A major event happened at 7:46 a.m. (eastern daylight tim October 17, 2006. This was the moment the U.S. population officially sur- passed 300 million people. The last time the U.S. population hit a major milestone was in 1967, when it reached 200 million. As you may have guessed, the U.S. population today is more diverse than it was in 1967. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 9.7 million foreign-born people in the country in 1967, which represented less than 5 percent of the U.S. population. By 2006, the number of foreign-born people living in the United States reached an all-time high of more than 35 million, which rep- resented more than 11 percent of the population. The age of citizens had also changed. ‘The median age in 2006 was 36.2 years, compared to 29.5 years in 1967. Advertising cannot do business today the way it did in 1967. As you will remember from Chapter 1, effective advertising makes relevant connections with its target audience. To be successful, advertisers must understand, respect, and embrace the diversity of American consumers (see Figure 3-1). ‘Today, one-third of Americans are people of color.! And four states—California, Texas, Hawaii, and New Mexico—are what demogra- phors call “majority-minority” states, meaning that more than half of th population belongs to a group other than non-Hispanie whit e) on Tuesday, ig § Uns otherwise speciied, data reported in this pte from the 2000 US, census, 2 trad Edmondson, -A erica Now and liproved.* Advertising ige, 2 Jnwsary 2006, p81 70028-2 2-008-1 SNOLLWZINNINIAI 43d wou} szrunuy “Way} 2A07prew a piveRsity ‘The buying power of cthnie Americans Center for Economic Growth a ity of Georgia predicts the com bined buying power of eth the United States will exceed $1.7 trillion by 2010, more than triple the 1990 level of $454 billion.? Fur- thermore, ethnic groups dominate the purchases of numerous products and services. Not only that, but white consumers, particularly those ages 12-34, are increasingly influenced by the fashion, dining, entertainment, sports, and music tastes emerging from minority communities These figures should make it quite clear that advertisers must under- stand the attitudes and behaviors of an ever-changing marketplace. So how do advertisers reach these important segments? growing dramatically. African Americans African Americans are 39.7 million strong and have an annual purchasing power of $646 billion.4 Unlike some of their white counterparts, many African Amerieans love to shop. American Demographics reports that 43 percent of African Americans find it “fun and exciting” to shop for clothes, whereas only 35 percent of white Americans fect the same way.* Further- more, a study conducted by Mediamark Research found 58 percent of African American consumers say they enjoy wearing the latest fashions, compared with 46 percent of Asians and Hispanics and 36 percent of whites.6 American Demographics reports that African Amoricans have two priori- ies in their budget: buying food to eat with the family at home and buying clothes and personal care items to help them look their best. According to the report, African American households devote 75 percent more than the average American houschold on pork and poultry, 50 percent more on cere: als and processed vogetables, and 33 percent more on beef, fresh milk, and processed fruits. They spend 47 pereent more than the average American on personal care products, 67 percent more on apparel for boys and girls ages 2-15, and 33 percent more on laundry and cleaning supplies. When it comes to housing, they spend 91 percent more on rented ‘dwellings, 52 percent more on telephone services, and 25 percent more on tel- vision, radio, and sound equipment than the average American household? ‘The median income for African American households is $29,470, which is considerably less than the $42,228 median income of the population as a whole. Part of this may be attributed to the fact that African Americans lag 3 Josey M, Humphreys, “The Muliultoral Economy 2005,” GNEC: Third Quarter 2005, p. 2. ‘ Nobocca Gardyn and John Foto, “Race, Elsety and the Way Wo Shop.” American Demographtes, February 2003, p. 3 # thi. © thi p32 * Ala Stein Wel fae Marketpiae i True Colors: The Multicultural Marko s Fast Becoming a Mlubilion Dal- “merican Demographics, November 2002, pSDIVERSITY CHAPTER 3 6 behind the U.S, average in academic attainment, Just 4.8 percent of the African American population holds advanced degrees, compared with 8.9 percent for the population as a whole. Lowever, the education level is improving. Census data show that the proportion of African Americans with high school diplomas rose by 10 percent from 1993 to 2003, and that gain ‘was the largest reported for any group. If itis true that income follows ed tion, then this market will be even more important to advertisers in the future. Hispanic Americans he nation’s 42.7 million Hispanic Amoricans represent 14.5 porcent of tho US. population, making them the nation’s largest minority group. By 2010, the Hispanic population is expected to grow to nearly 48 million. The His- panic population is gaining strength not only in their numbers but also in their spending power. Hispanics” economic clout has risen from $212 billion in 1990 to $736 billion in 2005, and the Selig Center for Economic Growth predicts it will reach $1,087 billion in 2010.8 Hispanics originate from many places, including Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Central and South America, and Europe. The majority live in large cities particularly Los Angeles, New York City, and Miami, and when it comes to advertising, most prefer to read and hear ads in Spanish. According to Strategy Research, 55 percent of Hispanics prefer to see ads in Spanish, 30 percent ‘would choose English, and 13 percent don’t have a preference between the two languages.