Leading brands’ communication of product innovativeness to Generation Z: A mixed-methods study

Despite extensive research on product innovation, comparatively little attention has been given to how product innovativeness is or ought to be communicated to young consumers. This study systematically analyzes 700 newly released videos from S&P 500 consumer brands to examine how innovativeness cues are incorporated into their communications for new products. Findings reveal that the majority of these videos focus on imitative or incremental innovations rather than radical ones. Among the innovativeness cues, “relative advantage” was most frequently featured, whereas “technological novelty” appeared least often. These cues also tend to align with specific advertising appeals. To gain deeper understanding into young audiences’ perceptions, the video analysis was complemented by 18 focus group interviews with Generation Z consumers aged 18 to 28. The results suggest that the innovativeness cue “coolness” is more appropriately captured by the broader and more inclusive term “emotional arousal,” while a new cue, “trendy/timely,” emerged from the analysis. Informants recommended employing comparative advertising approach and emphasizing emotional arousal when communicating product innovativeness. These findings extend the literature on product innovativeness communication and offer valuable insights for practitioners seeking effective strategies to convey and enhance the perceived innovativeness of new products to younger consumer cohorts.