Media by the Generations

Here's another info graphic about what media generations are using and when they're using it, it's all about reaching the right generation at the right time on the right medium.--- photo via pinterest.

The History of Marketing

Cool info graphic about the history of marketing, it's just about the present. Its about where we've been, so we can look towards the future, of our company and your's. -- photo via pinterest.

Wired: Millenials vs. Baby Boomers

Time Inc. Reveals Brain Study, Preliminary Data Suggests 'Digital Natives' Are In Fact Different

Here is an interesting article about Millennials vs. Baby Boomers and how these new "Millennial" Consumers (age 16 - 29 ((although this time line has been debated and is often considered a combination of Gen Y and Gen Z))) are wired differently. To the frustration of many an Advertising executive, these consumers will actually absorb the media around them in a different way than traditional media allows. As the article talks about, it's the difference between "Digital Natives" (Millennials) and "Digital Immigrants" (Baby Boomers). Baby Boomers are embraced by the media and traditional advertisers but, as they are rapidly coming of age, marketers will need to start considering how to advertise to this new millennial market. With the Millennials participating in protests like "Occupy Wall St." around the nation - in which they beg for a change in the old system - developing new digital strategies and changing the way one advertises could be key to embracing and marketing to this new generation of consumers.

The 2010 Census

A new decade is upon us and at an estimated cost of $14.5 billion dollars and being promoted as " The Portrait of America" the new 2010 Census will be conducted .Recently there has been many stories written that reflect how the 2010 Census will actually be conducted. The 2010 Census plan is if a household doesn’t mail back the questionnaire by the third week of April 2010, a trained Census Bureau enumerator will visit the household, starting in May 2010. Enumerators will try six times if necessary to reach a knowledgeable household member, visiting housing units multiple days at different hours. When the enumerator makes contact, he or she will collect the census data by interview. If enumerators can’t contact a household, they will seek information in any way possible to "estimate" the number of people in the household. At the end of this process, every household will have some information about its occupants recorded. "Estimate" is the key word here, just how accurate will the estimated information be. Will the enumerators estimate the households ethnicity, race and language preference. Language Preference is not even one of the 10 questions on the short form.. In 2000 only about 70 percent of the population returned their information, leaving several areas seriously under-counted and under-represented. It should be interesting to compare their estimated number to those of companies who use real time data in their analysis.. More to come as we learn more.

2010 & the Importance of Culturally Relevant Marketing

by Karen Sinisi karens@ethnictechnologies.com

The Census is coming! The Census is coming! I am sure I speak for all those involved in ethnic marketing when I say that we can’t wait to see what changes lie ahead. Of course we already know about many of the interesting nuances that this new census will bring, after all we are in the trenches. We are on the forefront of multicultural marketing intelligence, so can the 2010 Census really tell us something we don’t know? Time will tell.

But what about the more subtle change in our great nation? We have an African American President now. This was a day that I did not know if I would live to see, but sure enough, here it is. I am a Caucasian woman, but I could literally feel the pride in which every African American in our country must have been experiencing on Election Day. Minorities of all sorts are making tremendous impact and contributions to politics, sports, entertainment and business. And the populations are booming, with Hispanics on the precipice of becoming the majority. So does this mean that culturally sensitive marketing and advertising is becoming less necessary as we move towards 2010?

I would argue that it is more necessary than ever to create and perpetuate strong messages geared specifically towards ethnic groups. Here are a few examples of springboards for the creation of some terrific culturally competent advertising: The sense of pride and fellowship that African Americans have with the election of Barack Obama . The incredible breakthrough of Sonia Sotomayor as our first Latino Supreme Court Justice. Y.E. Yang, the first Asian pro golfer to ever win a major tournament. There are so many more examples, but my feeling is that as the multicultural populations grow, so too must the specific advertising messages that we as marketers create. We cannot move towards a more vanilla, general market sensibility, but must strive to always keep culturally relevant.

Ramadan Mubarak

by Loretta Poggio, Ph.D. loretta@ethnictechnologies.com

At least 5 million people in North America claim Islam as their religion and/or practice. An adherent of Islam is a Muslim, meaning "one who submits” (to God). Muslims are found in almost every country in the world. The total worldwide Muslim population is generally estimated at slightly more than 1 billion. Because the U.S. Census does not collect information on religious affiliation, there are no exact figures on the number of Muslims in the country. According to the American Religious Identity Survey (2001), approximately 1,104,000 adult Muslims reside in the United States. National Muslim organizations estimate it to be about 7 million.

The Muslim population is characterized by its diversity. Some 80 nations are represented in the mosque communities of the United States, including a variety of traditions, practices, doctrines, and beliefs. Approximately 24% of American Muslims are African Americans according to the American Muslim Council’s Zogby poll conducted in 2000. Muslims come from all races, nationalities and cultures. They have varied languages, foods, dress, and customs; even the way they practice may differ. Yet they all consider themselves to be Muslim.

