Comments on crossculturalism: We're presenting Crossculturalism at Advertising W...

Hi Ken, I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and I l...

2010-12-07T06:59:28.917-08:00

Hi Ken, I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and I love your approach! Is there any chance to receive or view anyway your presentation at adweek? I leave you my email federico(AT)nsbla.com.

Very best, Fede

Ken, whether some marketers like it or not, there ...

2010-09-30T20:57:11.376-07:00

Ken, whether some marketers like it or not, there is where the US advertising and marketing industries are going.

With 103 million of Hispanics, African Americans and Asians in the US, the brands that ignore those "minorities" when crafting their GM messages will definitely lag far behind in the competition.

Here is a very interesting article about the "New Majority" published by Advertising Age a few months ago. It supports the idea of a multicultural market. BTW, it refers to State Farm as "One of the most innovative Hispanic marketers", congrats for that!

Keep thinking, creating and sharing the great stuff!!

http://adage.com/hispanic/article?article_id=144536

Thanks Ivonee! The presentation at Advertising W...

2010-09-30T13:28:51.569-07:00

Thanks Ivonee!

The presentation at Advertising Week went very well, I think. Got a warm reception. Especially the dating research and subconscious stuff we did.

A few folks challenged the idea, though, because they thought it was a Gen Market agency with Gen Market folks trying to do Multicultural stuff. And that would be...well...hollow.

In the end, though, I explained, this philosophy only works if you have a serious Multicultural bench-strength at your agency. You need Hispanic/AA account folks, planners, creative and media folk. A serious multicultural practice with true MC knowledge.

Otherwise, it really is all smoke and mirrors.

In the end, this sort of approach really should increase demand for folks from different walks of life. Let's see what happens!

Great model Ken, congrats. Definitely the future o...

2010-09-29T09:53:39.174-07:00

Great model Ken, congrats. Definitely the future of the US advertising. It goes along the same lines of the Total Market Approach our agency is taking, in which not only the General Market work influences the Hispanic work, but the Hispanic work influences the General Market work in a way that makes brands stronger.

BTW, love the paragraph about your State Farm campaign!!

If you ever give another presentation about Crossculturalism please announce it (I'm following your blog). I won't miss it!

Cheers,

I hope so Ken, but we've been waiting for them...

2010-09-27T13:55:33.336-07:00

I hope so Ken, but we've been waiting for them to wake up and smell the chock full o' nuts for a long time. Multi-cultural budgets are smaller and the first to get cut and because many of the corporations are not in the "know", they would rather ignore the solution than take ownership of it.
I look forward to companies giving their "general market" communications and budget to an agency that knows this marketplace well and leaves their "niche" budget to be fought over by the agencies who are on the outside looking in.

Thanks Anonymous. The truth is, you just can't...

2010-09-24T05:20:34.110-07:00

Thanks Anonymous. The truth is, you just can't reach millenials without going Multicultural. And if gen market agencies want to continue talking to the youth, they're going to have to talk Multicultural. That's the business opportunity.

And Felipe. I hear what you're saying. But clients, even very traditional ones, eventually come around when they start looking at the numbers (like this one: want to talk to 21-25 year olds in NYC. Well...they're 72% NON white)

At some point, it just becomes too much ignore. (I hope)

Cool! But seriously, how many brands are going to ...

2010-09-23T19:56:37.005-07:00

Cool! But seriously, how many brands are going to do this? Marketers are White guys in their 50's. Not your average multicultural guy. They're going to feel a lot more comfortable staying white and keeping the Multicultural thing as a token on the side.

Wow. Hard to argue with that. Still, you're go...

2010-09-23T11:59:42.830-07:00

Wow. Hard to argue with that. Still, you're going to piss some people off. Some may say that you're just being a big mean General Market agency trying to take Multicultural business.

Neat idea though. Enhorabuena.