How should brands attract Gen Z, a generation notoriously unmoved by marketing tactics? That question is foundational to dcdx, the global research and strategy firm whose success in helping companies market to Gen Z landed Andrew Roth, BS’21, on the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 list for marketing and advertising. dcdx works with major brands like Spotify, Chipotle, Hinge, Crocs, L’Oréal, and many more.
The name dcdx is a play on dy/dx, the derivative notation in calculus to measure the rate of change of Y with respect to X. The C in dcdx refers to the measurement of the rate of cultural change and how that affects young people’s relationship with the world around them, particularly their relationships with organizations.
It is fitting, then, that Roth conceived of dcdx in spring 2020, when, even as the world came to a standstill, culture was changing rapidly, and Gen Z was a major force affecting and affected by that change.
At the time, Roth was in the U.K. pursuing his capstone internship for his degree in human and organizational development when the pandemic abruptly sent him home. As he thought about rapid cultural shifts caused by the pandemic and the salience of the Black Lives Matter movement, it seemed like corporations were disconnected from the values and concerns of young people. Moreover, they didn’t understand how to learn about young people.
“It felt like the only way they were trying to reach us was through 60-question emailed surveys, but how effective was that for measuring my perception of what’s happening in the world? That question inspired me to create dcdx,” Roth said. “I wanted to explore how to design research in a human-centered way that speaks to how young people are communicating and behaving in the world.”
The company focuses on building “magnetic brands,” a term dcdx created to define brands that pull, rather than push, Gen Z towards them. Roth says magnetic brands position themselves within the culture and create conversation among the Gen Z cohort. dcdx researches young people’s online reactions and content related to these brands and offers their clients reports, insights, and strategies that enhance the clients’ brand identity.
Roth credits many of the lessons he learned from Vanderbilt’s human and organizational development program for informing his approach to dcdx.
“The HOD program taught me a lot about how to improve the effectiveness of organizations by focusing on the people at the core of those organizations, both as individuals and as groups. During the pandemic, I had some time to think about those lessons, which inspired part of the company’s philosophy,” Roth said.
Even though dcdx began with a focus on Gen Z, the company is now expanding market research across generations, including work on Millennials and Gen Alpha. According to Roth, the key to the future of dcdx is its unique approach to work, not who the work focuses on.
Roth feels honored to be named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. He hopes his story inspires current human and organizational development students to use their time in the program to hone their curiosity and creativity toward a venture that one day helps them make the list.
This article is an excerpt from the article originally published, January 23, 2025.
