A Beginner’s Guide to Multicultural Digital Marketing and Capitalizing on Rising Demographics
Multicultural digital marketing isn’t discussed as nearly as often as it should. According a recent report, marketers are underspending on multicultural media in a big way. This has left a major opportunity open for brands willing to take this angle and chase this demographic.
‘Multicultural’ consumers make up roughly 40 percent of Canada’s population. Spending on multicultural ads in North America last year totaled $25.9 billion. In that, $17.94 billion was for Hispanics, $7.2 billion aimed at black communities, and $722 million directed at Asian populations. Spending on these populations is set to continue to rise roughly 4.5% year over year in 2019 and 2020. These populations are not only growing but they’re underserved in many ways by contemporary marketing standards. Here’s what we mean.
Some brands are noticeably marketed towards a specific racial, ethnic, or cultural background. Many products and brands enjoy consumers of all backgrounds. There’s nothing wrong with this however some brands clearly benefit from marketing towards a specific culture. For example, Asian grocery stores exist from the Pacific to the Atlantic and in these stores, products are marketed directly to Asian populations. There are different music organizations and brands in sports which market specifically to those of an urban background. If/when there’s a chance to reach a specific cultural demographic, take it!
As with any digital marketing will tell you, you’ve got to go where the audience is. Multicultural digital marketing is spending predominantly on video ads directed at streaming services and television. There are also sports sponsorships, influencer marketing, and branded content marketing. Exploring culturally relevant media as opposed to general media, a brand runs an opportunity to resonate at an emotional level with audiences craving brands to connect with. Although one can gather these cultural demographics in general audiences, appealing directly to them is what will boast the best rewards.
Did you know multicultural audiences are using messaging apps, digital video, and streaming audio in larger numbers than the average population – it’s true. They’re connected to tech and media in a big way. To any brand that wants to reach them, the opportunity’s there. A great place to start may be through influencer marketing and/or partnering with other brands who already have a built-in audience. This way, you can activate your brand through emotional, intimate connections. If a consumer already trusts a brand and said brand recommends something, the consumer is more likely to trust this recommendation than the average ad.
Here are some more figures to keep in mind when building out your Internet marketing plan multicultural-style.
- 52% of Hispanic-Canadians spend at least an hour a day on social media and are 5 times more likely to share content compared to non-Hispanic whites.
- 90% of black Canadians live in a household with a smartphone, a full 6% more than the general population. They are also more likely to use said smartphones for social media, streaming, and audio-visuals.
- McDonald’s launched an ad campaign targeting African-Americans in March 2019, involving a new Instagram campaign under the account @wearegolden. More and more, expect large multi-national corporations to be coming forward with targeted campaigns like this both in the United States and in Canada.
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