One-size-fits-all multicultural marketing is not the answer

While marketers have come to understand the value and importance of marketing to the rapidly-growing non-Caucasian markets, trying to be all things to all consumers not only waters down the communication but also waters down the results, says the Association of Hispanic Marketing Agencies (AHAA) in an article in the Sacramento Bee.

The article states that AHAA is concerned that advertisers' request for a holistic approach to marketing and advertising to all segments and the need for a single voice is possibly being misinterpreted to minimize the need for targeted and highly specialized communication.

This type of cross-cultural approach lacks insight and understanding critical to the effectiveness of the strategy, says AHAA Chair Jessica Pantanini. "If one-size-fits-all worked, then fashion designers would have it easy. Manufacturing costs would go way down, savings could be passed to the consumer and profitability would increase. It's great in theory, but it just doesn't work in the marketplace."

Rather, she says the growing diversity and pending Census results drives the need for even more insight and understanding of the cultural and ethnic nuances and differences that drive behavior and purchase.

She adds: "Multicultural consumers are blended into the population but they retain their own unique cultural traits, behaviors and innate desires that influence their responses, purchasing and loyalty. To ignore this in the name of cost-cutting and consolidation or leaving it to the agencies to figure it out will impact negatively advertisers' return on investments."