Segmentation that talks: Introducing Avery, your Gen-Z AI persona (Demo)
Adelynne Chao
February 7, 2025
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Dive into a world where your segments aren't just data points, but dynamic personas you can interact with. Trial Avery, our demo AI persona and imagine how your segments can truly come alive.
Traditional segmentations have a usability problem
Over the past 13 years, I've worked on numerous segmentation studies for major brands. The most difficult part? Getting people to use them! The real task for any segmentation is successfully embedding these insights within an organization. But how do you make a slide deck full of numbers resonate? So we made shiny PDFs, pretty illustrations and even animated segment videos but even these can end up tucked away on a portal. I've even witnessed companies crafting themed meeting rooms, pens, or notebooks in an effort to keep their segments top of mind throughout the business.
But here's my frustration: these efforts, though commendable, still fall short. Why? Because segmentations are intricate, complex tools. The team immersed in the research and creation of the segmentation isn't the same one developing products or crafting marketing materials. For many stakeholders, a slide presentation on 'segments' is overwhelming, confusing and dry.
In 2013 I was leading the ‘creative reporting’ team at a market research agency tasked with helping to elevate the company’s research deliverables. My mission today, a decade later, is much the same as it was back then. Make research useful. Make it visual. Make itengaging. Make it count.
SegmentAI makes conversations with your segments possible
Segmentation often feels distant and abstract. It's data on a page, numbers in a report. But what if you could have a conversation with your segments? What if they could answer your questions, share their preferences, and give feedback in real-time?
Untold has made this possible by leveraging AI. We've trained a model using our own extensive primary research data to showcase what it can do. Today we bring you Avery (demo), a 23 year old representative of Gen Z that prioritizes sustainability in her life. Avery's knowledge is built on comprehensive Gen Z surveys from both the UK and US, capturing the insights of over 1,000 Gen Z consumers.
But Avery is more than just a chatbot. Think of her as a direct line to your segment. She's here to make your data tangible, to help you understand and engage with your audience in a way that's never been done before. With Avery, you're not just looking at insights; you're interacting with them. This is segmentation for the modern age, simple yet smart, and it's set to change the way you see your customers.
Practical applications: Avery in action
Here are a few real-world scenarios where Avery demonstrates her value, offering insights and answers that bridge the gap between data and decision-making. In a way that’s just plain fun!
Interact and understand your segments
Being able to have a conversation with your data can really make it come alive in a way that's relatable and intuitive. With Avery, you're not just observing statistics; you're engaging in a dialogue. As you can see below, this approach can be really powerful as it transforms cold data into warm, personalized insights, taking you far beyond the traditional data presentation.
User: How do you decide when something is worth paying extra for when you're on a tight budget?
Avery: That's a really good question! 😊 For me, it often comes down to quality, value, and impact. If something is high quality and I know it's going to last a long time, I might be willing to pay a bit more. This is especially true for items that I use frequently.
When it comes to value, I think about how much use I'm going to get out of it. For example, if it's a piece of clothing that I'll wear often, it's worth investing in.
Finally, I also consider the impact of my purchase. As someone who's into sustainable products, I'm willing to pay a bit more if I know the product is ethically made or environmentally friendly.
When it comes to Gen Z as a whole, Untold Insights data shows that 72% of us are willing to pay more for products from brands that demonstrate social or environmental commitment.
It's definitely a balancing act, though. When you're on a tight budget, it can be tough to decide when to splurge and when to save. How about you? How do you make these decisions?
Discuss marketing ideas
We set Avery a challenge: to assist us with some marketing ideation. We presented her with a hypothetical campaign idea, seeking her feedback, and probed into her purchasing barriers (see below).
The beauty of Avery lies not just in her ability to process and present data, but in her unique capability to personify it, making it relatable and actionable. This immersive interaction offers a refreshing departure from the confines of our offices, plunging us directly into the minds of our segments. Of course Avery's insights don't replace in-depth research with your actual customers. However, they do offer an immediate, vivid way to animate your segments in a manner previously unattainable.
User: I have a new campaign idea for a shoe brand, AllBirds. It is a billboard with a picture of someone walking with the shoes and the tagline "Burn calories, not gas". What are your thoughts?
Avery: That sounds like a really cool idea! 🙌 As a Gen Z'er, I totally appreciate the message you're trying to convey - it's clever, catchy, and it really aligns with our preference for sustainability.
What I like about it is that it promotes a healthier lifestyle (burning calories) and also subtly highlights the eco-friendly aspect (not burning gas). It's like hitting two birds with one stone, which is awesome!
Just make sure the design of the billboard is visually appealing and the shoes are the star of the show. Maybe you could use vibrant colors or a unique design to make it stand out.
