Activating the Multicultural Journey
It is said that brands can’t just “visit” another culture. That can lead to a fragmented and inconsistent effort in terms of multicultural marketing. They must learn and truly “live” in the culture, whether that’s content-driven programming through creators, or enhanced efforts through marketing and advertising. This is not only sound advice but also currently a significant business growth trend.
According to Snapchat’s “Why Authentic Representation Matters: How Brands Can Reach Multicultural Audiences,” the multicultural population is growing. “By 2050, multicultural Americans are expected to represent nearly half of the U.S. population. This growth can also be seen in the purchasing power multicultural consumers have with a +345% increase from 2000 to 2021,” notes Snapchat.
Snapchat and Collage conducted research to better understand how brands can authentically speak to and represent this audience. Research was carried out in the U.S. among over 3,000 social platform users (13-44 years old) across races and ethnicities to include multicultural (Asian, Hispanic, and Black consumers) and non-multicultural in an online quantitative survey. The findings provided insight into the ways brands can reach multicultural consumers.
A key point: Multicultural consumers expect brands to prioritize representation. Multicultural consumers want to see themselves and others represented in advertising, according to the Snapchat/Collage survey. They say it’s important for brands to positively represent people like them (70%) and to authentically represent people from diverse backgrounds (67%) in ads. Multicultural consumers said they would be more likely to buy from a brand that represents people from diverse backgrounds in ads and also pay more for that brand.
Brands can better represent and authentically connect with multicultural consumers by:
- Collaborate with creators who are like them: Multicultural consumers leaninto creators. When a brand collaborates with a creator they follow, multicultural consumers will pay more attention to ads (54%) and see the brand as more trustworthy (52%) and authentic (49%). More importantly, 54% of multicultural consumers said in the survey that they’d be likely to buy from a brand that advertises with a creator they follow.
- Creatively facilitate self-expression with augmented reality: Self-expression is a necessity for multicultural consumers, with 75% saying that being able to express themselves on platforms is important.
- Authentically showcase and action on values and social issues: Sharing opinions on social issues is part of multicultural consumers’ platform experience. Of the multicultural consumers who said they were comfortable sharing who they are on platforms, 75% said they were sharing their opinions on social issues. Multicultural consumers want brands to do so too – 67% said it was important that brands speak up on social issues that are important.
According to the Snapchat survey, brands should also not stop with just speaking out. Almost a third of multicultural consumers said they’d want to see how brands are giving back to their communities.
Mobilizing Multicultural Audiences
During the Media Insights & Engagement Conference, Rachael Ryan, Head of Research & Insights, North America & Global Functions at TikTok, and Nidhi Rao, Global Research & Insights Partner at TikTok, will hold the session, “From Scroll to Screen: How TikTok’s Multicultural Audiences are Redefining Entertainment Engagement & Driving Your Next Hit.”
Discover the power of TikTok in mobilizing multicultural entertainment enthusiasts. This session unveils new research on how diverse audiences on TikTok are driven to subscribe, tune-in, and head to theaters. We’ll explore the unique consumer journey of these valuable viewers, highlighting the content, creators, and cultural nuances that inspire action. Gain a deeper understanding of how media and entertainment brands can authentically connect with and convert multicultural communities.
- Identify Key Drivers: Learn what specific content formats and cultural themes most effectively drive tune-in, subscriptions, and movie-going among multicultural audiences.
- Optimize Your Approach: Gain insight into the distinct consumer journey and decision-making factors (e.g., language, cultural representation, community validation) of multicultural audiences on TikTok, enabling you to tailor more resonant and effective campaign strategies.
- Amplify Multicultural Influence: Understand the powerful and authentic role multicultural communities play as tastemakers and key drivers of entertainment conversations, fostering genuine connection and mutual value.
Creating Authentic Engagement
Clearly, there is untapped potential in marketing to multicultural consumers. But as the Snapchat survey suggested, there must be authentic engagement in the process. This often means avoiding the one-size-fits-all approach which tends to be more generic and monolithic. To reach multicultural communities:
- Prioritize Cultural Intelligence: Go beyond surface-level demographics. Market research can help to understand the specific values, traditions, nuances, communication styles, and media consumption habits of different cultural groups.
- Ensure Authentic Representation: Audiences can quickly spot inauthentic portrayals. Feature diverse talent in front of the camera in a way that reflects genuine lived experiences, not stereotypes. Also ensure diverse voices are in decision-making roles behind the scenes. This internal diversity is key to creating content that truly resonates.
- Co-Create with the Community: Involve cultural representatives, experts, and community leaders in the creative process to ensure accuracy and respect. This collaboration builds trust and helps avoid cultural appropriation and missteps.
- Leverage Influencer Partnerships: Partner with content creators and influencers who are respected within their specific communities. Their endorsement can significantly boost brand credibility and reach, as multicultural consumers often trust creators who share their background and interests.
- Focus on Storytelling and Shared Values: Use storytelling to connect on an emotional level, focusing on universal themes like family, community, and belonging while still respecting cultural specifics. This approach helps build a lasting emotional connection that goes beyond a single product or campaign.
Video: “Beyond Demographics: The Evolution of Multicultural Marketing,” courtesy of Whalar.
