As brands navigate a rapidly changing youth landscape, understanding young people requires more than knowing what they watch, where they spend time online or which trends they follow. It requires creating meaningful ways for them to access information, experiences, communities and opportunities.
This was central to Plug’d by Telkom’s presence at Nedbank IMC 2026, where the youth-first platform brought the conversation around Gen Z and Gen Alpha directly into a room of marketers, business leaders and industry decision makers.
Held under the theme “Shift Happens™”, this year’s conference explored the shifts influencing marketing, business, and consumer behaviour. Plug’d used the platform to explore another important shift: moving beyond marketing to young people towards listening to and building with them.
Beyond connectivity: connecting youth to opportunity
Designed for young South Africans aged 18 to 24, Plug’d by Telkom recognises that connectivity is an important starting point, but young people need more than access to data.
They need access to content, culture, lifestyle, communities, information and opportunities that are relevant to their lives and ambitions.
Plug’d brings these elements together through a youth-focused proposition designed to help young people move from connection to opportunity.
The platform reflects a broader understanding of youth engagement: relevance is not simply about speaking the right language or appearing on the right platform. It is about providing genuine value and creating spaces where young people can participate.
Listening to the next generation
This approach came to life during The Next Shift: A Gen Z–Gen Alpha Conversation, facilitated by Telkom Chief Marketing Officer Gugu Mthembu.
The discussion brought together Gen Alpha influencer Desmond Koolen and Marko Stavrou, founder of Gen Z Guy and Genlink, to share their perspectives on attention, trust, culture, influence and how they engage with brands.
For marketers, the conversation highlighted the importance of moving beyond assumptions about younger audiences.
“Youth relevance cannot be built from the outside looking in,” said Mthembu. “It starts with listening to young people, understanding what matters to them and creating with them, rather than simply creating for them.”
The discussion also highlighted how quickly expectations can change between generations. What captures the attention of a Gen Alpha audience may differ significantly from what resonates with Gen Z, reinforcing the need for brands to remain curious, adaptable and willing to listen.
Creating real participation
The role of Plug’d at Nedbank IMC extended beyond the conference stage.
Through its partnership with UJ FM, Plug’d engaged university students through a competition that gave them a platform to showcase their ideas and engage with the youth proposition in a way that was relevant to their world.
This reflects a core part of the Plug’d proposition: creating opportunities for young people to participate, rather than positioning them only as consumers of brand content.
For young South Africans navigating education, careers, culture and an increasingly digital world, access to relevant platforms and opportunities can play an important role in helping them discover possibilities and build connections.
Why youth relevance matters
Gen Z is already influencing culture, consumer expectations and the way brands communicate, while Gen Alpha is growing up in an environment where digital experiences, creators and online communities are embedded in everyday life.
For businesses, this means youth engagement cannot be treated as a short-term campaign consideration. Understanding younger audiences is increasingly part of building brands that remain relevant as consumer expectations evolve.
Plug’d by Telkom is designed around this shift, connecting young people not only to Telkom but also to experiences, communities and opportunities that reflect their world.
Its presence at Nedbank IMC demonstrated the role brands can play when they move beyond simply asking, “How do we reach young people?” and instead ask, “What can we create with young people that is genuinely useful to them?”
As the marketing industry continues to experience its own shifts, Plug’d by Telkom is helping to shape a more participatory approach to youth engagement, one grounded in connection, relevance, and opportunity.
Because for young people, being connected is the beginning. The opportunity is what comes next.
Plug’d by Telkom is a free-to-join youth platform designed for South Africans aged 18 to 24. It gives members access to exclusive bundles, lifestyle perks, curated entertainment and learning content, as well as experiences and opportunities tailored to their interests and ambitions.
Members can join via the MyTelkom App, www.telkom.co.za/plugd, or by dialling *180# or *123# and selecting the Plug’d option.