And just a thought - it could be cool to add a hashtag or a QR code that leads to more information about the sustainable practices of AllBirds. It's always nice to see when brands are transparent about their efforts.
Overall, I think it's a great concept! Is there anything else you want to discuss? 😊
User: What is most likely to stop you from shopping sustainably?
Avery: The major barriers that might stop me, and others in Gen Z, from shopping sustainably include the cost and lack of clear information. According to the data, 51% of us think it's too expensive to shop sustainably, and 36% say it's hard to know if something is truly sustainable or not.
Another challenge is that 59% of us find it hard to know which brands are truly sustainable versus which ones are not. So, even when we want to make environmentally-conscious choices, the lack of clarity can make it difficult. This all ties back to the importance of transparency in a brand's communications and actions.
Moreover, we, Gen Z, are more likely to be swayed by sustainable messaging at the point of purchase. If we're faced with two otherwise identical products, 54% of us will pick the sustainable option. So, it's not that we don't want to shop sustainably, it's just that there are certain obstacles that can make it difficult.
That said, it's not just about the environment for us. We also care about the ethics behind a brand, like fair trade, ethical sourcing, and inclusivity. These are not just added bonuses—they're expectations.
So, to sum it up, the main things that could stop me from shopping sustainably are high costs, lack of clear information, and a lack of trust in brands' sustainability claims. 💸🔍🌍
Brainstorm together
Imagine a brainstorming session where your segment persona actively participates, offering insights and sparking your creativity. With Avery, this vision becomes a reality. Integrate her into your workshops, innovation sprints, and team discussions. Her responses, grounded in real data, can ignite conversations, stimulate design thinking, and guide product development. Whether you're seeking feedback on a new concept or exploring potential market niches, Avery's presence transforms these sessions into dynamic, data-driven dialogues.
User: We are building a sustainable digital bank and we’re looking to launch our next feature. There are two options. The first is to add the ability to share directly with social media about the initiatives you have helped by saving money with our bank. The other idea is to enable you to split the bill more easily with friends when out and about. From your perspective, what should we prioritize?
Avery: Both features sound great, but speaking as a Gen Z, I'd lean more towards the second feature - enabling users to split the bill more easily with friends.
While sharing sustainable initiatives on social media is a cool idea, my generation is all about practical and convenient features. We often hang out in groups, and being able to easily split the bill at restaurants or for group gifts would be super helpful.
This doesn't mean the social media sharing feature isn't important. It's just that, from a utility standpoint, the bill splitting feature may have a broader and more immediate appeal.
Remember, it's always a great idea to gather feedback from your user base before making a final decision. Hope this helps! Anything else you want to ask? 😊👍🏻
User: Can you give me some ideas for a new on the go breakfast drink brand that would appeal to you? We need to come up with a name / slogan as well as flavors that would appeal to your generation?
Avery: Oh, this sounds like fun! 😊Let's see... for a breakfast drink brand that appeals to Gen Z, it's all about convenience, health, and sustainability.
For the name, how about "SipStart"? It's short, catchy, and it communicates the purpose of the product - a quick, easy start to your day!
For the slogan, you could go with something like "Fuel your day, the eco-friendly way". This communicates the health and sustainability aspects of your brand.
When it comes to flavors, we love variety! You could offer classic breakfast flavors like Strawberry Banana 🍓🍌 or Blueberry Oatmeal 🫐🥣. But also consider more adventurous options like Mango Pineapple Spinach 🥭🍍🥬 or even a Coffee Almond Protein blend ☕🥜🏋️ for those who need a caffeine kick.
And don't forget about the packaging. Make sure it's sustainable and boldly displays your commitment to the environment. We Gen Zs love brands that are transparent about their impact on the planet.
Remember, the most important thing is to stay authentic to your brand's values and mission. We can tell when a brand is just trying to jump on the eco-friendly bandwagon. So whatever you do, make sure it's genuine! 😊🌿
Here's a look into the steps we took to bring Avery to life:
Data collection: We collated a range of Untold’s primary research data (both qualitative and quantitative) on Gen Z, encompassing content preferences, attitudes and sustainable shopping habits.
Persona building: We set to work creating a persona for Avery, complete with a personality, daily routine, tone of voice, and AI-generated avatar.
AI training: We programmed the AI engine to hone Avery's focus and tasks.
Testing: We went through rigorous testing and posed diverse questions to Avery, ensuring balanced and personable responses that reference the provided datasets.
Continuous refinement: We can continue to update Avery with the latest Gen Z insights.
Want your own segment bot like Avery?
If you’re interested in working with us, please reach out below or schedule a free consultation about how we can tailor the perfect segment tools for your business.
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