How to target Asians online
Murly Tiwari, MD of specialist online ad-network Indoor Media, looks at how advertisers can target the UK’s population of South Asians…
Leading blue chip advertisers are realizing the value of the UK’s three million South Asians and are using Indoor Media to target them. The audience is affluent, aspirational, highly educated and early adopters; they are at the forefront of digital take up with highest rates of broadband, digital TV and mobile phone ownership*.
Indians in particular are the most affluent of any ethnic group and are ranked alongside the Chinese in being most educated with the highest level of professional qualifications. Almost 18%, of all graduates in the UK are of Asian descent, which is significant considering that Asians only account for 4% of the UK population.
Historically, to reach this audience you would use Ethnic TV, radio and press, however, online is more effective. Online is the fastest growing advertising medium with spend up 21% and expenditure growth to £1,682 million in the first half of 2008, according to the IAB.
Advertisers need to go where the consumers are and today they are online. Indoor Media provides a perfect medium to reach over one million UK South Asians and can expand this reach to 15 million for global campaigns.
Consumers are now spending more time online than they once spent with traditional media like radio, TV and newspapers. Over 55% of Asians have access to the internet and, out of these, 83% have broadband. Asians spend on average 4.5 hrs more online than any other ethnic group and consume on average a third less mainstream media. According to the UK Asian TV audience survey 2006, 60% of Asians don’t read retail trade magazines, 48% don’t read newspapers regularly and 31% don’t listen to the radio.
Asians are a very discerning group who like bargains but more importantly love value for money. Even though Asians are becoming more westernised in their approach to life they continue to remain true to their Asian identity. This is reflected by them consuming media which reflects their outlook and lifestyle, and more and more are using online to do this. The spread of ethnic goods available in the supermarket is a firm indicator of the growing realisation of the value of the Asian consumer.
Indoor Media is a leading specialist online advertising sales house providing cost effective, audited and responsive brand advertising solutions for advertisers wanting to tap into the lucrative South Asian audience.
*According to Ofcom research