brands, including Facebook, Hampton, Bravo, HBO, Target, Best Buy, and Gap, and has been quoted as a youth insights authority by publications including The New York Times, Digiday, Business Insider, and Adweek. She has appeared as a Gen Z and Millennial expert on Bloomberg News, Fortune, and NPR Marketplace, and been a speaker at many off-sites and conferences. MaryLeigh’s interest in youth culture originated from her love of YA literature and pop culture anthropology, and she is continuing her passion for decoding and demystifying the next generations of consumers at YPulse.
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MaryLeigh Bliss
YPulse