Next in Media: Are You Ready for Gen Alpha? Insights from Razorfish CEO Dani Mariano

Release Date: July 17, 2025

In the “Are You Ready for Gen Alpha? Insights from Razorfish CEO Dani Mariano” episode of Next in Media, host Mike Shields engages in a compelling conversation with Dani Mariano, President of Razorfish. Filmed live in Cannes, this episode delves deep into the emerging Gen Alpha demographic, exploring their unique characteristics, digital fluency, and the evolving strategies marketers must adopt to effectively engage with this young, influential generation.

Understanding Gen Alpha: Distinct from Gen Z

Dani Mariano begins by distinguishing Gen Alpha from their predecessors. While previously marketers mistook Gen Z’s behaviors as an extension of Millennials, Mariano emphasizes that Gen Alpha is carving out a new, distinct identity.

“Gen Alpha... they are more Gen Z than Gen Z at age 10. They are not mini Gen Zs and they’re going to literally change everything.”
— Dani Mariano [01:34]

This insight underscores the necessity for marketers to avoid outdated assumptions and instead recognize the unique traits that Gen Alpha brings to the table.

Digital Natives and Brand Preferences

Mariano highlights Gen Alpha's unparalleled digital prowess. Unlike Gen Z, who are digital natives, Gen Alpha has been immersed in digital environments from birth, making their interactions with technology second nature.

“Screens are something that they’ve had in their hands since they were born. If you’ve ever seen a two-year-old swipe the TV to change the channel, that’s because they know how to use tablets and it's early.”
— Dani Mariano [04:33]

This early exposure has cultivated a generation that expects seamless digital experiences and sophisticated online interactions.

Media Consumption and Influence

Gen Alpha's media consumption habits are notably creator-centric. Mariano refers to them as the “gateway generation” due to their heavy consumption of influencer content and significant influence over household purchasing decisions.

“49% of parents of Alpha kids report that their kids are making household purchase decisions. And that number goes up to 61% for car purchases.”
— Dani Mariano [03:09]

This statistic illustrates the substantial sway Gen Alpha holds, not just within their personal choices but also in impacting family purchasing behaviors.

Challenges in Marketing to Gen Alpha

Engaging Gen Alpha presents unique challenges. Their advanced brand maturity demands that marketers align with sophisticated brands and create experiences that resonate on a deeper level.

“Gen Alpha... they want a brand that allows them to co-create the future of the brand. They want to be a part of that conversation.”
— Dani Mariano [02:30]

Additionally, their vast array of interests requires marketers to develop scalable and innovative influencer programs capable of cutting through the saturated content landscape.

Razorfish's Creator Collab Strategy

To address these challenges, Razorfish has developed the Creator Collab program. This initiative integrates on-staff creators who are both strategic thinkers and skilled content developers, ensuring that brand messages are authentic and engaging.

“The Creator Collab is a fantastic team of on-staff, full-time employees that are great creators and love the brands that we work on.”
— Dani Mariano [06:20]

This approach allows Razorfish to produce polished social content quickly, maintaining relevance and responsiveness in real-time marketing scenarios.

Leveraging AI for Media Planning

Mariano discusses the critical role of artificial intelligence in refining media strategies. By utilizing AI-driven decision-making tools, Razorfish can dissect audience data to tailor content and platform choices to individual preferences.

“Our identity solutions at Epsilon allow us to understand the audience down to the individual level, which lets us match the right content with the right format and media.”
— Dani Mariano [08:42]

This precision ensures that marketing efforts are both efficient and highly targeted, maximizing engagement with Gen Alpha.

Approaches to Influencer Partnerships

Balancing the use of major platforms like YouTube and TikTok with direct relationships with creators is essential. Razorfish employs a hybrid strategy, leveraging large influencer platforms while also cultivating in-house creator relationships to meet diverse client needs.

“We have access to 17 million creators. We want to use that as our first step, but based on client needs, we might go directly to specific creators.”
— Dani Mariano [09:26]

This flexible approach allows Razorfish to tailor influencer collaborations to specific campaign goals and audience segments.

Conclusion

Dani Mariano’s insights shed light on the transformative impact Gen Alpha will have on the media, marketing, and advertising landscapes. As a generation that demands authenticity, co-creation, and sophisticated digital interactions, Gen Alpha requires innovative strategies that prioritize engagement and adaptability. Razorfish’s Creator Collab and AI-driven media planning exemplify the forward-thinking approaches necessary to connect with this influential demographic.

For marketers looking to stay ahead in this rapidly evolving ecosystem, understanding and embracing the distinct characteristics of Gen Alpha is not just advantageous—it’s essential.

Notable Quotes:

• “‘Gen Alpha... they are more Gen Z than Gen Z at age 10. They are not mini Gen Zs and they’re going to literally change everything.’” — Dani Mariano [01:34]

• “‘Screens are something that they’ve had in their hands since they were born. If you’ve ever seen a two-year-old swipe the TV to change the channel, that’s because they know how to use tablets and it's early.’” — Dani Mariano [04:33]

• “‘49% of parents of Alpha kids report that their kids are making household purchase decisions. And that number goes up to 61% for car purchases.’” — Dani Mariano [03:09]

• “‘Gen Alpha... they want a brand that allows them to co-create the future of the brand. They want to be a part of that conversation.’” — Dani Mariano [02:30]

• “‘The Creator Collab is a fantastic team of on-staff, full-time employees that are great creators and love the brands that we work on.’” — Dani Mariano [06:20]

• “‘Our identity solutions at Epsilon allow us to understand the audience down to the individual level, which lets us match the right content with the right format and media.’” — Dani Mariano [08:42]

• “‘We have access to 17 million creators. We want to use that as our first step, but based on client needs, we might go directly to specific creators.’” — Dani Mariano [09:26]

This episode serves as a crucial guide for understanding and engaging Gen Alpha, emphasizing the need for authentic, collaborative, and technologically adept marketing strategies.