Americanization of the 17, 18 and 1900’s (good, bad or indifferent) was built with the philosophy of a “melting pot”, or intermarriage, of cultures and ethnicities. Most marketers since then have targeted this middle ground believing that a common message could be crafted to meet all audience requirements and one size can fit all. Starting in the late 1960’s and shifting into the new millennium a cultural revolution has evolved such that the America of today is more “cultural mosaic” than melting pot and great marketers have taken notice.
We have already discussed how flat the world is courtesy of advancements in communications in previous blogs, but the new cultural mosaicked America takes a different understanding for successful marketing programs
In their blog titled “It’s The End Of the World As We Know It,” Ahmad Islam and Sherman Wright (Huffington Post, 06/05/2012) provide statistical proof:
“Fast-forward to 2012. We understand now more than ever that it is indeed the end of the world as we know it. Why? Because society is being reshaped from what many considered a melting pot to a cultural mosaic where African American and Hispanic populations are setting cultural trends that play a tremendous, game-changing role in the growth and success of American brands. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, racial and ethnic minorities accounted for 91.7% of the nation’s growth between 2000 and 2010 with Hispanics accounting for more than half of the nation’s growth during this same period. Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that, of all the babies born in the United States in 2011, more than half were members of minority groups, marking the first time in U.S. history this has happened. As the racial and ethnic makeup of our country continues to change, brands can no longer think of multicultural segments as “niche” markets purely defined by race, country of origin or geographic location. Not only are people of color on their way to becoming the majority, their buying power and sheer numbers will drive marketing decisions for years to come. Today, brands that don’t allocate a significant portion of their marketing and advertising dollars to creating campaigns and programs that lead with ethnic insight are setting themselves up for a proverbial kick in the ass, losing relevance, credibility — and ultimately business — in this era of multiculturalism.”
So what does this all mean to your next marketing campaign? Try these three recommendations:
- First off, stop striving for common ground and just embrace the diversity of your audience.
- Second, leverage social media for its ability to target specific groups with specific conversations germane to their requirements, ideals and buying philosophies.
- Third, place a larger number of smaller bets with your marketing budget instead of taking the gambler’s creed and “letting it all ride” on one or two big plays.
BTW: Happy 12.12.12! I invite you to embrace the world ending as we know it and accepting the new normal as one that embraces a cultural mosaic.
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