Ethnic Marketing: A Strategy for Marketing Programs to Diverse Audiences

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Ethnic 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.

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Ethnic 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.

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AmericaMelting Pot or Tossed Salad
Diverse mix of individuals and cultures
Homogenous mass of acclimatized people
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Ethnic 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.

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Step 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.

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Step 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.

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Step 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.)

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Step 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

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Step 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

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Step 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.

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• 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.

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Step 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

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Step 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.

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Step 3 Launching Ethnic MarketingThe Three Is

• Example
• Identify group African Americans.

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Step 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

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Step 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.

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Ethnic Marketing to Asian Americans

• Identify group Asian Americans.

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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.

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Identify 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.

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Ethnic Marketing to Hispanics/Latinos

• Identify group Hispanic/Latinos

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Ethnic 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.

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Identify 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.

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Ethnic Marketing to Native Americans

• Identify group Native Americans

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Ethnic 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.

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Identify 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).
•  

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References

• 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