% Iowever, Christy Haubegger, the founder and former pub- lisher of Latina, says, “Income xd with language ability. 1 rare to see an affluent household that is Spanish-dependent.”! Chiqui Cartagena, author of Latino Boom!, believes it is wise to advertise in both lan- world of guages because acculturated Latinos live in two worlds: the En, ‘work or school and the Spanish world of family and friends"! (sce F As a result of the diversity of their roots, Hispanic At fed tastes in food, clothing, and music. Advertisers should pay attention to these cultural subtleties, as Coca-Cola did when it ran three versions of an ad for Hispanics. Bach ad featured the Coca-Cola logo and a ean of Coke, along with the words y sw comida favorita (“and your favorite meal”). But the food next to the Coke was changed to reflect different cultural prefer- tured for the western Mexican American segment, for the southeastern Cuban American segment, and arroz con ‘rice with chicken") for the northeastern Puerto Rican segment. S Humphreys, "The Mult aurel Wentz, "Reverse rel Wont Tiqui Cartagena, Eating Boom: Everything You Need to Kiow to Grow Your Business in the ‘Sispante Market (New York Blantine, 2008),62 cHAPTHN 3 DIVENSITY Figure 3-2 People from allover the country have stories about loved ones killed bya deunk driver. This ‘urgent plea to stop friends from driving drunk runsin English and Spanish to reach al seg- ‘ments of Hispanic ‘americans. Stevie Ace ones Stevie lee Bane, Macrtopvn emit Fanaa id aanialrser ade marcos B96 Kon Manh28.1093.on Pa Cina ahora Hgts a Wiha, Ca Svested nesmpade que stam youd sop yourtinend nnangje oral, ates ho aa? fromsalnvangadranis hol ated loge sca parasitic Dawwhutever tithes, [rss DWT LET FRENDS DIVE DRUNK Although it’s complex, the Hispanic American market is attractive to adver- Aisers. Hispanies go grocery shopping threo times as often as non-Hispanic and spend 43 percent more per houschold on food than non-Hispanies, aecording to the Food Marketing Institute. American Demographics reports that Ilispanics. allocate 100 percent more of their budget on apparel for babies, 67 percent n apparel for girls, 33 percent more on apparel for boys, and 22 percent n apparel for men compared with the average American houschold. And like African Americans, they spend 91 percent more on rented dwellings than the average American houschold.!® "2 Wetlnor, “Our True Coors”DIVERSITY CHAPTER 2 63 Part of the reason for these expenditures is that Hispante Americans tend to have larger families, with almost 3.5 people per household compared with the national average of just greater than 2.5.!3 To reach Hispanies sui fully, advertisers should recognize the importance placed on the family and tradition. A radio station learned this lesson after it promoted a sweepstakes that offered a prize of two tickets to Disneyland and received a limited response from Hispanics. The reason? Hispanics didn't want to choose which family members should go. Marketers must also pay close attention to the ages of their target groups. Nearly 70 porcent of the Hispanic population is younger than age 35, ing more than $300 billion in purchasing power." As you might expe plays a major role in shaping attitudes, styles of dress, and choice of music. But there's an interesting twist: the younger generation of Hispanics is often more in tune with its ancestry than the older generation is. A special Newsweek poll reports those older than age 35 are more likely to identify themselves as younger than age 35 are more likely to elves as Hispanic or Latino, To reach I ors should stop thinking in terms of Generation X or Y and instead think Generation, N. Bill Teck, who coined the term Generation N, explains: “If you know all the ‘words to [the merengue hit] ‘Abusadora’ and ‘Stairway to Heaven.’ if you grow nt 4.3 pereent of the U.S. popula- egments. The median income for which is significantly higher than the U.S. population. Forty-n Americans have at least a bachelor’s degree, compared with 28 pereent of the general US. population. Furthermore, 17 percent have an advanced ‘compared with the national average of 9 per: Despite the affluence of this market, advertisers have een slow to tar- an Americans because of the complexity of their varied languages and cultures. Many nationalities are included in this minority group, among them Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipi and Asian Indian. And there’s not a common language among them. People of Chinese origin, the largest subgroup. speak dozens of different dialects, with Mandarin, Cantonese, and Taiwanese being the most common. Elliot Kang of Kang "5 while US. Households Contact, Homes Expand." AmeriStat rlease, March 2003, 4 aticeya Navarro, “Advertisers Carve Out a New Segment” wwitmes co, 22 May 2005 "6 Jol Leland and Veronica Chambers, “Generation N Newsovek. 