One of our guests was featured speaker Alex Center, the Founder and Creative Director of branding studio CENTER. Alex shared with the audience how he brings aesthetics to life for Gen Z through the work he creates for his clients. Below are three key takeaways from what Alex shared with those who attended Sessions.

Alex started with his observation that to effectively reach Gen Z, one should “teach first, sell second.” A generation that expects - no, demands - transparency, Gen Z doesn’t want to be sold to - they want the information and knowledge to simply make their lives better. One example of this approach is Center’s work on behalf of FEAST. A sexual wellness and education platform offering resources to make discussions about sex more accessible and inclusive, FEAST is providing education to make hard conversations easier. And it isn’t just about sex. According to prior research from Cassandra, sexual wellness is an important component of self-care, so going beyond the category into a more holistic view of wellness.

— Alex Center, Founder and Creative Director, Center

Another tenet of advertising and brands that Alex shared was the importance of designing to empower. Here, he shared the work his team has done with Kin Euphorics. With many Gen Z drinking less alcohol than past generations, Cassandra has been watching the rise of non-alcoholic, nootropics, and adaptogen alternatives to alcohol. Kin is one of the first disruptors in this space. A bubbly beverage, the non-alcoholic and functional beverage line was founded by the daughter of a Saudi Arabian bootlegger and supermodel, Bella Hadid. Today, the brand is sold at bars and restaurants, playing a big part in the sober curious movement. The brand helps to empower community through advocacy and allyship, providing a functional beverage for modern rituals that you aren’t ashamed to hold in your hand at a bar or party.

— Alex Center, Founder and Creative Director, Center

The third area that Alex explored was the importance of inclusivity and creating for everyone. Here, he shared the work that his team had created for Good Light, a beauty brand on a mission to reflect the diversity and fluidity of the modern world (and also a brand that Cassandra highlighted as well in last year’s The Fresh Face of Self-Expression). This brand is dedicated to advancing cultural norms by advocating for a more inclusive concept of beauty. Alex and his team joined forces with Good Light to create a vibrant brand embodying their ideal world vision. The brand employs cosmic colors, celestial symbols inspired by alchemy, and immersive digital collages that can be pieced together as consumers expand their collections.

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