For Muslims, the holiest period in the Islamic year is its ninth month, Ramadan. Ramadan is an Arabic word meaning “scorching heat.” It commemorates the ninth lunar month in the year 610 CE when revelations began from God, via the angel Gabriel, to the Prophet Muhammad. These revelations in Arabic were memorized by Muhammad, passed on orally, and later written down as the Qur'an. It begins at the time of the new moon when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are lined up in that order. Because Ramadan is based on the lunar calendar, it is observed about 11 days earlier each year. It goes through all four seasons about every 35 years. This year it will begin after sunset on August 21st.

It is a time of contemplation and reflection, an opportunity for spiritual and physical purification. Muslims believe that because this month has been blessed by Allah, any good actions during Ramadan will bring them a greater reward. A goal for many Muslims is to complete the Qur’an recitation during this time and to recite special nightly prayers called Taraweeh or night prayer.

Almost all Muslims over the age of 12 are expected to abstain from food, drink and other sensual pleasures from the first light of dawn until sunset during this sacred time. At sunset, the fast is broken usually with a small meal with family and friends. Iftar is the meal for breaking the evening fast right after sunset. Traditionally, a date is the first thing to be consumed during Iftar. Many Muslims believe that feeding someone Iftar as a form of charity, believed to have been practiced by Muhammad, is very rewarding. The meal consumed early in the morning prior to fasting is called Suhur. It is eaten before the sun rises and before the dawn prayer. Although there are no traditional foods associated with this meal, it is recommended to drink water to avoid dehydration and to eat a light, well balanced diet. Suhur and Iftar replace the traditional three meals a day.

On the evening of the 27th day of the month, there is a special night in Ramadan called, “Laylat Al-Qudr,” the Night of Decree. This marks the anniversary of the night on which the Prophet Muhammad first began receiving revelations from God through the angel Gabriel. Muslims believe that on this night worship of God is rewarded far more than on any other night. Chapter 97 of the Qur’an describes this night as the night when heaven’s angels descend to earth to seek out and sit with the Worshipers of God.

Eid-Ul-Fitr marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and the beginning of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. The festival begins with the sighting of the new crescent moon in the evening of the last day of Ramadan. Muslims greet and hug each other with the phrase "taqabbalallah ta'atakum," or "may God accept your deeds" and "Eid Mubarak", meaning "blessed Eid." On this day, Muslims traditionally wake up early in the morning and have a small breakfast usually containing dates to end their month-long Ramadan fast. New clothes, which are specially purchased for this day, are worn. They will then go to a local mosque or any other large open area (such as a field) to attend the "salah," a special Eid prayer that is performed in congregation. Before the Eid prayer begins, every Muslim who can afford to do so must have contributed "Zakat al-fitr," a sum to be donated for the month of Ramadan, to destitute Muslims living nearby. The donation is given during the early days of this month so that the recipient can use it for Eid purchases.

The "salah" is held only for a short duration and is traditionally followed by the khutbah (sermons). This is followed by the "dua," a prayer asking for God's forgiveness, mercy and help for all living beings of the world. When the "dua" is completed, Muslims greet and hug each other with the phrase "taqabbalallah ta'atakum," or "may God accept your deeds" and "Eid Mubarak," meaning "blessed Eid."

There are no universally traditional Eid foods; food preferences vary from culture to culture. The holiday typically includes rich foods that may not have been eaten during Ramadan, along with elaborate regional or family recipes. For example, Pakistani Muslims will eat swaiyal, a noodle dish, and gaan ka halwa, a minced carrot sweet treat. Malaysian Muslims enjoy such festive dishes as ketupat (cooked rice wrapped in coconut leaves) and lemang (glutinous rice cooked in bamboo cane), served with beef rending (beef “stew” made with coconut milk and spices). Invitations to parties and dinners are common during Eid ul-Fitr, people often take the day off from work to spend time celebrating. Eid is as important to Muslims as Christmas and Yom Kippur are to Christians and Jews, respectively. Cards and baked goods are given as gifts.

According to Islamicity.com, many employers allow Muslim employees to leave earlier during this time. Some company cafeterias adjust their hours to accommodate the Iftar meal. Some provide flexible hours during the month of Ramadan, while others provide floating holiday schedules.

Many brands and marketers have not acknowledged or related to the Muslim community. Some do not recognize the opportunity. Others are not certain how to relate to this multi-segmented consumer group. Whatever the reason, some are failing to connect with consumers whose combined disposable income is well in excess of $170 billion a year in the U.S. alone. This market is diverse. It includes African Americans, South Asians, Caucasians and people from the Middle East, as well as people who are more or less conservative in their religious views.