12 Joly 1999, p. 53 ‘Wellner. "Or True aloes,” 82,6 CHAPTER 3 DIvERsiTy “If your father is Japanese and your mother is Korean and you lived in Taiwan and then your parents got divorced, moved to Los Angoles and your father took up with the Filipino woman next door and married her—well, that's almost like being Asian American.”"7 As you can imagine, horror stories abound about advertisers who have inadvertently alienated this market. Marlene L. Rossman points to a number of such stories. One advertiser wished Chinese Americans a “Year New Happy rather than a “Happy New Year.” Another used Korean models to target the ‘¢ community, oblivious that the two groups rarely look anything ke. And a footwear manufacturer depicted Japanese women porforming foot as Rossman observed, this not only stereotyped Japanese people as “shogun” characters but also displayed the company’s ignorance about Asian cultures, given that foot binding was practiced exclusively in China." «d Communications, an agency spo ig in the Asian mar ket, offers the following tips on its website. From Japan: It's bad luck to write your name in red ink and good luck to dream about Mt. Fuji. From Vietnam: Never take a picture with only three people in it because it is unlucky for all. From Taiwan/Hong Kong: Don’t give clocks as gifts to Chinese people because they are a symbol of death, and try to avoid dining with seven dishes because it symbolizes a funeral meal. From Korea: Never shake your foot because it drives out good fortune. Colors and number have special meaning. Red means prosperity, happiness, and luck to the Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese. White means death and bad fortune to Although each nationality has distinet cultures and traditions, there are two important commonalities: the importance of family and tradition. In Asian cultures, it is inappropriate to call attention to oneself; therefore, tactful ads targeted at Asian Americans don’t show an individual standing out from the crowd or achieving personal gain by using the product. Instead, culturally ‘conscious ads focus on how the family or group benefits. With the importance placed on tradition, “new and improved” claims are far less effective than those that stress a company’s or a product's many years of excellence. Native Americans ‘The estimated 2.5 million Native Americans make up less than 1 percent of the nation’s population, and nearly 42 percent earn less than $25,000 annually." As a result of its small size and limited spending power, few mar- keting efforts are aimed at this group. 5 los Kang, Marketing to a Nev America Conference, Neve York City, 22 May 1996, 'S Maetone {= Hossman, Aettuluural Marketing: Selling toa Diverse Ameria (New York: American.DIVERSITY CHAPTER a 65 Although companies don’t often target this group in advertising campaigns, they use Native American names and symbolism. For example, Chrysler uses the name Cherok Jeeps, Land 0" Lakes butter features a Native American on its package, and fans of the Atlanta Braves buy toy tomahawks to show their team support. Ironieally, Crazy Horse malt liquor was named after joux leader who was opposed to alcohol consumption among his people. «loss to say, these images are insulting to Native Americans. Gail Baker Woods, author of Advertising and Marketing to the New Majority, points out that Native Americans are becoming better educated and fas an economic resource. If, as Woods says, these economic and educational trends continue for Native Americans, “marketers will surely find them in search for new eonsumers."2 Center for Economic Growth seems to concur with Woods’ pre- diction. Native American buying power rose to $51.5 billion in 2005, up from 2000 and $19.3 billion in 1990. The Selig Center predicts American buying clout will reach $69.2 billion in 20102! Furthermore, of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises, released by the U. Census Bureau in 2001, showed that the number of Native American-owned firms increased more than 12 times faster than the number of US. firms and their receipts rose 4.5 times faster than those of all firms.22 Arab Americans ‘There are 1.25 million Americans with Arab ancestry, according to the 2000 census. As with other ethnic minorities, Arab Americans are extremely diverse, with ethnic roots tracing back to Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Iraq, Morocco, and Jordan. Roughly two-thirds of the Arab American com- munity is Christian. Arab Muslins ropresent 23 percent of the Arab American population and are the fastest growing segment. Although bilingualism is appearing in most assimilated groups, nearly half of Arab American households report some Arabic use, ‘Arab Am ery state, but more than two-thirds live in just 10 states. The metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, Detroit, and New York are home to one-third of the population. Twenty percent of the population of ‘ent unemployed, More than 70 percent of agerial, professional, technical, sales, or % Gail Baker Woods, Advertsing and Marketing tothe New Majority Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1998), p50, 2 Hurophreys, “The Multeultural Beonomy 2005," p 4. 