Starcom Calls For Attention on Ethnic Minority TV Viewing
The growing proportion of ethnic minorities in Britain’s populace requires the attention of advertisers if they are to create effective campaigns and deliver brand messages to an increasingly powerful demographic, according to Starcom Motive.
According to the agency, advertisers should turn to ethnic minorities to stave off the economic effects of an ageing population, tapping into a market with a potential value of £32 billion.
Starcom states that minority groups currently account for 8% of Britain’s population, with the ethnic composition of high value target audiences increasingly higher than the average. For example, according to the agency’s figures, minority groups currently account for 31% of Londoners and 13% of 16-34 year olds.
According to research by Starcom a heavyweight TV campaign achieved 560 16-34 adult TVRs and notched up an 85% coverage, however, the same campaign recorded a reach of just 78% against ethnic 16-34 year olds.
The findings are of particular concern as Asian 16-34 year olds watch roughly 3.5 hours more TV per week than the average 16-34 year old adult, while black viewers consume a massive 7.5 hours more according to Starcom.
However, the under-delivery can be partially justified by the increased viewing of the BBC by Asian 16-34 year olds, but the agency also claims that the channel mix of a typical campaign targeting 16-34 year olds does not accurately reflect the commercial TV viewing of ethnic 16-34s. According to Starcom the multi-channel viewing habits of black 16-34s is almost twice that of the average, equating to an extra eight hours per week.
Programming preferences are also being misunderstood, the agency claims, with the ethnic groups analysed watching far more film and less drama than anticipated. Elsewhere it was found that black viewers consume twice as much music programming than the average 16-34 year old viewer.
Those advertisers with slots in Coronation Street‘s breaks will find some comfort in the research however, as Starcom reports that the soap features in the top ten rating programmes of both ethnic groups and 16-34 adults.
Starcom’s research is the most significant investigation into the viewing habits of ethnic minorities since an IPA study in 2003. The latest findings underline those of the IPA, which claimed the nation’s advertisers were failing to target ethnic minorities despite an increase in their economic influence (see Research Shows Advertisers Fail To Target Ethnic Minorities).
Starcom Motive: 020 7453 4444: www.starcommotive.com
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