Title: Ethnic Marketing: A Strategy for Marketing Programs to Diverse Audiences
1Ethnic Marketing A Strategy for Marketing
Programs to Diverse Audiences
- Dallas L. Holmes EdD, USU Extension
- Adapted from an article by Lisa A. Guion, Heather
Kent, and David C. Diehl, Florida State
University Cooperative Extension, 2010.
2Ethnic Marketing
- Marketing means publicizing your name, program
and services to your target audience. - Ethnic marketing uses personal marketing
strategies that best reflect the values, biases
and beliefs of the ethnic audience you are
targeting.
3AmericaMelting Pot or Tossed Salad
Diverse mix of individuals and cultures
Homogenous mass of acclimatized people
4Ethnic Marketing Strategy
- Because America is a tossed salad society, it
is important to tailor your marketing strategies
to match the norms, values and traditions of the
group you are targeting.
- Three Steps for developing an effective marketing
strategy - Consider ethnic diversity.
- Determine the level of ethnicity
- Develop and implement your ethnic marketing
campaign.
5Step 1 Consider Ethnic Diversity
- TO AVOID
- Lumping all the members of your target audience
into an unidentifiable mass (Melting pot
mentality). - Addressing all members of the target audience
with a general marketing approach.
- TO DO
- Value the cultural uniqueness of your target
group. - Value cooperation and bridge-building with
community leaders and other organizations working
within the community.
6Step 1 Consider Ethnic Diversity
- TO AVOID
- Considering diversity as a matter of image
buildingtoken minorities in your marketing
campaigns. - Interpreting diversity as a matter of altruism
(charity for those poor people)
- TO DO
- Value the cultural beliefs, symbols and practices
of your target group. - Value linguistic differences, as well as accents,
practices and social conduct. - Value word-of-mouth interpersonal communication
to spread your message.
7Step 2 Determining the Level of Ethnicity of
your Target Group
- Depends on
- Environmental conditions (family upbringing,
neighborhood ethnicity) - Economic conditions (education, income)
- Social conditions (place of birth, length of stay
in U.S.)
8Step 2 Determining the Level of Ethnicity of
your Target Group
- People with a high degree of ethnicity are
possibly - First generation immigrants
- Grew up outside of America
- Not fluent in English, speak mostly native
language - Speak with a heavy accent
- Live in high-density ethnic areas
- Higher level of ethnicityHigher degree of ethnic
marketing
9Step 2 Determining the Level of Ethnicity of
your Target Group
- People with a medium degree of ethnicity are
possibly - Second generation or acculturated first
generation - Spent ¼ to ½ of their lives in America
- Are proficient in English and their native
language - Speak with a light accent
- Live in moderate ethnic-dense areas
10Step 2 Determining the Level of Ethnicity of
your Target Group
- People with a low degree of ethnicity are
possibly - Second generation and onwards
- Born and raised in America
- Are bilingual, but prefer English
- Speak with a neutral accent
- Live in low ethnic-dense areas.
11- The groups level of self-identified ethnicity
determines how much ethnic marketing strategy
should be used. - With lower levels of ethnicity, use more
mainstream marketing strategies. - With higher levels of ethnicity, use more ethnic
marketing strategies.
12Step 3 Launching Ethnic Marketing
- Of course, we should tailor our marketing
approach to the target audience, but HOW do we
know what they will respond to? - Use the Three Is to plan your marketing
strategy. - Identify the communities
- Identify the values and beliefs
- Identify personal marketing strategies
13Step 3 Launching Ethnic MarketingThe Three Is
- Identify the communities the target group
comprises. - Identify the values and beliefs of the
community/communities. - Identify personal marketing strategies that match
the values and beliefs of the community/communitie
s you will be addressing.
14Step 3 Launching Ethnic MarketingThe Three Is
- Example
- Identify group African Americans.
15Step 3 Launching Ethnic MarketingThe Three Is
- Identify Values
- Similar to contiguous African cultures. Thus,
African American communities differ from
mainstream American culture. - Value qualities like telling it like it is,
seeing the good as well as the bad,
assertiveness and speaking up.
- Give importance to orally transmitted
information. - Like to be represented.
- Receptive to organizations that give something
back to the community. - Like to see a positive image of their culture.
- View the world from an Afrocentric standpoint
16Step 3 Launching Ethnic MarketingThe Three Is
- Identify Personal Marketing Strategies
- Do not be pretentious.
- Be sensitive about the authenticity of your
message. Have facts ready and be able to back
them up. - Have African American representatives present
your message. - Encourage your African American audiences to ask
questions about your programs. Do not mistake
their assertiveness for aggression. Let them
discuss their doubts, they will tell you whether
they like or do not like something.
17Ethnic Marketing to Asian Americans
- Identify group Asian Americans.