2 Ibidbivensity administrative jobs, Medium income for Arab American houscholds in 1999 was $47,000, compared with $42,228 for all households in the United State Close to 30 percent of Arab Am have an annual household income of more than $75,000. As is often the case, high income correlates with a high level of educa- tion. More than 40 percent of Arab Americans have a bachelor's degroe or higher, compared with 24 percent of Americans at large. Seventeen percent of Arab Americans have a postgraduate degree, nearly twice the American average of 9 percent, Although advertisers traditionally seek segments of the population that are highly educated and have high incomes, Arab Americans are often ignored in advertising. Even worse, they are often the victims of negative stereotypes. A commercial for an Ohio car dealership called for a “Jihad on the automotive market” and said salespeople would be wearing burqas, a traditional garment in some Muslim nations, and children would re ber swords on “fatwa Friday.” The radio seript said, “Our prices are lowe than the evildoer's every day. Just ask the Pope.” This spot didn’t make it on the air because soveral radio stations refused to run it Likewise, objections from the Arab American Institute put a stop to a bill- board that the Missouri Corn Growers Association planned to run to promote ethanol. The objectionable billboard asked, “Who would you rather buy your gas from?” and showed a farmer standing in a cornfield and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, Boeing and Bell Helicopter apologized for a magazine ad that showed their CV-22 Osprey and members of the U.S. armed forces descending by rope from a plane onto a mosque surrounded by smoke and fir In an ad designed by the New York-based Coalition for a Secure Di License, a man was wearing a kaffiyeb, a traditional Arab headscarf, a clutching a grenade in one hand and a driver's license in the other. The headline read, “Don’t license terrorists.” Lamar Advertising, a national bill- board firm, refused to run the ad. How to Reach Ethnic Minorities Savvy advertisers know several methods for rea + Feature minorities in starring roles, not just in the background. In addi- tion to making a positive connection to the ethnic group portrayed, 'search shows general audiences favorably receive advertisements fea- ng minorities. Luke Visconti, partner at Diversity, explains, “A white nce willl ‘e ofa mother and child” and an African-American audience will say, ‘Ahhh, an Afriean-Ami and African-American ehild; this product gets me.""23DIVERSITY cHAPTEN 3 67 + Seek the opinions of people who hail from the culture you are targeting. However, be aware that traditional research methods may not work. For example, a survey writen in English won't achieve results representative of all American households because more than 15 percent of the U.S. population doesn’t speak English at home. In addition, many immigrants are uncomfortable giving out information to strangers over the telephone or through the mail. + Be sensitive to nuances in language. I's not enough merely to translate the English copy of a campaign into another language. Perdue found this, out the hard way when someone unfamiliar with regional slang translated the lino “It takes a tough man to maki ‘The translation came out something like, “It takes a sexually stimulated man to make a chicken affectio For some other examples of mis- translations, see the box below. Spanish words can have different meanings, depending on national heritage. The word bichos, for example, means “bugs” to Mexicans and “a man's private parts” to Puerto Ricans. Imagine you were writing an ad for an insecticide and weren't aware of this subtlety! Also, be aware of different uses of English words because they ean mean different things to different groups. For example, sales of Stove Top stulling improved among African Americans after the company realized this group uses the word “dressing” rather than “stuffing.” Keep in mind that what may be acceptable to one group of people may be offensive to anothor group, as Volkswagen learned when it ran bill- boards for the GTI sports car accompanied by the words “Turbo-Cojones.” Cojones, which means “testicles” in Spanish, has become a casually use torm for boldness or guts in the English vernacular but has never lost its ‘more vulgar connotation in its native language. Volkswagen removed th billboards after receiving complaints. * When Bani aidnes toutes uphot- + Puls tissues learned essonin + Gls "body by Fisher" ransated, in story by saying Finest Germany, to. “PuF in German