There's a version of the Gen Z conversation that communicators have been having for years. Edelman's Gen Z Lab brought a different one to PRSA Austin last month.

Elizabeth Birdsong and Olivia Tompkins walked a room full of Austin PR professionals through their special report on how Gen Z is evolving — and why treating this generation as a single, predictable audience is a mistake communicators can't afford to keep making.

Their central argument: there are effectively two Gen Zs. Gen Z 1.0 (ages 23–29) came of age during progressive movements and still believes brands and institutions can do good — they're trusting until proven wrong. Gen Z 2.0 (ages 13–22) grew up in a pandemic, content overload, and political chaos — and they're skeptical until proven credible. Same generation on paper. Very different audiences in practice.

A few numbers that landed in the room: 79% of Gen Z trust brands to do the right thing — significantly more than they trust media (56%) or government (19%). That's an opportunity, but also a responsibility. The same research found that 70% will fact-check what brands say, and 65% have boycotted a brand over silence on a societal issue.

The session also touched on what Gen Z actually wants from brands — not new platforms or flashy campaigns, but presence in the spaces they already occupy, experiences that feel personal rather than performative, and a sense of community. That last finding — 58% say they want brands to provide it — felt particularly relevant for a room full of people who run communications programs and member organizations for a living.

Thanks to Elizabeth and Olivia for a genuinely useful session. If you'd like to dig into the full report, reach out to info@prsaaustin.org and we'll get it to you.