Welcome to “In My Humble Opinion”, a podcast collaboration between The Marketing Society and Publicis Groupe UK agencies that creates a space for marketing leaders to discuss their opinions on topics affecting our industry which they think about but may not always say out loud.
In My Humble Opinion Episode 10: Gen Z aren't breaking the world, they're holding it together
Featuring Lilli English, Chief Strategy Officer at Leo UK, Joe Beveridge, Head of Strategy at Leo UK, and Hannah Pain, Head of Marketing at McDonald's. Together they challenge the lazy stereotype that paint Gen Z as phone-obsessed, feckless and detached, revealing the surprising truth hidden in Leo's latest Pop Pulse research.
Despite the narrative, this generation isn't breaking things up from their couches, they're the sage voices emerging from the huddle – the micro influencers in every household who are shaping decisions across everything from music and tech to DIY. Where wisdom used to trickle down, it's now rippling out from Gen Z, making them not a fringe cohort or future audience, but a commercial imperative today.
They explore Leo's principles for winning with this generation, including why brands need to be "magnet, not mirror" – showing up as an unfiltered, authentic version of themselves rather than desperately trying to speak Gen Z's language. From McDonald's evolution from "confidently humble" to "unashamedly McDonald's", to understanding why this generation holds the keys to the mainstream, they reveal why getting Gen Z right isn't about alienating others – it's your route to reaching everyone.
Listen to the podcast.
