The Euphoria Effect
Listen up my advertising peers, the creators of the HBO blockbuster demonstrate how to truly capture the attention of the iconic Generation Z.
I’m baaaaaack!
Ugh, guys, I missed you. But this time has also brought positive things, I came up with some new ideas and have already tackled some of them. So, all of you can be excited. Anyway, besides my chaotic thoughts, there's also a lot going on in the world of pop culture, really a lot.
Due to this overload of news it was quite difficult to decide what to write about. However, before I dive head over heels into the Fashion Week madness, here's an article about the HBO blockbuster Euphoria.
More specifically, we take an in-depth look at why the series docks so well with the Generation Z, in what areas it's already left a mark, and why it should be a mandatory viewing for every advertiser.
It’s a Mad World
To The Time, fashion historian and curator Darnell-Jamal Lisby clarified the following: «When I see Gen Z, they are risk takers,» he states. «They’re putting it all out there. They have this unabashed confidence to be their truest selves in terms of their sexuality, in terms of their gender identity. If they want to be a little more ‘provocative,’ they’re going to do it.»
He starts right off with an important point, namely Gen Z's affinity to taking risks. No generation before has grown up with such a proximity to risks, all their lives being warned about the dangers of the internet, emerging violence or the troubled world situation that certainly hasn't moved in the right direction since 2001. Add to that opium crises, economic collapses, and political faux-passes. How can one not grow up to be a risk taker in such an environment?
And Sam Levinson, the director of Euphoria, fully embraces this penchant for risk-taking. Who else would produce a show that so unadulteratedly and graphically exposes the darkest problems of our youth? Teenage females snorting any substance they can find through their noses, young adults struggling with complex mental health issues, and a generation whose intimate lives have been destroyed by a sexified society. It seems unbelievable and shocking but we have to admit it: We do live in a mad world.
Thus, on the one hand, the success of the content and the first part of Darnell-Jamal Lisby's quote has been validated. Gen Z's and Millenials probably see themselves in Rue, Jules or Nate. But the art direction has also proven the Euphoria Effect: stunning main characters whose day-to-day attire frequently features glitter, flawless makeup, and over-the-top outfits, which they even wear during their most traumatic experiences – it all brims with provocation. Add to that the series' cinematography that could have come straight out of a music video, with moody, glowing lighting and dramatic, elaborate motion shots.
How should something like that not succeed with a generation that defines itself through their Instagram profiles and grew up with MTV music videos?
Oops, I Go to Euphoria High
Where is currently the best place to trace the influence of music, art, film and fashion? Yes, Tiktok. And the short film app is at the moment plastered with Euphoria content. Whether it's make-up videos, voice-overs from the series, or probably the biggest trend: recreating the dolled-up outfits of the series' stars.
But also at the Fashion Weeks one can detect a slight echo of the series. Indeed, the glitter shelves in New York are probably empty. On catwalks or at after-parties, people are wearing makeup in Euphoria style with lots and lots of glitter and frightening smokey-eyes.
Even Tilden Bissel wrote about the eye-catching tendencies at New York Fashion Week for the W Magazine, introducing the term Euphoria effect for the first time. «One thing is clear: eye-catching make-up was big this week,» Bissel reports. «Let's call it the Euphoria effect: Even Gigi Hadid showed her support with a razor-sharp smokey eye.»
That’s How It’s Done
Growing up with social media, my generation has been spoon-fed images of ourselves at an unprecedented frequency. Teenagers are being raised to be experts in personal branding. In fact, we are trained to create and curate quasi-professional images of ourselves – the more hypersexual and seemingly exclusive, the better. In the position of the consumer, this means that the visual stands for us above everything else.
But it also means that we expect genuine content. We recognise when something is being imposed on us and everyone who produces something for Gen-Z should write this on their forehead. Don't lie to us and don't hide anything from us, we don't have to be handled with kid gloves.
Contrary to many productions, be it shows, commercials or education, Euphoria has managed not to filter a single sensitive topic with a sugarcoat. The success is clearly marked by the explicit themes that are presented in an unfiltered approachability.
This unfiltered accessibility is a major problem for quite a few productions when it comes to one topic, political correctness. This isn't because they aren't politically correct, but because they are forced to overthink this issue.
According to a 2020 Pew study, Generation Z is the most racially and ethnically diverse generation ever and the generation most comfortable with gender non-conformity. These realities are crucial to Generation Z's commitment to fluidity. We could look up to older generations and see that a binary world doesn't work. Nowadays, we express the incredible diversity in a range of other identities. Today, diversity is simply who you are, rather than something you were programmed or set up to be. So you can tell that the issue is not important, but simply elementary to Generation Z. It's not something that needs to be emphasised, mentioned, or even addressed, because it is simply our world.
So how does one wrap up all this straightforwardness but still political correctness in content? Well, in a world where everyone talks about themselves, sometimes music is better than any conversation.
Do it like Sam Levinson, and amplify the juxtaposing energies of a party, an intimate scene or anything in between through the song selection. This also allows you to focus on the really important messages of a content piece.
Love,
Pascal
Thank you for this Pascal! Great analysis with clarity! Managed to find your substack via Substack Go