Marketing to Diversity: Engaging Canada's New Mainstream

Marketing to Diversity E N G A G I N G C A N A D A’ S N E W M A I N S T R E A M

Multicultural Marketing Conference

Toronto, 26 March 2013

n e w ma i n s t r e a m i s mu l t i cu l t u ra l

So what?

To stay relevant and grow in today’s Canada…

Brands must not only learn how to win the hearts and wallets of ethnic consumers.

They also have to start engaging the so-called mainstream with ideas that truly reflect

its cultural diversity, especially in the metropolises.

First step: Move away from the ‘silo’ thinking

Brands are able to leveraging SIMILARITIES and respect

cultural NUANCES between ethnic and white consumers

Understanding Canada’s multiculturalism

VS.

The Chicken Soup Model

Understand & incorporate the ethnic perspective early on in the marketing process

Product development

Image & positioning

Foundational research

Communication

Cross-cultural marketing works… and it works both ways

Health vs. Nature

Diversity as a source of

innovative and unique ideas

Universal insights

Leading with ethnic insights, early on

Not all ideas travel well across cultures though…

Sometimes brands do need to have a targeted approach to better connect with ethnic consumers

Commonsense fact: Well-executed targeted strategies are likely to do

better than ‘mainstream’ work

Different situations may require different

levels of targeting…

English Canada Quebec USA

Brand Engagement Realism Idealism Celebrate

achievement

Brand Association Need a reason to

Believe Need a reason to

Relate Need a reason to

Desire

Motivating Life Values Individuality (The Mosaic)

Joie de Vivre American Dream

Targeted marketing is not new in Canada

Source: Millward Brown Canada

Basic advertising principles DO apply for ethnic consumers

Successful ethnic advertising…

Does all of the above in a culturally relevant way

Engages consumers

Incorporates the brand

Is easily understood

Evokes a response

Source: Millward Brown

Elements that help boost enjoyment of advertising and engage consumers

Genuine, funny humor

Good music

Broadly appealing celebrities

Feature children

Animals

Escapism

Most enjoyable

US ethnic targeted ads

Genuine, funny humor

Music with cultural affinity

Appealing celebrities or role models

Family & children scenarios

Friends

Escapism

Characters portrayed in a positive way

Functionality

In-language dialogue

Most enjoyable

US general market ads

increases chances of success

Source: Millward Brown

Guidelines when doing targeted advertising

Avoid stereotypes

Embrace diversity within ethnic segments

Targeted advertising is more than diverse casting & language

Dare to be bolder and different

Make your brand the center of the story

Keep the story simple

Connect with consumers emotionally

Stay true to your brand ideal, be consistent

Cross-cultural advertising is placed in ‘cross-cultural’ media options

More targeted work goes to targeted media, both traditional/TV and ‘emerging’

Go beyond traditional media, leverage the digital & mobile opportunity

Understand who your ‘mainstream’ really is at the local level

China

India

Colombia

Ghana

Ecuador

Poland

Philippines

Korea

etc.

Final thoughts…

To target or not to target…

Yes

No

All of the above

Do targeted when needed… and when you don’t do it, ensure that your total

market strategy is culturally inclusive, or cross-cultural beyond just casting

Intelligent Marketing is about finding the right balance between targeted and cross-cultural

Go too far in the

direction of targeted

approaches and

efficiencies are lost

Fail to adapt the offer

sufficiently and you

won’t be relevant to

consumers

Is your organization ready for a diverse Canada?

1. Acknowledge the fact that your market is diverse

2. Having a diverse organization is the right business decision

3. Try not to relegate multicultural responsibilities into an organizational silo

4. Don’t just rely on Jin, Jose or Kesha for your ethnic strategy!

5. Commitment must come from the top of the organization

6. Leverage the expertise of both your general market and ethnic agencies

7. Incorporate the ethnic perspective into foundational research

8. Dare to be less politically correct

9. When it comes to advertising, engage consumers in a culturally intelligent way

that avoids stereotypes and does not force the ethnic factor

T H A N K Y O U !

David Burgos

VP of Cultural Strategy

david.burgos@millwardbrown.com

@DavidBurgos_MB

www.marketingtothenewmajority.com