The youth market is arguably the most difficult age group to win over. Health, beauty and wellness retailer Clicks has clearly uncovered the secret to successfully engaging with this sector of the market having won the Coolest Specialist Health & Beauty Store category in the 2023 Sunday Times GenNext Awards for the fourth consecutive year. Clicks ClubCard was also ranked as one of the Top 5 Coolest Loyalty Programmes.

The Sunday Times NextGen survey is considered the leading barometer of what South Africa’s youth find on-trend and inspirational.

“Clicks is delighted to once again be recognised as Mzansi youth’s number one health and beauty store, proving that our efforts to remain relevant to our younger consumers are paying off,” says Dr Mel van Rooy, Head of Marketing at Clicks.

Appealing to the youth market is a very deliberate strategy on the part of Clicks, she says. “The youth are increasingly conscious of health, skincare, beauty and wellbeing and are often trendsetters and early adopters of new products. By appealing to this market with affordable, quality products and services, Clicks is able to position itself as a trendy and innovative brand. When we build a relationship and establish brand familiarity with customers from a young age, we are able to build long-term loyalty and purchasing preference.”

In a rapidly changing economic and technological landscape, the youth market is adaptable to change and willing to try new products and services. Clicks has responded to this by offering innovative digital solutions and adapting quickly to market shifts.

Recent innovations, explains Van Rooy, include Clicks’ new experiential beauty halls, which have been specifically designed to allow shoppers to engage with brands at every touchpoint, with the aim of making beauty more accessible to all.

Active on social media, the 55-year-old retailer also partners with the youth market in a variety of ways, including teaming up with popular health, beauty and wellness influencers across Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and Spotify.

“We have created an engaging online presence through bespoke content that is meaningful and purpose-driven,” reports Van Rooy. “In addition, we use gamification to engage this market segment through reward mechanisms to encourage sales across key categories shopped.”

Youth market concerns for the environment, sustainability and ethical sourcing of resources aligns with Clicks’ credentials as a founding member of the SA Plastic Pact and through its environmentally friendly MyEarth range, says Van Rooy.

She adds that Clicks has positioned itself as a company and a brand that cares about the aspirations, challenges and the well-being of young individuals. “Campaigns like The Body Shop Be Seen Be Heard are bringing the voices of the youth to the forefront.”

The results of these efforts speak for themselves: customers between the ages of 15 and 25 make up more than 10% of Clicks ClubCard’s active membership base.

The secret, reveals Van Rooy, is in constantly listening to what young customers are saying and doing in order to better understand and meet their needs.