Marketing to specific segments of this population requires knowledge of their customs, beliefs, and preferences. The challenge for marketers is to better understand the Muslim way of life in order to positively affect a change in future buying behavior. This can be achieved by integrating basic Islamic values into the product development process.

Tone and messaging show respect for this diversity. For example, Hallmark Greeting Cards offers holiday specific cards that now include Ramadan and the Eid celebration. The U.S. Postal Service has produced a stamp commemorating these events just as they do for Christmas, Chanukah, and Kwanzaa. McDonalds serves halal Chicken McNuggets in Detroit and other densely populated Muslim areas. Ikea sells decorative items for the holidays.

Islam represents the unification of religion and culture. Experiencing the realities of Islamic diversity allows us to learn more about Muslims and ourselves. In the spirit of this holy time, we wish all Muslims “Ramadan Mubarak,” “a blessed Ramadan”.

Semiotics and Ethnic Marketing

by Lisa Radding lradding@ethnictechnologies.com

When I’m not looking up the ethnicities of names, I’m applying linguistic theory to names. No, not usually. But no, I’m not kidding. With my thesis advisor as co-author, I’m shortening my undergraduate thesis about the meaning of a toponym (place name) into an article for publication in a geography journal. One reviewer said I was missing a section on semiotics. Enter a week of linguistic theory punctuated by ethnic name research.

Crash course in semiotics: Ferdinand de Saussure (famous Swiss linguist) says a sign is the unification of two distinct pieces: The signifier is the form (sounds or letters) and the signified is the concept represented. He is writing about words, not specifically names. D-O-G is different from that furry thing that plays fetch, but together they are a sign, which has meaning in the context of the English language. The sign, however, is not static, but manifests itself differently with each signified: a golden retriever, a stuffed snoopy, etc. If you take this beyond the realm of language (as the French social and literary critic Roland Barthes does) that same sign can also be “a person regarded as contemptible” or “a person regarded as unattractive or uninteresting.” These meanings stem not from a linguistic context, but from a societal context. It gets way more complicated, but I think that’s plenty for the casual blog-reader.

Now I try to apply this to ethnic marketing:

1. I study signifiers. For example, I look at H-E-R-N-A-N-D-E-Z and determine that it is Hispanic. I look at just the form, the letters. I deal with signifiers.
2. Our clients care about signs. They want/have lists of individuals. Real person + name on list = sign. To those doing the marketing, unification of the person and the ethnic name is important.
3. Someone named Hernandez can be viewed differently in different societal contexts. The ethnic name has connotations that are both positive (diversity) and negative (racism). We must always be aware, when dealing with ethnic names, how they are being used.

I like the simplicity of a name and where it comes from. But I constantly remind myself that when this research is used, there are real people behind the names. People with purchasing power, and customs connected to various cultures. Based on my work with these signifiers, we can step outside the American mind frame into the land of semiotics and the ethnic consumer.

Too theoretical? Perhaps. But applying linguistic theory to this line of business was an interesting exercise for my brain.

AT: 08/06/2009 04:07:31 PM

Doppelgangers and Searchability

by Lisa Radding lradding@ethnictechnologies.com

Last time I posted, I was considering other people who share your name. We all know they are out there; we google ourselves. Most of us are intrigued by the existence of our googlegangers, defined on urbandictionary.com as, “similar to that of a doppelganger, it is another individual with the same name as you whose records and/or stories are mixed in with your own when you google yourself.” Although my one googleganger, that other Lisa Radding, comes up first when you google me, I too show up on the first page of results. But what if your name is Jonathan Smith?

If I type “Jonathan Smith” in the search box on facebook, I get over 500 results. Quickly scanning the first few pages of results, I notice that “Jonathan Smith” is as likely to be Caucasian (with descent from practically anywhere) as African American, but could also be Hispanic or even Asian. Also, he is male. Shelving the ethnicity (and gender) issue for now, however, I’m thinking about how a search on a name like “Jonathan Smith” doesn’t return an individual. In this increasingly electronic world, where many of us want a unique, searchable identity with which to leave our electronic footprint, what can you do if your parents lacked creativity when naming you?

I know a Jonathan Smith who, in some instances, purposely misspells his name so as to differentiate himself. His name on facebook looks something like Jonatthan Smiith or Jonnathan Smithh… you get the idea (and I’m withholding his exact spelling to protect his privacy.) When you search his spelling, he is the only one who turns up in the results page.

Just as companies try to optimize the searchability of their websites by inserting key words into headers and first paragraphs, individuals manipulate their own names. While our googlegangers may pique our curiosity, we also want to possess a unique online identity. Thus as the Internet proliferates society, names evolve without officially changing.

