The U.S. population is becoming increasingly diverse, and while statistics aren’t really necessary to confirm the obvious, the soon-to-be-released 2010 U.S. Census figures likely will support the multicultural boom over the past decade. Last week, national advertisers and marketers convened at a conference to discuss the implications of today’s broad and progressively more complex marketplace. Identifying “best practices” for communicating with multicultural consumers, some presenters indicated that a singular insight focused on commonalities between cultural segments should drive marketing strategy; however, the voice of Hispanic-specialized agencies, the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA), disagrees with this one-size-fits-all approach.
“Trying to be all things to all consumers not only waters down the communication but also waters down the results,” says Jessica Pantanini, AHAA chair and COO of Bromley Communications. “The population is definitely more multicultural but that only reinforces the need for customized, one-to-one communication. It’s more impactful than mass marketing as evidenced by the obvious success of digital and social interactive media. The growing diversity of the country requires even more insight and understanding of the cultural and ethnic nuances and differences that drive behavior and purchase, and connect with consumers in a unique way.”
AHAA is concerned that advertisers’ request for a holistic approach to marketing and advertising to all segments and the need for a single voice is possibly being misinterpreted to minimize the need for targeted and highly specialized communication. This type of cross-cultural approach lacks insight and understanding critical to the effectiveness of the strategy. “If one-size-fits-all worked, then fashion designers would have it easy,” Pantanini says. “Manufacturing costs would go way down, savings could be passed to the consumer and profitability would increase. It’s great in theory, but it just doesn’t work in the marketplace.
The journey of a Latina Millennial mom is one example. Her experience is very different from other cultures. Rather than being the child who was given a trophy for every activity, which would lead her to become more ‘me’ focused; it was the hard work of her parents and the respect that she has for them that has driven her to succeed.
So, while the general market, cross-cultural approach might consider ‘me’-focused behavior the point of convergence for all Millenial moms and therefore execute one communication strategy, the approach won’t resonate with the Latina mom. In fact, the more inspirational way of talking to Millennials may just be through the Latina insight. “The goal should be to bring the insight to the strategy, and if the granularity demands a separate communication, so be it,” Pantanini says. “If not, fine; but the cultural sensitivity must be part of the strategy.
“The U.S. is a salad bowl and not a mixing bowl. Multicultural consumers are blended into the population but they retain their own unique cultural traits, behaviors and innate desires that influence their responses, purchasing and loyalty. To ignore this in the name of cost-cutting and consolidation or leaving it to the agencies to figure it out will impact negatively advertisers’ return on investments.”
Inclusion, AHAA agrees with advertisers, is the answer; however, it requires bringing Hispanic-market or multicultural specialists in at the beginning of the marketing planning process as strategic thinkers and not just tactical implementers. Consumer connection and cultural insight is integral to the strategy and helps build the bottom line for brands.
Savvy marketers like General Mills, McDonalds and Time Inc., understand the value of cultural marketing specialists and targeted communication, and have the profits to show for their decisions. Rudy Rodriguez, director, Multicultural Marketing for General Mills says the focus on Hispanic and African American market segments has driven growth for many of the company’s brands. The packaged food manufacturer has increased investments in these segments progressively over the past four years and Rodriguez says they will continue to invest heavily.
AHAA agrees that the best marketing ideas should win clients’ approval, but the effectiveness of any agency – specialized or general market – relies on an environment conducive to the exchange of information and support for great ideas no matter where they emanate. Unfortunately, some advertisers may be misguided in the approach and strategies that will achieve bottom line profits when reaching and connecting with multicultural consumers. Targeted communication, rather than one-size-fits-all marketing, really works. Finding a successful partnership with a quality Hispanic-specialized expert agency delivers results.
Well said, Jessica.
There might be instances where the “one-size-fits-all” approach works. However, it is rare.
There are universal truths that apply to all human beings. If we were only to apply those for the purpose of simplicity and efficiency in communications, we would not be very insightful and, as you say, the results would be “watered down”.
All communications strategies require a rigorous process.
With the growth of the Hispanic consumer segment in this country, and the fact that we already represent a disproportionate consumption pattern across brands and categories, I say clients would be smart to start that rigorous process with us, the Hispanic-centric agencies in this multicultural landscape.
Daisy Exposito-Ulla
Chairman & CEO
d exposito & Partners
With respect, the problem is that many Hispanic agencies DO attempt to railroad brands into “One Size Fits All” – how else can one explain the insistence on Spanish-language-only creatives (i.e. without running one in English as well) ??
This article serves those agencies, by building a straw man while ignoring the very real problem that Hispanic shops not only *routinely* distribute lackluster creative (disproportionately to larger general shops at least), but lack the skills in-house to build engaging English-language campaigns – those that cater to the very real acculturated of Latino/a audience. It’s the usual song, “those general shops don’t do Hispanic right.” However, not only in language but in *content consumption* among the segment there isn’t nearly the deviation from the mainstream that these shops (and this website) would like you to believe.
It’s disheartening to see people preach the need for a ‘cultural consultant’ to better target their marketing – and then have said consultant feed them the same old leftovers that Univision et al have been cooking forever, backed up with self-funded studies and barely correlative census stats. Sometimes I think the real problem is an endemic aversion to real mathematics and a refusal to be honest about content consumption patterns.
Does anyone really think that if you show a Lucky Charms commercial in Spanish during an NFL game it actually generates more business and awareness among Latino/a consumers than one in Spanish? Can you prove it?
That is the *real* one-size-fits-all problem and unless Hispanic agencies take action to correct this the general market houses will win in the end.
It is true, better communication *is* absolutely necessary, but honest *data* is necessary for useful communication. Far too much self-interest goes into how the data is packaged and what data is released. Everyone wants to spin it to say “look at us, we’ve got it right and everyone else has it wrong.” Sure, the clients can take or leave one shop’s analysis of the market, but it’s still caveat emptor out there.
Things *are* changing, and the market is evolving, but too quickly now for the old school to adapt. So we get articles like this, with laughable attempts to separate a Millennial Latina Mom from ‘other’ Millennial moms because…. the ‘other’ moms slant “me-first”? I think Lucky Charms taste good either way. Who can take this seriously other than those it serves?
And really now, does anyone mentioned in this article have any children? Or know any Millennial mothers? Be very careful that your confirmation bias does not inform your strategies.