Multicultural advertising more important than ever

Tyler Perrino
TP254907@ohio.edu

America is becoming more and more diverse each year. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the Hispanic population rose 43.0 percent from 2000, Asian American 43.3 percent and African American 12.3 percent. During the same span the white population rose just 5.7percent.

Diversity is even greater in big cities. Many of the highest-populated counties in America are now less than 50 percent white, including Los Angeles County and Cook County, Illinois (Chicago).

These multicultural groups now make up over 27 percent of our population, and with higher birthrates than white families, this ratio will continue to grow. Advertisers need to devote more time and money to this growing multicultural market.

Tapestry is a prime example of a multicultural agency that has tapped into this market with great success. It is the first multicultural agency in the nation and has worked with clients like Procter & Gamble, Disney and General Motors to bring their products to the multicultural market. One example is the mini-novelas Tapestry developed for Secret to reach the Hispanic market. Each 30-second spot was a story and they were shown during Univision’s popular 8 p.m. telenovela. Sales in the Hispanic market rose 22 percent as a result of the campaign.

These multicultural markets are different then the general white population, so the advertising message and medium need to be different as well. New media makes up a larger component of multicultural campaigns than those aimed at the general population. Online gaming, mobile advertising and digital videos are more likely to be used when marketing towards a multicultural target. According to a survey by the Association of National Advertisers,

“59 percent of respondents said they use or plan to use mobile marketing to reach multicultural customers, compared with 32 percent of respondents who were asked the same question about the general market.”

Many large agencies have multicultural departments or even sister agencies dedicated towards the multicultural market. This is the first step to connect with this target, but more time and money need to be spent as this population continues to grow.