isa ‘some languages, int ‘corpse by Fisher” foutinSpanishas ynaked” callquialee fora brot something you would nat want 25500 * coor’ slogan“Turnitoose" means + ‘The Chewy Novanever sald we in side eominreesi Suter rom dseres” in Spanish. Spanish-speakingcauntries,pethaps + Coke discovered problems in China es pda esd al nace naa beemee‘Tow'meme"Rdiesol go’ yhen eyed hese chaos ‘irops in Germany, they discovered ‘+ When esis od campaign, “Come lve, [th Pon nua ‘that Germans pronqunce asf which Yau teinthe Pops Generation’ was nce Cr bat it “hae ‘made their wade name remiiscent teanslatedinto Chinesa, announced #42 ofthe Garman word for seal ‘that Pepel wil bring your ancestors penetration. back tom the grave”6e cuarren 3 pivenstTy how the diversity of eack group. Advertisers from a few decades ago wore guilty of showing light-skinned African American models in fashion ads and dark-skinned African Americans in ads promoting sorvicos.. ‘Their botched attempt to be inclusive helped further stereotyping. + Learn about their heritage. I's important to show respect for ethnic hol days, whether it’s the Chinese New Year, Kwanzaa, or Cinco de Mayo. It's Iso important to pay close attention to details and learn about profe in food, feons, customs, and clothing. For example, MeDonald’s was d for a commercial that featured a celebration that looked like a simple birthday party to most viewer as the quinceaiiera, the celebration of a git coming of age at 15. The 50-Plus Market ‘Today, 38 percent of American adults are older than age 49, and that group is expected to grow to 47 pereent by 2020, according to the US. Census Bureau. Furthermore, those in the 50-phis population control 55 percent of the discre- tionary income in the United States and account for the majority of personal ercent of the money in savings and loans and 70 percent of the net worth of U.S. households, The Federal Reserve Board reports family net worth peaks between the ages of 55 and 74 at an average of $500,000.24 Some of these older, affluent consumers choose to spend a portion of their ‘wealth on second or third residences, luxury goods, or vacations. According to cent statistics, the 50-plus population purchases 48 percent of all luxury spa memberships, and 80 percent of all luxury trips. [ravel Industry Association of America estimates that people 55 years and older account for $130 billion in travel spending and 80 percent of luxury travel. “The name of the game is not $59 hotel rooms but $15,000 cruises,” Richard M. Copland, president of the An the New York Thmes.?° Despite the wealth and spending power of older Americans, advertisers in youth obsessed. “For a lot of brands we work with, it’s advertise to the younger consumers who are trendier, much more fashion-forward, very social and very in the public eye,” Melissa Pordy, for- mer senior vice president and director for print Zenith Media, told Advertising Age.®* Other marketers believe it’s important to reach younger consumers who aren't yet brand loyal, rather than go after older imers Who are more set in their ways. However, a study conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and Roper ASW found brand loyalty varies more by product category than by age. 2 Pater Francese, “Older and Wealthier,” American Demographics, Noversber 2002, pp. 40-81 2 lgerot Edelson, “Appealing ta Older Travers Wandesist ani Wallets.” swwwnytimes ent, 25 May 2003. 2% jilary Chura “Ripe O14 Age.” Adeertsag Age 3 May 2002, p16,DIVERSITY CHAPTER 2 69 Ignoring the older market is bad enough, but some advertisers go so to insult older people by portraying them as doddering and senile. Fifty-six percent of respondents in an Adweek online poll agreed that when seniors appear in advertising it’s usually as an unflattering stereotype.2” A commercial for Midas was pulled after the company received complaints from adults of all ages. In the commercial, an older woman learns about Midas’ lifetime guarantee, takes off her shirt, and asks, “What can you do with showed an old man falling of explained the joke, “Boost Mobile. Designed for young people. But it’s just more fun showing old people.” kate- Tips to Reach the Older Market + Don't think of older people as just one market. Think about some of the older people you know: grandparents, neighbors, professors, and commu- nity leaders. Chances are these people are quite different from one another: They have difforent political views, different senses of humor, dif- ferent lifestyles, and so on. Like any group, the older population is com- posed of people with varied incomes, education levels, ethnic backgrounds, and life experiences. Using one message to reach all these people is about as absurd as saying one message will work for all people ages 18-49. + Don't specify age. Research has shown most older people feel younger than their birth te indicates. As financier and statesman Bernard Baruch said, “To me, old age is fiteen years older than I am.” Several years ago, an advertising campaign featured the claim “the first shampoo created for hair over 40.” It bombed. The problem? Youn; refused to buy a product aimed at older