Changing Face Of American HHs – Multicultural Ops.

The U.S. consumer market has become so dramatically diverse that more than 1/3 of the nation’s population – 100 million people –live in households that have changed from a dominantly white, traditional family to a multiracial family of different sizes and configurations, according to a recently published research brief from FIND/SVP Inc. The research brief, titled, “Multicultural Marketing is Bigger Than You Think: 100 Million Consumers Want to be Spoken to!” identifies the do’s and don’ts of marketing to the various faces of this diverse mass market America. In the brief, FIND/SVP helps marketers understand that they must acknowledge this dynamically changing marketplace at the risk of losing not only prospective customers but also their place in the fabric of society.

The opportunity to succeed in marketing to these groups as individual entities lies in understanding how each demographic within society fits into the overall mass market of consumers. As the face of the mass market has changed to include non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics, African-Americans and Asians, as well as same-sex couples, single parents and singles, readers of the research brief will learn how the makeup of these segments and their spending power influence product development and market concepts. Readers will also learn about the challenges, rewards and pitfalls of marketing to niche groups versus the mass-market.

“Effectively addressing our multicultural society has become a significant challenge for all marketers,” said Andrew Garvin, Founder and President of FIND/SVP. “Those marketers who know their brand, know their customers and can determine the best way to reach them, with the most relevant product offering and effective communication, will be the ultimate winner in the battle for their spending power.”

The research brief provides tips to marketers on what they need to know to more effectively address the changing needs of consumers. These tips include:

Cultural characteristics shouldn’t be overlooked – don’t assume that assimilation into mainstream society has meant leaving behind cultural uniqueness.

Advertising alone is not enough – targeted efforts must be multifaceted to ensure that a product sells while building brand equity.

Give it time – Credibility and persuasion, especially across racial and cultural lines, is not achieved overnight.
“The key to answering the questions of marketing to a multicultural society is to recognize that the collective make up of all groups is now reflective of mainstream America,” said Deborah Alessandro, one of FIND/SVP’s consumer marketing experts and author of the research brief. “When this market is addressed, whether through targeted campaigns or mass market efforts, it will involve balancing traditional approaches with new approaches that are flexible, savvy and genuine.”

For more information at http://www.findsvp.com