Dan Fleetwood talks with Gary Rudman, President of GTR Consulting, about what brands often get wrong when trying to understand Gen Z. Gary breaks down how authenticity, identity, and culture shape this generation far more than stereotypes. A fast, insightful conversation for anyone researching or marketing to younger audiences.
Dan Fleetwood talks with Gary Rudman, President of GTR Consulting and widely known as the Gen Z Whisperer, about what brands and researchers often misunderstand about Gen Z. Gary shares insights from years of youth culture research, exploring what truly resonates with this generation—from authenticity and identity to the impact of social media and brand purpose. They discuss how researchers can better connect with Gen Z audiences and why listening, not labeling, is key to understanding the next wave of consumers.
Guest:
Gary Rudman – Founder and president of GTR Consulting and has spent over 20 years researching young consumers across industries like retail, fashion, CPG, tech, gaming, media, and more. He has led hundreds of focus groups and is frequently quoted on youth culture in outlets such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, and BrandWeek. Previously, he worked as a planner at Foote, Cone & Belding and J. Walter Thompson, and as director of qualitative research at Teenage Research Unlimited.
Useful links:
Gary Rudman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garyrudman/
Dan Fleetwood on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danfleetwood
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