people, and older people didn’t ‘want to be reminded they had older hair. + Cast models who reflect the way your audience feels. Use models who portray an upbeat, positive image, not those who reinforce the negative stereotypes of frailty and senility. But don’t go to the opposite extreme. Although you may be tempted to show a person in his 80s who bungee jumps, most older people won't identify with this portrayal. Cast models who represent the age your audience feels. Remember how you identified with the “big” kids when you were younger? Well, the opposite is true as you age. Most older people 15 years younger than their birth certificate indicates. models who are younger than your target audience. But don’t go over- hoard, Jack Feuer from Adweck said, “Stop treating us like middle-aged people who are trying to stay young, Start talking to us like young people who have some wrinkles."28 erefore, Us 1s 2 Jack Fouer, “Pride and Prejudice.” Adweek, 28 October 2002, p. 9 2 Jer Johnsen. “Boomer ocraey.” presented to the Columbia Advertsing Club. 9 May 2006,70 cuAPTER 3 pivenstry + Tell the whole story. Although commercials with fast editing cuts and little copy may appeal to younger audi older audiences profer a narrative style, with a beginning, a middle, and an end. As Groy Advertising summe this generation is MGM, not MTV. When writing copy, give facts, not fluff. After years of shopping, older people are not going to be fooled into buying your product simply because you tell them that i’s “new” or “the best.” After all, these folks remember product flops, and they want facts to back up your elaims, Give them a compelling reason to try your product, and they'll be willing to read lengthy copy or listen to a detailed pitch. + Set your type in at least 12 point to make it more legible. Ad legend Jerry Della Femina joked about small type on packages to make his point at a creative conference, “I rubbed bath gel into my beard and followed it m2 ith shampoo, thinking it was conditioner: + Don't remind older people of their vulnerability. Ws a fact of life: arthritis, high blood pressure, heart problems, and other ailments bother more older people than younger people. However, older people know they have aches and pains without being reminded by you. Rather than dwell on the prob- loms, your advertising should show how your product offers solutions. + Show older people as they are, happy with themselves. Show them enjoy- ing life, playing with thetr grandchildren, voluntecring their time, starting new hobbies, and learning new things. Advertisements for Fox Hill Village, ‘a retirement community in Massachusetts, used to show smiling retirees on balconies admiring the beautiful landseape. But when the community ran a series of ads featuring Ben Franklin, Clara Barton, Noah Webster, and other individuals who became famous during their late inquiries went up 25 percent. + Try an ageless approach. Lee Lynch, founder of Carmichael Lynch, points to Harley-Davidson’s campaign where the rider is faceless, allowing peo- ple to project themselves into the image, regardless of ago.2° ars, People with Disabilities through a heartwarming commercial narrated by an employee named Mike, who has Down syndrome. Wal-Mart's advertising features employees and cus- tomers in wheelchairs, and one of its TV commercials stars an employee with a hearing-impairment signing to a customer. The 3 Fett In” Adweek, 25 Novernber 2002, p34 Parps, “Shades of Gray. dire, 28 Detober 2002, p19.bivensity cwarren 3 74 Although many people praise these ads, some question the motives behind them, Bob Garfield, a critic for Advertising Age, states that jumping, from not showing people with disabilities to portraying them as superhuman or as tokens does not help them or the advertiser in the long run, Screenwriter Mark Moss, who ended up in a wheelchair after a diving accident, told the Boston Globe, “Advertisers know that using people with disabilities is politically correct and a viable way to catch people's attention. Took at the phenomenon like I do politicians kissing babies. I's good for the babies . .. i's good for the politicians . .. but we can’t be blamed for looking at it with eynicism. As with any consumer segment, advertising must take care in communi- cating appropriately to the special-needs community, and extra care should be taken so that they do not appear to be taking advantage of the market. is key, according to Nadine Vogel, president of Springboard Con- sulting, who says that the disability should never define the person. Rather than call someone a “disabled child” or a “Down's Child,” the correct lan- , who has Down syndrome." ‘As with any target group, It's important to ask group members what they think. For example, a major fast-food chain ran a newspaper ad with the headline “Introducing our new easy-to-r ” which was printed over ‘a design that looked like Braille. A student appropriately asked, “Why didn't they actually print the ad in Braille? If they printed it on a heavier stock and inserted it into the paper, then I could keep it for future reforenci Gays and Lesbians ‘The policy of “Don't ask, don’t tell” reaches far beyond the U.S. y. Even the all-knowing U.S. Census Bureau doesn’t ask about sexual prefer- ice. AS a result, there are varying opinions on this market's s timated to be between 6 and 10 percent of the population.