As specialists in social impact marketing and communications, we get a lot of questions about how to connect with diverse audiences authentically and effectively. You probably won’t be surprised to hear there isn’t one single answer. We have found several things that work, though, and over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing our top tips on how to master a key strategy: partnering with multicultural media.
In this first blog, we’ll tell you all the things you’ve always wanted to know but were afraid to ask. ¡Comencemos! Let’s go!
- What is multicultural marketing?
Multicultural marketing is the practice of tailoring your marketing and communications to be culturally and linguistically responsive to the unique needs of specific communities, cultures, and/or other identities. Many media outlets, such as Univision, deliver in-language news and media to the communities they serve, but please don’t mistake multicultural marketing for translation. A genuinely multicultural approach is about understanding the unique qualities of different communities, cultures, and identities so that you can connect, communicate, and effectively build a lasting relationship with them. - Why is it becoming more important for many companies to take a multicultural approach?
Inclusive marketing is a key driver of business today. Recent census data showed a United States that is more multicultural than ever. In 2020, 43% of the total US population was comprised of people—a 9% increase over just ten years. According to the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), multicultural consumers are the fastest-growing segment in the United States yet are still consistently left out of the conversation, in spite of the fact that they represent close to half of the total population and billions of dollars of spending power. - Why are we writing this blog series?
Many companies and organizations have a steep learning curve in front of them. Cultivating authentic connections with multicultural audiences is necessary to remain relevant, but it’s also challenging. In many cases, marketing and communications professionals must challenge their own beliefs, assumptions, and behaviors in order to open up new ways of working in an increasingly diverse nation. If companies, and the individuals who lead them, don’t learn the unique nuances of their varied target audiences, they can’t generate appropriate communication. We want to share with you what we have learned along the way to help you get started or advance your own practice in this exciting, innovative strategy.
We’d love to hear how you are working with multicultural media partners, your success stories, and/or other questions you may have. Join the conversation over on Instagram (@vidaagency) or email us at letschat@thevidaagency.com.