Gen X knows social better than Gen Z
OK, not really. Well, kind of. Wait, do we? Walk with me…
Back in May, DeMarcus Stinson of Raising Champions posted a video of his young son who was having a moment and threw a bag of bread. To discipline him for acting out, his dad took a unique approach — he had his son give him 500 Dru Hills.
SIDENOTE:
* The “Dru Hills” he was referring to are none other than the Dru Hill, one of the most loved late 90s/early 2000s R&B groups. Their debut album — which dropped 29 years ago this week, on November 19, 1996 — featured their hit single “Tell Me.”
* The music video opened with Dru Hill onstage, and when the song starts, the group hits what would become their signature dance move (IYKYK). This was a staple of their live performances, and guest appearances on hit 90s Black sitcoms, Moesha and The Parent ‘Hood.
The video of this life lesson went viral, driving 5M+ views, media think pieces, comments from celebrities and influencers, and 450K shares, including Dru Hill. The video flipped a previous nostalgia challenge paying homage to the iconic dance, and went viral across Instagram and TikTok, with media talking about this hilarious, and humbling punishment handed down by Gen X and Millennial parents to their Gen Z kids.
Fast forward to Nov. 9 in Berlin. During the Indianapolis Colts vs Atlanta Falcons game, Camryn Bynum strip-sacked Michael Penix Jr., forcing a fumble the Colts recovered. Known for his celebrations, Bynum — born two years after the “Tell Me” video premiered — led the Colts defense in recreating the Dru Hill dance that’s etched into the hearts, minds, and souls of The Culture. Gen X and Millennials immediately caught the reference (I was texting multiple group chats in the moment), and it started taking off on social media, with sports and 90s music fans sharing the clip with nostalgia instantly unlocked.
Here’s where things got interesting.
The Colts social media channels, sharing highlights in real time, posted a video of the celly, tagging brand partner Bud Light.
The video drove 4M+ views on X. People were talking. Dru Hill quoted it and shouted out the team, hitting 1.2M views.
A couple days later, Dru Hill kept the Indiana love going with the Pacers. Cool moment in culture, and great active social engagement, right? Yeah…but there was a flag on the play though. The Colts comments were getting lit up.
A reference to a ‘97 Will Smith song and dance.
In a post referencing a ‘96 Dru Hill song and dance.
People called out the misattribution of the wrong cultural reference, and why that most likely happened.
This is something we’ve been dealing with for years in marketing. Agencies and brands always want to spark conversations and relevance in culture, and they quite often miss the mark. And it’s really not rocket science:
THERE IS NO CULTURAL RELEVANCE WITHOUT CULTURAL REPRESENTATION.
Read that back. To get to it, Gen Z loves Black culture, and Gen X nostalgia, though they may not realize it — and your brand may not either.
Joe Freshgoods is one of the top guys in fashion, and breathed new life into New Balance, making it a go-to brand for Gen Z. His December 2023 990v4 “1998” collection was inspired by the cult classic Belly, which was in theaters that same year, paying homage to various movie elements. The drop, linking Gen X culture with Gen Z consumers, sold out instantly (per usual).
The YG (Young Gentleman) wave trending on TikTok right now, with young Black men switching up their Nike Techs and coffee for quarter zips and matchas, is a throwback cultural trend to the cultural shift JAY-Z led in 2003, with the bars “And I don't wear jerseys, I'm 30-plus” that had a whole generation of college kids trading their Mitchell and Ness throwbacks for button-ups.
The Dru Hill challenge started a few years ago, tapping into a cultural truth that’s been trending in real life since ‘96: as soon as we hear the opening notes to “Tell Me,” we know what it is, and what to do. The challenge was viral gold, with UGC bringing back that 96–97 feeling across Gen X and Millennials. The fact that this song and dance turns 30 in 2026, and continues to trend in various ways in 2025, is proof of The Culture’s staying power.
Back to the headline. Gen Z are the social natives, and are rightfully the channel managers for brands. Gen Z drives what’s next on digital. Gen Z is also the most racially and ethnically diverse generation ever. So when brands and agencies fumble moments in culture on social media, for a lot of us, it’s the same reaction to hearing “Tell Me” start playing — we’re running to the comments, because we know there was most likely no cultural representation in the rooms where those posts get greenlit. The Culture has always been co-opted and commercialized. But brands can’t play in culture, if they’re not paying The Culture.
From AAVE that’s been jacked as Gen Z/TikTok slang, to 90s/2000s fashion, and reboots of music, movies, and TV shows, Gen X continues to influence the culture Gen Z drives. As Q4 closes out, and brands map social and influencer strategies to tap in with Gen Z in 2026, make sure you don’t miss the Gen X Factor.
— Tony B.