Gen Alpha is already transforming branding

It may seem crazy to be talking seriously about children’s brand expectations, but as Gen Z edge towards thirty and the first wave of Gen Alpha hit fifteen, their entry into adulthood is rolling in fast and with that, an evolving P.O.V.

Every generation arrives with its own cultural wiring, but Gen Alpha is the first to grow up in a world where interactivity isn’t a novelty, it’s the default. They learned to swipe before they could talk, navigated YouTube long before they could read, and moved through digital worlds with an ease that makes 'digital native' feel outdated.

Their relationship with tech is instinctual and intuitive. They’re accustomed to an ad that knows what they want before they do or where a YouTube comment can change the content. It might all feel a bit Minority Report but in a sense, that’s how brands need to start thinking about them. The bar is high for interaction and is reshaping what brand loyalty even means. Let alone the way we think about even the best rebrands or best adverts.

Participation Is the new loyalty

For years, marketers have obsessed over Gen Z’s loyalty problem. It’s not going to stop with Gen Alpha.

According to YPulse, their brand attachment is conditional and fluid, driven less by habit and more by participation. They don’t pledge allegiance; they engage. If you give them something to do – something to unlock, remix, design or win – they’ll come back.

Apple is giving a great demonstration of this in the run up to Christmas – Design a Christmas tree with your iPad and it might be projected on to Battersea Power Station.

Gen Alpha has been raised in worlds (Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnite) that reward contribution, curiosity and co-creation. They’re all too familiar with the dopamine of designing and building, and being a part of the process. So when it comes to loyalty, while traditional loyalty programmes are built on repeat purchase, Alpha loyalty is built on reciprocity.

JD Sports Christmas Ad 2025 | Where Are You Going? - YouTube

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The takeaway is that brands will need to consistently show up and continue to offer different opportunities for interaction and participation. Shout out to JD Sports and their Christmas ad (above); a brand with campaigns rooted in youth integration.

From campaigns to ecosystems

A campaign has a beginning, middle, and end. An ecosystem doesn’t. It expands. It adapts. It gives you somewhere to go.

Gen Alpha is used to open environments where they can choose a path, double back, discover something hidden, or bring their friends along for the ride. While they don’t need a cinematic universe to feel engaged, they do want to feel like there’s opportunity to contribute or reinterpret.

LEGO creates endless ways to build, remix, and reimagine – both physically and digitally. Spotify lets people narrate their own identity through playlists, Wrapped, shared listening, and social moments. Both brands release ingredients, not finished stories, and let the audience assemble something that feels like their own.

Why linear ads fall flat

Linear campaigns, even great ones, feel restrictive and static to a generation raised on open-world play. They grew up moving through infinite digital spaces, switching roles, and shaping narratives that evolve with every decision. A 30-second ad, or even a beautifully crafted brand film, simply doesn’t match how they experience culture. They’re used to stories that branch, respond and evolve with them.

Instead of linear ads, brands should build modular, explorable stories – ones that reward participation, remixing and discovery. Think playable storytelling, dynamic content that responds to audience actions, and narratives that unfold across touchpoints instead of following a single script. The format matters less than the feeling. It’s that sense of agency, participation, and shared creation that hooks them in.

The takeaway

Brands that want to matter to them need to hand over the tools, open the doors and give them room to play. Build systems where they can influence the shape of an idea, customise their experience, and feel the impact of their participation. Reward the contribution, not just the transaction.

And don’t mistake early enthusiasm for commitment. They behave like explorers: curious, mobile, quick to move on if there’s nothing new to discover. Keep the path open with ongoing prompts, unlocks and fresh layers that give them reasons to return. The goal isn’t to hold their attention – it’s to give them somewhere to go.