Affluent U.S. Filipino Market.

In what could indicate a significant opportunity for the savvy marketing executive, a study has recently found that Filipinos in the United States are well-educated and affluent, and 60 % of all households have children under 18 years living at home. With an average age of 44 years, an average household income of $59,000, and an average household size of four, Filipinos represent a market that may prove to be difficult for many corporations to overlook.

“There is no longer an absence of credible research data on the Filipino community,” said Rafael Lopez, VP and managing director of ABS-CBN International, North America, broadcasters of The Filipino Channel (TFC), which commissioned the study. “The vast majority of our subscribers speak Tagalog at home and prefer that advertising directed to them to be in Tagalog rather than English. As ethnic communities take a more important role in society, they also represent an opportunity for many corporations.”

The data on brand usage and preference were consistent with the usage and preference findings of the company’s earlier research on the general U. S. Filipino market. That research reflected Filipino buying habits within industries such as clothing, snacks, insurance, and retail stores. Both sets of findings are the result of research conducted for ABS-CBN International by Interviewing Service of America (ISA), Inc.

In addition, similarities between the TFC subscribers and the general Filipino market included the most preferred car make, the ownership of cell phones, the number of international calls made per month, the use of the Internet, top beverage preference, and the percentage visiting a fast food restaurant within the past 30 days. Finally, the data showed that TFC subscribers watch an average of 28-29 hours of Filipino programming weekly.

The objectives of this research were to determine the demographic profile of the TFC subscriber base, the buying patterns among TFC subscribers for selected consumer goods and services and to determine language and media habits. To meet these objectives, a total of 1,003 telephone interviews were completed among TFC subscribers, both inside and outside California. Respondents were interviewed in the language of their choice, either Tagalog or English.

For more information at http://www.abs-cbni.com