How can a business’s product or service combat social injustice?

Well… it can’t. But a multicultural marketing plan has endless possibilities. Multicultural marketing is marketing to one or more audiences of an ethnicity that is outside of a country’s majority culture. Practicing this kind of marketing is essential to promoting diversity in the world we live in since the media plays such a huge role in how we perceive our own society. So what can businesses do? How do they effectively execute a multicultural marketing campaign? Let’s take a look at the answers to the 5 following questions - who, what, where, why, and how - to examine what businesses can do.

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Who?

Let’s start by learning exactly what constitutes a multicultural consumer. According to the US Census Bureau, a multicultural consumer is one who identifies as Hispanic, African American, Asian, Native American, or as two or more races. But the term “multicultural” has grown to include minority religions and minority sexual orientations as well, since being a multicultural consumer means more than just someone’s race and ethnicity. Multicultural consumers are also typically younger, with 42% of American millennials and 53% of Gen Z-ers identifying as multicultural.

What?

The next step in your multicultural marketing plan is to examine what you need to do to make your ad resonate with audiences. This will depend on who you are targeting specifically, but extensive research on the culture or topic you’re celebrating is mandatory in order to connect with your audience. So, how will you resonate with your target audience? That’s the fun, creative part of your multicultural marketing campaign, as well as the most important part of your project. Consider different aspects of the heritage that you want to highlight in your campaign, including cultural events, traditions, languages and colloquialisms to relay your service in an impactful way.

Where?

In addition to researching heritage, consider what channels are best for reaching your target audience. Every demographic will respond differently to various forms of advertising. Study the habits of your target demographic (ethnicity, age, etc.) and advertise accordingly through TV, print, billboards, display ads, social media, and more. For example, based on Pew Research Center’s findings, 37% of U.S. adults use Instagram. The platform is most popular amongst Hispanic adults (51%), then Black adults (40%) followed by White adults (33%). So if your target audience is Hispanic adults in the U.S., consider using Instagram for social ads. Here’s something else to consider: Roughly 12.9% of weekly adult cable TV watchers are Black Americans, making television a good advertising outlet if your target audience is Black Americans. While these are just a couple of helpful hints for your multicultural marketing campaign, there are countless factors just like them that will help you reach your target audience.

Why?

Multiculturalism should matter to everyone - it’s as simple as that. But in addition to impacting social justice, 61% of Americans find diversity to be important in advertising and about 40% have turned against a brand due to a lack of diversity in their advertising. Furthermore, 38% of consumers are more likely to trust a brand that successfully shows diversity in their ads (especially amongst specific groups, like millennials, teens, the LGBTQ+ community, and people of color to name a few). However, a shocking percentage of marketers (91%!) also agreed that there’s room for growth in using more diverse images. While steps are being taken to promote diversity, we should all examine ways to be even more inclusive.

How?

The research and creativity entailed in a successful multicultural marketing campaign is more than fun and exciting for marketers - it’s essential in combating a socially turbulent society. Luckily, the Giovatto Agency is a step ahead. We always stay up-to-date by researching which forms of media are best for reaching various demographics. Additionally, we love creating ads that do more than just promote your product or service - we want to help serve a greater purpose. After studying the ins and outs of your business, we’ll construct a media mix that’s both diverse and effective.

Ready for successful multicultural marketing? Don’t wait another minute - contact Giovatto today to get started!