What Pakistanis Want

Over the last two decades, the Pakistani consumerhas shifted dramatically, from a passive audiencetuned into television jingles and family-centricmessages to a fragmented, discerning populationnavigating multiple digital platforms. This transformationis most visible when we look at how Aurora has coveredchildren in advertising in the early 2000s, and later onMillennials and Gen Z.

In the late nineties and early 2000s, children were littlemore than background players in the advertising narrative,mostly shown dancing in powdered milk commercials. Butas media access widened and private channels emerged,children became more than just cute faces on screen – theybecame influencers within their households. Brands beganto recognise their purchasing sway, not just through directappeals, but by telling stories through their lens. Campaignslike Surf Excel’s emotional stories showed children not asexaggerated characters, but as a way to share empathy andvalues, speaking to both parents and children.

As that generation grew up, it gave rise to PakistaniMillennials – the country’s first truly digital generation.Coming of age with the internet, private television channels,mobile phones, and eventually social media, Millennialsdeveloped a strong radar for inauthenticity. They wantedstories that resonated with their lived experiences, notglossy promises. They valued consistency and meaning. Forthis generation, advertising needed to be more than catchyslogans or hashtags; it had to offer genuine relevance.Brands that speak at them miss the point. They wantdialogue, inclusion, and cultural resonance. They will switchloyalty in a heartbeat if a brand doesn’t align with theirvalues or fails to keep its promises. But just when marketersthought they had cracked the code, along came Gen Z andrewrote the rulebook entirely.

Born into a hyper-connected world, Gen Z doesn’t justconsume content; they co-create it. They live betweenscreens and reality, curating their identities across Instagram,TikTok and YouTube while grappling with rising inflation,climate anxiety and a hunger for change. They are deeplyaware of their personal brand and hyper-conscious of howthey are perceived online.

Gen Z expects brands to be transparent, socially aware,and aligned with the causes they care about – whetherit is sustainability, mental health, or equality. They don’twant to be spoken down to, and they are quick to call outperformative activism or tone-deaf messaging. Aestheticsmatter, but so does intention. A beautifully shot ad won’t landunless it feels honest. In many ways, Gen Z brings a levelof complexity that challenges brands to not only innovatebut also self-reflect. And while both Millennials and Gen Zapproach the world differently, what unites them is a desirefor meaningful engagement.

Brands in Pakistan can no longer afford to treat youthmarketing as a seasonal campaign. They must invest inunderstanding these audiences as individuals navigatingeconomic, emotional and digital landscapes all at once. Inthis new era, successful marketing is less about reach andmore about relevance, and the brands that learn to listen willbe the ones that lead.

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