Marketers Advised To Target Ethnic Preferences

At the risk of stereotyping, new research is emerging to help brands make the most of their multicultural marketing efforts.

Online content preferences for each ethnicity are closely tied to the major drivers of their ethnic identity, according to a new report from Yahoo and Mindshare in participation with Added Value.

Indeed, seven in 10 ethnic minorities say that ethnicity remains a significant part of their identity, the study found.

Among the most important drivers are music for African-Americans; political beliefs for Hispanics; and eating habits for Asians. For some categories, ethnicity does not seem to factor as prominently. Automotive, pharmaceuticals, and travel were three prime examples.

However, there are other categories where it’s critical for brands to speak directly to specific ethnic groups.

Sixty-two percent of African-Americans want health and beauty products marketed specifically to them; Hispanics–53%–feel ethnicity matters when it comes to CPG [consumer packaged goods], entertainment and clothing, while 50% of Asian respondents said that ethnicity was important in entertainment marketing.

{snip}