Multicultural consumers represent approximately 40% of the population, however only 5% of marketing spending is multiculturally oriented. When done well, multicultural marketing — the targeting and reflection of different ethnicities and cultures within a brand’s overall audience — can unite people, empower groups as well as capitalise on culturally connected populations.
When executed poorly, a multicultural marketing strategy can lead to backlash as well as a potentially devastating brand image. A thorough multicultural marketing strategy considers more than various ideals, backgrounds and cultures. It is an inclusive viewpoint. As such, as global markets go on to open, it is very essential to consider these opportunities as part of an international as well as interconnected marketing strategy.
What Is Multicultural Marketing?
Multicultural marketing is the exercise of marketing to one or more audiences of a particular ethnicity – typically an ethnicity which is outside of a country’s majority culture. The latter culture is sometimes called the general market. In addition to this definition, multicultural marketing urges brands to look deeper into their target consumer demographic as well as outline specific motivations, aspirations in addition to purchase drivers.
Marketers need to steer away from stereotypes when defining a multicultural marketing campaign. Your strategy needs to display a genuine understanding of consumer needs in addition to their roots in their cultural/socio-economic background.
In fact, the best multicultural marketing campaigns aim to build empathy without directly pushing a product or a service.
Building a Multicultural Foundation
Experts are of the consensus that the general market now IS the multicultural market. Today’s marketplace is multicultural, and the so-called ‘minority’ population is the majority.
International corporations have long recognised the importance of multicultural marketing. The days of general audience and general marketing are gone and that is a good thing. People want to see themselves, and to see brands with points of view—that is what is going to connect with people.
If you are not doing multicultural marketing, you’re not doing marketing.