®* Its annual spending power was estimated to be $614 billion in 2005 and is projected to grow to $708 billion in 2008, according to Witeck-Combs Communications.3+ Data from gay publications illustrate the importance of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender market to advertisers. Six in ten readers of gay and lesbian nowspapors have household incomes of more than $60,000, and Th Advocate reports the median household income for its readers is $90,000.25 Furthermore, Simmons Market Research Bureau notes that this mar segment is exceptionally loyal, with 89 percent of tho: ed reporting 2 Soquel Boston Globe, 6 ly 1992, p. 10. 32 Nadine Vogel “Not Marketing to People with Disabilities? You're Missing Oat,” Adeeristng Age, 21 duly 2006, p 1. 29 Nea Hrown and Margacet Costello, Spring 2002, p13 34 Michael Wilke. "Lisury Goes Gay” presentation by the Commercial Closet, 2006, 5 Sandra Vin, Coming Out in Prin” Amertoan Demgrophies, February 2003, p. 20, Surveying an Untapped Market." Syracuse University Magaz cHAPTER 3 pivensity they would buy products or services that adi spokesperson for Hiram V Lise A ‘alker & Sons confirmed this, telling Advertising Age, “Ihave a file of letters an inch or two thick from gay consumers thanking us and vowing their loyalty. A straight consumer wouldn't take the time and, say thank you for validating us.” When the conservative American Family Association launched a boycott of Ford for advertising in gay publications, gay sroups advocated a counter “buycott” to reward Ford.*? Another plus to advert what Stephanie Blackwood, cofounder of Platinum, calls the “Wl & Grace spillover.” She explains, “First, an upscale gay male in New York City or Los Angeles buys a new product. He then influences his urban, educated female friends. who may work in the fields of commu on or the media, to buy that product. These women, in turn, talk to each other about what to buy, where to eat and even what to buy a boyfriend or father, influencing purchase choices. ‘The result: What began as a gay-targeted marketing campaign becomes an efficient and affordable way to promote a product in the mainstream.”*8 Lessons That Apply to All Segments Whatever group you are targeting, certain ba the following: + Look at the whole person, not one demographic characteristic. To under- stand your target audience, you must factor in other demographi aspects, as well as psychographic issues such as values, attitudes, ality, and lifestyle, For example, a middle-aged Hispanic Ameri business executive living in the suburbs is likely to have different attitudes from an inner-city Hispanic American youth living below the poverty or a single, working Hispanic American mother who earns minimum wage. Second- or third-generation Americans have different views than recent immigrants. African Americans who formed their core values before the 1960s will have one outlook, those who were a part of the civil rights movement will have another, and teenagers will have still another. + Avotd stereotypes. Taco Bell offended Mexican Americans with its border earch commercial because it looked like a search for illegal immigrants. Pennsylvania offended Chinese American: ts state lottery promo- tion that featured the line “No tickee—no money.” Dow Chemical insulted African Americans with a commercial in which a robust black woman exclaimed, “Ooh-wee!” because it was a reminder of the black mammy stereotype. Native American activists protested when a brewer tried to introduce a malt liquor cal zy Horse, cy Cotun Webster, Playing to Gay Segments Ope BO May 1993, pp. 3-6, 2 Bik Sass, "Gay Ad Market Tops $212 Millon,” www:mediaposteom, 11 May 2006, 35 Yin, “Coming Out in Pett" p19. Doors to Marketer." Advertising Aa.bivENsiTY cHaPTEn 23 Be wary even of “positive” stereotypes. Not all Afriean Americans a1 great athletes, musicians, or dancers, yet advertising often portrays them this way. Likowise, not all Asian Americans are good at math or science When figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi won the Olympic gold medal, the ‘New York Times printed an anonymous comment: “We are not all math or science wizards or laundry operators or restaurant owners, but skaters, architects, writers, And more. And less.” ‘The same holds true for every group you'll ever want to reach in your advertising. * Laugh with them, not at them. Humor does have a placo—if it doesn’t rely To test whether your humor might be insulting to ig one of the characters with a person from ‘or example, if you Wanted to make sure cus tomors remembered your client's name, you might be tempted to create a humorous commercial featuring an older person who is hard of hearing and needs to have everything repeated, as Country Time Lemonade did. Or you might feature an older woman who keeps forgetting the name and needs to be constantly reminded, as another company did. However, ‘would