Multicultural Studies
I was one of few attendees who had the pleasure of sitting through the “Multicultural Studies” session Wednesday before lunch. With the exception of the opening remarks from Nielsen//NetRatings VP Charlie Buchwalter, it was entirely US-focused; I expected more of an international slant to it. Marketers targeting African Americans and Hispanics would have found this session especially valuable, and it’s worth digging up their presentations if they become available online later.
Buchwalter introduced the session showing top sites, demographics, and online advertisers in selected countries. The moral: countries are like snowflakes; no two are the same. Blame this blogger for the metaphor, as it didn’t come from the speaker.
Then came Iconoculture VP Donna Daniels, who entitled her presentation “The Digital Divide is Dead! The 411 on African Americans, Technology and New Pathways to Reach Them.” She spoke of “technomorphing,” which Iconoculture has service-marked. I didn’t quite get what this meant, but I’m sure you can define it any way you like.
Daniels discussed how African Americans are embracing various technologies, such as mobile phones, podcasts, and online services. It sounded like African Americans are just like everybody else, which I guess is the point. For instance, she said young African American mobile phone users are open to receiving marketing messages via SMS and mobile content if you give them the opportunity to opt out. This reminds me of the photo spreads in celebrity gossip magazines (I swear, they’re my girlfriend’s) that show celebrities doing normal activities like taking out the trash and eating chow mein. It turns out African Americans are just like regular web users too. Go figure.
eMarketer Senior Analyst Debra Aho Williamson went next and discussed Hispanics online. They skew young - 56% of online Hispanics are 34 or younger, compared to 44% of the total online population. Meanwhile, ad spending targeting Hispanics online is growing fast - off a base of next to nothing. It should reach $132 million this year. Find out more in eMarketer’s May “Hispanic Youth Online” report. Also, she says you should watch Carlos Mencia on Comedy Central. He’s the loud guy who you might here 30 seconds of if you switch over to “The Daily Show” too early. Maybe he’s funnier earlier in the show.
Speaking last was MarketTools VP Heidi Dickert, continuing a discussion on the Hispanic market. Hispanic households spend more on groceries than average due to their larger family size. There are lots of different types of Hispanics with varying degrees of acculturation.
