Marketing to Diverse Audiences in the USA and Canada

Arches of gold. "Swoosh." A green mermaid with two tails. Brand names and images from places like McDonald's, Nike, and Starbucks are everywhere in culture, from TV shows that drop their names to tattoos. In our recent study, From Ads to Zeitgeist, 63% of people agreed that advertising has the power to shape and build culture, not just reach people from different cultures.

What does culture marketing mean? What does ethnic marketing mean?

Culture marketing, also called multicultural marketing, uses practices, symbols, holidays, and events from different parts of society to connect with people in a meaningful way. It's the process of making ads or campaigns that are specifically aimed at a certain group of people. It can also highlight important cultural moments, show how your brand is positioned with your customers, and show how you feel about diversity and inclusion.

Why is it important to do ethnic and culture marketing?

Culture marketing is important because it can help you show what your brand stands for, connect with people from different backgrounds, and inspire new ideas. 66% of people who answered our survey said they want to feel like they belong and are part of a group more. Your campaigns can help them do that.2 Take the Eras tour with Taylor Swift: People made friendship bracelets by hand and sold them at concerts all over the world. The bracelets also brought fans together in real life as they traded them at the shows.

As words like "advertainment" (advertising mixed with entertainment) become more common, it's getting harder to tell the difference between personal and business ideals. People are getting to know the brands they buy from and are interested in what those companies stand for. Seven out of ten people who answered our poll said they want to see real stories in the news that show how different cultures live.3.

Marketing professionals can be real, and they can also teach their customers about other countries

What does cross-cultural marketing mean?

Cross-cultural marketing is the process of making ads or campaigns that are aimed at different groups of people, usually ones that are not from the same culture as the brand. The American Community Survey says that by 2050, black Americans will make up the majority of Americans, especially in the U.S.4 There are chances for cross-cultural marketing even in the place where a brand is from. When you start marketing in other countries or to new groups of people, you can use your ethnic marketing to create global ad campaigns that are seen all over the world.

What are the most important parts of culture marketing and ethnic marketing?

Culture marketing can start as a campaign that takes advantage of a cultural event, like the end of The Bachelor season or the Olympics, but it can grow into more than that. 62% of our respondents said that advertising should let people engage in creative ways.5 That means making marketing work in real life.

Culture marketing can become more than just one brand or effort over time. Did you know that the word "container" used to be a brand name? The trademark ended, and the word became more general.6 We think about it all the time as jokes that say everything is okay.

Being creative and sharing stories are important parts of culture marketing

In our poll, 62% of people said they want more original content to be made, and 73% said they like ads that make them laugh.7 For instance, the Freevee original show Jury Duty used an idea that had never been seen before: a documentary-style show where one juror doesn't know the whole case is fake. Fans quickly became hooked on the original and unexpected show, which went on to receive Amazon Freevee's first-ever Emmy Award nomination.

"Weirdis"

When you look into culture marketing, don't be afraid to do strange things. 58% of those who answered said they think it's important to see the "weirdness" and real personalities of people in culture.8 Not only does that mean a range of forms and audiences, but it also means trying out new methods, like social media, user-generated content, interactive marketing, and talking to customers. People connect with this honesty, which leads to repeat customers and company loyalty. Fans really care about their favorite brands and goods, and no amount of paid content can make them feel any less dedicated.

Being new

Getting the word out about the benefits of your business and products is an important part of marketing, whether it has anything to do with culture or not. Do they solve a problem, improve how people already act, or make things easier for your customers? That's where your name comes in. 65% of the people who answered our survey would rather try new things and find new goods than stick to what they know.9 Also, "emerging market culture" refers to younger groups of people or places, which could be great targets for your culture marketing.