Research Shows Advertisers Fail To Target Ethnic Minorities
Advertisers are failing to target the UK’s ethnic minorities, despite a significant increase in the economic influence of this part of the population, according to new research from the IPA.
The wide-ranging report on Ethnic Diversity in the marketing communications industry shows that ethnic minority communities are a powerful economic group, which is not being engaged by the majority of UK businesses.
The study, which interprets figures from the Government’s most recent Census, reveals that ethnic minority groups have grown by more than 50% since the start of the nineties and now have a combined disposable wealth of around £32 billion.
Niche ethnic groups have a younger age profile than the white community and account for 7.9% of the UK population, a figure which rises to 31% in London. They are also more technologically aware than the rest of the UK as a whole.
The research shows that more than two thirds of the UK South Asian community live in pay-TV homes, compared to less than 40% of the population as a whole. Mobile phone uptake, internet penetration and PC usage is also higher amongst the South Asian community in this country.
However, agencies are still reluctant to think about the ethnic minority market unless they are given a specific brief. The IPA Census shows that just 4% of the marketing communications industry is made up of staff from ethnic minorities.
Anjna Raheja, managing director, Media Moguls and member of the ethnic diversity group, said: “We must ensure that we remain in tune with the changing face of the UK’s consumers, we need to understand that the UK is now a truly a multicultural country. In the same way there is a pink pound and a grey pound there is, without a doubt, a brown pound.”
Jonathan Mildenhall, co-chairman of the IPA’s ethnic diversity project, added: “The economic contribution that ethic minorities make to the UK’s overall performance is huge. That said, few companies even consider the potential incremental value of bespoke marketing programmes targeting ethnic minorities. The advertising industry must take the lead here. We need to educate and advise our clients about the potential of all target groups. We need to move out from under the comfort blanket of traditional demographics and become more accurate in our targeting.”
The research shows that BT is one brand that consistently gets it right when reflecting the social mix of its potential customers. It goes beyond simply putting ethnic minority actors in its commercials and makes an effort to acknowledge and understand ethnic minorities as different target groups.
Other advertisers cited for their positive portrayal of ethic communities include Barclays, Halifax and Budweiser.
Ray Barrett, creative director of Barrett Cernis and co-chairman of the ethnic diversity project, said: “The most important point to remember is not to stereotype black or Asians or any other ethnic minority group. Whichever sub-segment one goes to, the marketer must present an image that is credible and recognisable to that group itself. Stereotypes tend to occur when people who are not of those backgrounds attempt to create images for those groups.”
Last year research from the ITC and The BSC found that audiences from minority ethnic groups are unhappy with negative stereotypes and over-simplified portrayals of their communities on television (see Ethnic Minorities Criticise TV And Radio Stereotypes).
IPA: 020 7235 7020 www.ipa.co.uk
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