Are these misspellings, such as Jonathhan Smmith, legitimate names? That depends how you understand “legitimate.” My friend Jonathan Smith didn’t officially change his name. Since he still gets mailings addressed to “Jonathan Smith,” for the purposes of our software, the “Jonathan Smith” spelling we have in the database will suffice. (And we will say he is male and English speaking, though beyond that, this name doesn’t give us much to go on.) As I ponder the future of multicultural marketing in an electronic age, however, I anticipate lists from Internet databases. On the Internet we are free to create unofficial names, infinite variations, in order to optimize our individual searchability. If in the future we want our software to correctly identify everyone, we must keep up with the creation of new names and spellings, the human drive to be unique.

Multicultural Name Identification

by Candace candace@ethnictechnologies.com

Conventional wisdom says that America is a melting pot of many different cultures. Try mixing up six different cheeses in a pot then try to find the different taste values of each. It is very difficult to do. The same idea applies to identifying the different cultures that make up our nation. The segmentation system that we habitually use simply divides the population into color or racial categories: White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian. Using this type of approach or methodology has its downfalls and in most cases antiquated census information is used, as it's sole input for development. A better approach is to see the diversity in America as a mixed salad, where each ethnicity is a different ingredient and can be identified. This method, if used properly applies to the many ethnicities and different cultures in our nation and each can be identified.

Marketers, researchers, advertising agencies and the media often market to Hispanics as a separate group from Whites, Blacks and Asians. When you take an in-depth look at the Hispanic population in the Untied States they often associate with one or more of the aforementioned racial groups and those racial groups can be correlated to their country of origin or cultural identity. An individual or family from Puerto Rico does not exhibit the same cultural identity or buying habits as those of a family that has immigrated to the US from Mexico. If that is the case then why do marketers, researchers, advertising agencies and the media often approach Hispanic's as a whole with the same exact offers, disregard their country of origin and then complain that their campaigns were not successful. Even the dialect of the Spanish language they speak differs.

The same issues arise and in greater depth when attempting to target the Asian community, the "One Size Fits All" mentality is often the method used and low response rates and product interests are the norm. With so many different Asian countries of origin and Asian languages of preference currently residing in the US, it is the smart marketer that embraces technology that allows them to identify all ethnicities, countries of origin and languages that are available. An offer tailored to a Chinese American living in San Francisco CA should differentiate from one being tailored to a Korean American living in Fort Lee NJ or a Vietnamese American living in Houston TX. Now if you add into the mix the different levels of assimilation and acculturation, the buying habits and traditional cultural customs the individual embraces are all over the chart.

An individual's ethnicity is not in all circumstances related to ones "Country of Origin". A Deepak Banerjee may have been born in England and then came to our country, but his ethnicity and cultural identity is Indian and in most cases his religion would be Hindu.

Many ethnic and religious groups in the United States maintain a strong cultural identity. They are often attracted to communities with their same ethnicity, communities in which many traditional cultural customs are maintained. Given that the ethnic diversity in the US is far more reflective of a global landscape, it is even more important for marketers to fully understand cultural differences, language preference, purchasing habits and other socioeconomic information and integrate those variations into their everyday marketing strategies and tactics. The time for the" One Size Fits All" methodology is gone that way of the dinosaur.

Whats New for June 09..

by Lisa Radding lradding@ethnictechnologies.com

What’s new at Ethnic Technologies this summer? Well, this blog, for one thing. But also, G-TECH, which lets you append your database by gender. So as we approach DMDAYS NY, I’m going to start my blogging with thoughts on names and gender.

We tend to think of the gender of a name as stagnant. For example, my name, Lisa, is feminine. It always has been, and so one assumes it always will be.

While that was once the case, American baby name choices are departing from the traditional male/female dichotomy. One place this is evident is in the top baby names of 2008, which were recently published by the U.S. Social Security Administration. Here is the girls’ list:

1. Emma
2. Isabella
3. Emily
4. Madison
5. Ava
6. Olivia
7. Sophia
8. Abigail
9. Elizabeth
10. Chloe

My first observation: What is Madison doing on the girls’ list?! Ok, because I’ve followed name trends my entire life, I’m not actually surprised. However, the linguist in me is indignant. It ends in “son.” Could there be any more obvious marker in the English language that this is a boys’ name? Jackson, Jason, Samson… they look and sound masculine. (Disregard Alison for now.) Madison, from an English surname meaning "son of Maud,” was originally a male name. Yet in 2008 it was the fourth most popular name for a baby girl!

Recently I’ve been scouring lists of names with an eye for these phonetic irregularities. Although Madison may once have been exclusively male, and phonetically resembles male names more than it does its female counterparts, it is now overwhelmingly female. As we shift from the strict male/female dichotomy, gender identification becomes increasingly complex. This makes me wonder what kind of girls all these little Madisons will be, but that’s a different topic. I just stay abreast of the trends- surprising, interesting or whatever else. And thus I can assure you that with G-TECH, when Madison grows up, you will be able to accurately market to HER.
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