it be as funny if a young, physically aetive college student couldn't hear or remember the name? Probably not. What if you replaced the older woman with a college student who was high on drugs? Would it be a fair portrayal of college students? Of course not. + Make relevant ties to their special causes. Consider donating a portion of your sales to causes dear to your audience's hearts, such as AIDS research, ‘the Council on Aging, the Special Olympics, the Rape Crisis Center, the Native American Arts Foundation, the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation, the United Negro College Fund, or ASPIRA, a scholarship fund for Hispanies, However, make it a long-term commitment, not a one-shot deal. + Test your ads on a member of the target audience. You may find an embarrassing mistake in time to correct it before it runs. For example, the Publix grocery chain might have saved itself from the embarrassment of wishing its customers “a quiet, peaceful Yom Kippur” right below an announcomont of a sale on center-cut pork chops and fresh pork shoul- der pienies if t had double-checked with someone who is Jewish, + Show diversity in your ads. As America becomes more diverse, it's not only the right thing to do but also t 4 thing to do. Figure 3-3 is a good example of an ad that reaches a diverse audience. some group, consider repl ferent market segment. Suggested Activities 1, Watch 2 hours of prime-time television and record the way the groups mentioned in this chapter are portrayed. How many are in starring roles? How many reflect stereotypes? What products are they selling? 2, Compare print ads for fashion, liquor, and travel that appear in goneral interest magazines (such as Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Sports Mustrated, and74 CHAPTER a DIVERSITY Figure 33 What’s your id Camival Cruise Lines realizes thet people's idea of fun is quite diverse. Although you right view the Campaign asa prime example of niche marketing, n eat it expands the targot audience each time ‘tasks, "What's your idea of fun?" Newsweek) to those that appear in special-interest magi which target African Americans; Latina and People en Espaiiol, which target Americans; and New Choices and Modern Maturity, which target older people). Are the ads similar? If not, comment on the differences in visuals and text that appear to reflect, different targeted audiences. Choose an ad (such as for toothpaste, soap, or potato chips) and redo the ad to appeal rectly to an ethnie minority Zinos (such as L’ssence and Ebony, Create an ad selling jeans to people older than age 50. Look at automobile ads from recent decades and comment on the changes in the way peo- ple from different etinic groups are portrayed. (Your library should have bound editions of back issues of magazines such as Zime and Newsweek.)DIVERSITY CHAPTER 3 75 Figure 23 (continued) (DO y Search Online! Discovering More about Targeting For more information about diversity in the United States, visit the following websi + Asian market: www.intertrond.com + Economic trends: wwwselig.uga.edu + Gay market: www.commercialeloset.com ‘+ Hispanic market: www.hispanicbusiness.com and www.ahaa.org Older market: wwwaarp.org US. consus: www us.govCREATIVE STRATEGY IN ADVERTISING NINTH EDITION BONNIE L. DREWNIANY A. JEROME JEWLER ‘School of Journalism and Moss Communications University of South Carolina, Columbia THOMSON WADSWORTH Australia © Brazil * Canada * Mexico ¢ Singapore * Spain United Kingdom * United StatesTHOMSON ——+*«_—__- ‘WADSWORTH Creative Strategy in Advertising, Ninth Edition Bonnie L. Drewniany/A. Jerome Jewler Publisher: Lyn Uhl torial Assistant: Kimberly Apfelbaum Associate Technology Project Manager: Lucinda Bingham Senior Marketing Manager: Karin Sandberg Marketing Communications Manager: Jessi Content Project Manager: Sarah Sherman Senior Art Director: Maria Epes Print Buyer: Nora Massuds (© 2008, 2005 Thomson Wadsworth, a part of The ‘Thomson Corporation. Thomson, the Star logo, and isworth are trademarks used herein under license. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work cov- by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphie, elec- recording, taping, Web distribution, information storage and retrieval systems, or in any other ‘manner—without the written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America 12345 6 7 09 08 OT Library of Congress Control Number: 2007922715 ISBN-1 ISBN-L 0-495-09569-9 78-0-495-09569-9 ior Rights Account Manager, Text: Bob Kauser Sr, Permissions Aecount Manager, Images: Sheri Blaney Photo Researcher: Sharon Donahue Cover Designer: Marsha Cohen Cover Photo: © Alan Schein Photography/Corbis. Produetion Service/Compositor: Graphic World Ini Printer: Wes ‘Thomson Higher Education 25 Thomson Place Boston, MA 02210-1202 usa, For more information about our products, contact us at: Thomson Learning Academie Resource Center 1-800-423-0563 For permission to uso material from this text or product, submit a request online at htip:/Aewwthomsonrights.com ‘Any additional questions about permissions ean be submitted by e-mail to thomsonrights@thomson.com