The United States and Canada are both nations made up of immigrants, with a wide range of cultures, ethnicities, and languages represented among their diverse populations. According to Collage Group, 140 million multicultural consumers now represent 42% of the U.S. population. As the U.S. consumer landscape evolves, brands and businesses need to improve their understanding of culture and evolve their marketing strategies for authentic engagement.
Through multicultural advertising, brands gain the ability to tap into shared experiences and intersectional expressions to truly activate and engage today’s diverse consumers. In this article, we will explore the rise of multicultural advertising and its importance, as well as providing tips for businesses to create and incorporate effective campaigns and strategies into their overall marketing plans.
The Rise of Multicultural Advertising
The rise of multicultural advertising can be attributed to several factors. One of the most significant is the changing demographics of North America. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. is projected to continue becoming a more racially and ethnically pluralistic society, with one in three Americans (32% of the population) projected to be a race other than White by 2060.
In Canada, the proportion of immigrants in the population has been steadily increasing over the past few decades, with South Asian (7.1%), Chinese (4.7%) and Black (4.3%) people together representing 16.1% of Canada's total population in the 2021 Census. This means that as the marketplace is becoming more diverse, businesses must adapt to remain relevant.
There are many reasons why multicultural advertising is essential for businesses today. First and foremost, it is critical to recognize that different communities have different needs, interests, and values. By creating campaigns that are tailored to these communities, businesses can improve their brand perception and increase engagement with their target audiences. According to Microsoft Advertising, 70% of Gen Z consumers trust brands that represent diversity in ads. When markets get it right and leverage fine-tuned multicultural marketing, it helps put specific target audiences at ease.
Multicultural advertising also offers an opportunity to tap into a significant market share. According to a 2019 report by the Association of National Advertisers, although multicultural consumers comprised almost 40% of the total U.S. population, multicultural media investments made up only 5.2% of total advertising and marketing spending.
Data shows that marginalized consumers appreciate when brands support their community through ad messaging and media support, as well as investing directly in their communities. This demonstrates that there is a clear opportunity for more marketers to engage multicultural consumers to drive business growth, especially since multicultural buying power is now worth more than $5 trillion and has been the driver of market growth for a decade.
Tips for Multicultural Advertising
To incorporate multicultural advertising into your marketing strategies, it is important to understand your target audience, implement in-language and in-culture advertising, avoid stereotypes and cultural appropriation, and collaborate with in-cultural media or multicultural agencies to ensure that you develop inclusive campaigns that are not only effective, but also respectful and authentic. To learn more about how to effectively incorporate effective multicultural advertising into your marketing campaigns, check out the 5 Tips to Create Effective Multicultural Campaigns!
Multicultural advertising has become increasingly important in North America due to the changing demographics and media consumption habits of diverse communities.
By tailoring campaigns to meet the needs, interests, and values of these communities, businesses can improve brand perception, increase engagement, and tap into a significant market share. By embracing multicultural advertising, businesses can connect with diverse consumers and drive growth and success.
iTalkBB Media is a marketing firm specializing in advertising services and integrated marketing solutions within North America. With a target audience consisting of 100% Chinese ethnicity, and Mandarin as their primary language, iTalkBB Media possesses the necessary expertise and insights to develop culturally relevant and highly effective advertising campaigns. Work with us to tap into our expertise and insights to create impactful advertisements that not only resonate but also demonstrate respect for cultural nuances.
iTalkBB Media is a leading marketing and advertising source offering unique advertising opportunities to businesses penetrating the Chinese consumer market in North America. As a member of the iTalk Family Companies, it has exclusive advertising rights for placement of advertising on its affiliate companies’ state-of-the-art Set-Top-Box (iTalkBB Chinese TV) and streaming (iTalkBB TV) Chinese language platforms (the “iTalk TV Platforms”).
iTalk TV Platforms are the largest licensed Chinese-language television and streaming service in North America. iTalk TV Platforms are boutique ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) platforms with options of free and subscription tiers offering various Chinese streaming content through their Set-Top-Box platform and digital platforms on the web and mobile app versions. By reaching 2 million users, the services entertain audiences with a curated collection of movies, TV shows, and original content, in addition to 30+ live-streaming channels.
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