Reflections of the 2014 ANA Multicultural Marketing & Diversity Conference [INSIGHT]

By Ernest Bromley is Chairman/CEO of Bromley Communications, LLC.

As I reflect on this year’s Association of National Advertisers (ANA) Multicultural Marketing conference, we have come a long ways over the last 30 years, while our industry continues its struggle to sort out the optimal way to go to market in an increasingly diverse nation. First, I want to congratulate the ANA and specifically Gilbert Davila for keeping the subject of race and diversity in the forefront of how we go to market in the 21st century; because, America has never been comfortable in discussing race and ethnicity. In fact, the election of an African American to President of the United States has moved our discussion forward in so many ways.

Wendy Clark, Coca-Cola, appropriately titled her wonderful presentation: “Multi-Cultural Nation.” However, even as this conference discussed the very notion of total market and how to approach total market as defined by the ANA and endorsed by AHAA: “A marketing approach followed by a corporation with their trusted internal and external partners which proactively integrates diverse segment considerations. This is done from inception through the entire strategic process and execution, with the goal of enhancing value and growth effectiveness. In marketing communications, this would lead to either one fully integrated cross-cultural approach, individual segment approaches, or both in many cases, but always aligned under one over arching strategy.”  

Let’s consider “…integrates diverse segment considerations” for a moment.  It seems we are viewing total market to equal “general market” plus multicultural markets. Based on the content of the ANA conference and the award show the term “multicultural” seems to be defined as African American, Hispanics, Asian Americans, LGBT, and people living with disabilities.

The “eight hundred pound gorilla” in the room is the term “general market.”  What or who is general market? The Toyota presentation presented an interesting chart comparing multicultural market car sales vs. non Hispanic White car sales from now to 2050. The chart forecasts growing multi cultural car sales while non-Hispanic Whites car sales are steadily declining. I would go as far as to say: given the huge demographic shift in this country that general market is: Anglo American. Anglo American is a well-defined culture established since the arrival of the British Colonists to the New World.  

Some time in the early 1800’s Anglo American’s assumed it was their God given birth right to grow the United States from the Atlantic to the Pacific in its own likeness. Anglo Americans have defined its culture for well over 200 years.

Here we are in 2014 witnessing for the first time in the history of the world a minority population growing to eclipse the majority population in the very near future.  

“General market” or Anglo America is no longer a large vibrant market. The transformation is happening now in the younger demo. The total market transformation to a minority majority country will be complete by 2050 at the latest.

Let’s consider for a moment a key market/media demo: adults 25-54 over the next 15 years (2030), by each generation segment. By 2019, just four years from now, there will be no baby boomers younger than 54! The boomers and Gen X generations are the last generations to be 60% or more Anglo-American. From 2019 to 2024 the 25-54 demo will cycle through the Gen X and millennial population. The millennial population is barely Anglo-American majority at 54%. In 2025, the Pluralists generation will be entering the 25-54 demo. This generation is appropriately labeled because there will not be an ethnic majority. This country will not see an ethnic majority again. 2030 will be the last vestige of Gen X. Going forward from 2031 the country will rapidly be moving to an ethnic plurality between 2031 and 2050.  

As Wendy Clark presented: we are a multi cultural nation now. To be effective in today’s marketplace America’s corporation and its agencies need to embrace this change by staffing themselves with smart culturally sensitive people who reflect the new America. It is beautiful!

 

 

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