18 Ethnic Marketing to Asian Americans
- Identify Values of Asian Americans that may
impact marketing - High-context culture where non-verbal
communication (body language, use of silence) is
very significant. - Have a high level of education in some subgroups,
like Japanese, East Indians and Chinese. - Consider family very important.
- Believe in subordination of younger to elder
hierarchical family structure - Value word-of-mouth messages from friends and
relations. - Are uneasy with strangers.
- Give importance to the quality of a product
first, followed by price, service and
convenience.
19Identify personal Strategies developing
marketing materials for Asian Americans
- Be subtle and polite when you try to send a
message across. - Please all the family members.
- Remember that the oldest male member of the
family has the decision-making power. Also, give
respect to the elders by being courteous. - Have your message carried by the members of the
community. - Avoid those numbers and colors that are
considered to bring ill luck (for example, the
number 4 and the color black signify death in
Chinese culture). - Make multiple visits to build a better rapport.
Be formal until you win the confidence of your
audiences. - Make sure to offer quality programs that will do
good to the community.
20Ethnic Marketing to Hispanics/Latinos
- Identify group Hispanic/Latinos
21Ethnic Marketing to Hispanics/Latinos
- Identify Values of the Hispanic community that
may impact marketing - According to the U.S. Census (2000),
Hispanics/Latinos are predominantly younger, with
a median age of 24 (Tharp, 2001). - Identify themselves in both individual and
situational context for instance, at work,
Hispanics may act more like mainstream Americans.
- Retained Spanish language. Spanish is a
high-context, indirect language, with a lot of
importance given to nonverbal communication.
Choice of pronouns depends on the formality of a
relationship. - Give importance to family and the church (mostly
Roman Catholic Church) - Men and women play traditional roles in the
family, with the husband enjoying the
decision-making power. - Value children and extended family (Zuniga,
2001). - Prefer to be informed by friends or
Hispanic/Latino associations. - Are brand-loyal. If satisfied, Hispanics/Latinos
stick to a particular brand of product or program
forever (Rossman, 1999, Tharp, 2001). - Are optimistic. One buzzword is simpotia, which
means keep everyone happy.
22Identify Personal Strategies, for developing
marketing materials for the American
Hispanics/Latinos
- Use informal Spanish. Give detailed information
and use visual images. Please note just as not
all English-speaking people have high literacy
levels, not all Hispanics/Latinos have high
Spanish literacy levels. - Depending on the place or situation, speak in
either English or Spanish or in both English and
Spanish. Have a neutral accent and appearance. - Be aware of the fact that Spanish is a
high-context language. Be indirect and careful
while using pronouns. Use humor and vignettes
with Hispanic/Latino characters in them. - Take your marketing to churches or family
gatherings. - Please the family. Remember that the man of the
family is the key decision-maker. Also, have a
marketing campaign that includes benefits for the
entire family. - Use testimonials from other Hispanics/Latinos who
have benefited from your program. - Apply extensive relationship marketing. Show how
your program will make their lives even better.
23Ethnic Marketing to Native Americans
- Identify group Native Americans
24Ethnic Marketing to Native Americans
- Identify Values of Native American that may
impact marketing - Identity label themselves in terms of the group
(tribe). - Spirituality provides consciousness, meaning and
wholeness (Yellow Bird, 2001) - Accept the group (tribal) leaders as the key
decision makers. - Sharing and cooperation family and the group
take precedence over the individual (Sue Sue,
1990). - Harmony with nature, accept the environment and
nature (Sue Sue, 1990). - Like visuals and oral communication.
- Think storytelling is an important tool to pass
on information. - Give importance to credibility and honesty.
- Want to get rid of stereotyped images of their
culture. - Like to be heard. Native Americans like to be
given an opportunity to talk about their
experiences, problems and suggestions.
25Identify Personal Strategies for developing
marketing materials for Native Americans
- Identify the group (tribal) leader and seek his
guidance. - Please the group (tribe) by addressing and
satisfying all the members of the group (tribe). - Use bright and colorful visual images.
- Use stories/testimonials to drive home the point
you want to make with your Native American
audiences. For example, tell stories of how your
program has helped other Native Americans. - Provide facts to show how your program will
benefit the community. Establish your credibility
with facts and figures (Cultural Relevance and
Diversity, 2001). - Balance modern images with traditional images to
avoid stereotyping. - Ask for their participation. Ask what they want,
rather than being told what they need (Cultural
Relevance and Diversity, 2001). -
26References
- Guion, L.A., Goddard, H.W., Broadwater, G.,
Chattaraj, S., Sullivan-Lytle, S. (2003).
Strengthening programs to reach diverse
audiences. Gainesville, FL Florida Cooperative
Extension, University of Florida. - Tharp, M.C. (2001). Marketing and consumer
identity in multicultural America. Thousand Oaks,
CA Sage Publications - Strengthening Programs to Reach Diverse Audiences
A Six Part Curriculum to work Effectively with
Ethically Diverse Audiences, Univ. Florida IFAS