The bubble has calmed down after UTA’s ZCON event, and the lessons the new Gen Z taught have hopefully been learned by legacy executives looking to collaborate with the next wave of movers and change-makers in media.
And planning for ZCON 2026 and more has already begun.
“This has to be unique to ZCON. This idea that we need to platform creative voices across generations and connect brands and cultures can and should be everywhere,” Ziad Ahmed, head of UTA Next Gen, told Variety at the conclusion of the two-day event, held Oct. 22-23 at The Preserve in Hollywood. “And the fact that UTA can be the supercharger engine that accelerates that transformation in the market is what we’re really excited about and why we’ve chosen to call UTA home. I think it says a lot about UTA as a company that they’ve not only allowed us to continue building ZCON with the same vision they’ve always had, but actively encouraged and supported us. And we’re excited to carry that energy forward.”
Sonali Oli and Nick Dibell
Sonali Oli and Nick Dibell
As for how other generations are reacting to the event, Ahmed said, “My boss just called (UTA NY Chief) Julian Jacobs and said, ‘This was everything and more, and I never want to stop doing this.’ And people of all generations, titles, and backgrounds gave us encouragement.” “For me, I think it’s not about this moment in two days in October, it’s about what this movement is and what this energy is and how do we scale it, because I think we all need it right now.”
JUV Consulting, which supports ZCON and other Gen Z-focused events and projects, was acquired by UTA’s marketing division a year and a half ago as part of the Hollywood talent agency’s efforts to place greater emphasis on Gen Z audiences in its entertainment and marketing partnerships.
Sonali Oli and Nick Dibell
Sonali Oli and Nick Dibell
This year, ZCON partnered with brands like Cosmopolitan and Coach to host sessions and panels exploring how Hollywood is evolving, Gen Z’s relationship with beauty, health, and wellness, digital identity, and cultural and social influence.
Participating talent included Adam Fays, Hannah Broadhurst, Auli’i Cravalho, Chandler Kinney, Josie Tota, Michael Cimino, Ezra Fletch, Claire Almond, Austin Maguire, Orlando Leah, Anthony Poe, Umar Issa, Kami Telles, Ramisha Sattar, Nia Hsu, Zaya Perissian, Cheyenne Hunt, Andrew Chan, Ella Emhoff and Josh Corry.
“I think so many different platforms and stages are trying to accomplish this in different ways and are having similar conversations to what we’re having at ZCON,” said UTA Next Gen executive Olivia Fraley. “But the feedback we always get is that this feels really authentic, this is a place where everyone is showing their true selves, and no one is afraid to dance, cry their hearts out, make a new friend, say hi to someone, compliment someone. Hula Hoop! We’re asking experienced executives and people who have had great careers and normally work from an office or email to do some pretty crazy things.”
Sonali Oli and Nick Dibell
Sonali Oli and Nick Dibell
Ahmed added, “And they really lean in and do it with us!”
Fraley said ZCON organizers aim to “lead by example and create a space where people feel comfortable and safe to operate.”
“What we hear all the time, and what we hope to accomplish, is to create more spaces that feel that way and give people from all walks of life, all generations, permission to be their true selves and have these types of experiences, but also for people to come away feeling how they feel when they walk out of ZCON,” she said.
