How Gen Z connects with creators differently than millennials, Myntra CMO explains

New Delhi: Gen Z isn’t just about viral trends and flashy influencers; they’re digging deeper into the creator economy by engaging more with nano and micro-influencers than the traditional macro ones. Whether it’s a relatable product review from an influencer with a few thousand followers or a quirky DIY video, Gen Z is choosing connection over scale, making niche creators the new cool.

Highlighting how Gen Z is reshaping the creator economy, Sunder Balasubramanian, Chief Marketing Officer of Myntra, noted that Gen Z engages differently with creators compared to millennials. “While they do follow macro creators and celebrities, they gravitate towards nano and micro creators who feel more relatable. Especially in smaller cities, they seek influencers who resonate with their personal experiences. This shift has led to the rise of micro and nano creators, making the creator ecosystem more democratised and accessible.”

Myntra is doubling down on its identity in fashion e-commerce, harnessing the creator economy with its annual Creator Fest. This year's Myntra FWD event brought together over 600 influencers from the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle sectors, showcasing how the platform is evolving to cater to the growing influence of digital creators.

This year, Myntra FWD, an app-in-app shopping segment tailored for Gen Z, took centre stage at Myntra's Creator Fest. The event was heavily focused on Gen Z content and featured a strong lineup of creators, emphasising Myntra’s commitment to engaging younger consumers.

Focusing on Gen Z as a key target audience, Balasubramanian emphasised, “We’re excited about the Gen Z growth opportunity, with 200 million Gen Z in urban India. 60 million are already shopping online, creating a large consumer base. We’re betting on this demographic as a major growth engine in the coming years."

Myntra FWD has seen its customer base grow from 8 million in mid-2023 to 16 million in 2024. The company expects to add another 20–25 million Gen Z customers in the coming years. 

Breaking myths about Gen Z

Balasubramanian dispelled common misconceptions about Gen Z, highlighting how these “college kids” are actually a significant consumer force. He explained, “Gen Z is not just in college; many are in their first jobs or juggling side gigs, earning disposable income.”

He also addressed myths like the short attention spans of Gen Z: “Give them quality content, and they’ll engage. Gen Z’s loyalty isn’t about consistency—it’s about relevance and the right choices, day in and day out.”

Another myth about Gen Z is that they are not loyal to brands and tend to flirt from one to another. “This, again, is a two-way street,” said Balasubramanian. Quoting someone else, he added, “If you are loyal to Gen Z, they will be loyal back to you.”

Explaining this further, he said, “Being loyal to Gen Z means understanding them and offering them the right choices, day in and day out. For example, in the fashion world, there are the traditional spring/summer/autumn/winter collections. But Gen Z doesn’t care about that. They care about what’s trending today. They’re looking for weekly or even monthly trends, and pop culture-related trends. If you cater to this, they will engage with your brand, like it, consume it, and be loyal to it.”

Marrying UGC with affiliate marketing: The Ultimate Glam Clan

Two months back, Myntra introduced a shopper-led creator program, amalgamating UGC with affiliate marketing. Banking on the power of user-generated content, the initiative allows customers to act as creators, showcasing their fashion preferences while earning rewards.

Participants in The Ultimate Glam Clan enjoy perks like commission earnings of up to Rs 25,000, being featured on Myntra, brand collaborations, discount vouchers, access to events, workshops, and more.

Balasubramanian told BuzzInContent.com that so far, Myntra has got over one lakh sing-ups for the Ultimate Glam Clan and one shopper cum creator has even earned Rs 20,000 from it.”

From creators driving awareness and brand love to sales to now Myntra riding on UGC+affiliate marketing models like The Ultimate Glam Clan are democratising the creator economy further. 

Highlighting the evolution of the creator ecosystem for the brand, Balasubramanian said, “Initially, we used creators to drive awareness, but now we’ve expanded this into affiliate marketing, with over 10,000 creators actively participating. The biggest shift is how we’ve democratised the creator role. With our Glam Clan initiative, every Myntra shopper can become a creator, sharing reviews and earning commissions.”

Performance marketing to take centre stage in influencer marketing

According to the Myntra CMO, making influencer marketing more performance-driven will act as a buoyant force for the creator ecosystem. Without monetary incentives, creators will be stuck focusing on follower count, and over time, this will lose its appeal. 

He explained, “By linking influencer activity to returns on ad spend, we ensure that both brands and creators see tangible results. Our affiliate network works like performance marketing—creators post content, and if it leads to sales, they get paid. This model allows us to engage with over 10,000 creators monthly. When creators are rewarded based on performance, it incentivises more authentic engagement, democratising opportunities and expanding the influencer ecosystem.”

Myntra favours short-form content over long-form and prioritises non-fiction over fictional content

Balasubramanian noted that the focus has shifted towards short-form content, driven by platforms like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. “The trend over the last few years has been short-form content, and it's because of how the ecosystem has evolved,” he explained. “While we’re open to experimenting with long-form content, short-form content is what has proliferated, and that's where our focus lies.”

That said, Myntra has previously ventured into long-form content with initiatives like Myntra Fashion Superstar, a reality show aimed at discovering social media fashion influencers.

Balasubramanian also emphasised the importance of authenticity in content, especially when engaging with Gen Z. “People are seeking content that is real and relevant,” he added. “Fictional content has its place, but we are leaning towards more authentic narratives to see how they resonate with audiences.”

When asked about audio-based branded content in fashion and lifestyle marketing, Balasubramanian said that visual elements remain critical for these categories. “In fashion, you need to visualise,” he said, acknowledging that while audio content may work in some areas, fashion and lifestyle content demands visual storytelling.

Importance of creators during sale periods and festivals for Myntra

Myntra has long been closely associated with creators, particularly in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle segments, where creators play a key role in driving trends and introducing newness to the market. 

According to Balasubramanian, creators are central to Myntra’s marketing strategy, especially during festive seasons and sales events like EORS. “Creators have always been part of our plans, whether it's for festivals like Raksha Bandhan, Diwali, or wedding season activations,” he explained. For Myntra, creators are not just an add-on—they are integral to every campaign, ensuring the brand stays relevant and trendy year-round.

Experimenting and learning in marketing

Continuing the conversation, Balasubramanian spoke about Myntra's approach to experimenting with different digital platforms, continuously testing, and drawing insights for future strategies. For instance, Myntra leveraged Pinterest's visual discovery tools and trend-driven user base to drive its home decor business. This partnership allowed Myntra to curate and showcase home decor trends, DIY projects, and lifestyle content, engaging Pinterest's audience interested in home aesthetics.

Similarly, Myntra’s collaboration with Snapchat for the sneaker category capitalised on the platform’s younger demographic and immersive AR (augmented reality) features. The partnership included AR try-on filters, enabling users to virtually test sneakers.

Balasubramanian added, “I think the approach I would emphasise is to keep experimenting. Some things will work, some won’t, but you have to take learnings and move forward. This is an ever-evolving field and a year from now, we might be discussing an entirely different set of trends—but that will only happen if we experiment.”