Multicultural Marketing Research Articles

The Effect of Multicultural Marketing on International Product Placement

The efficiency of foreign product placement is investigated, along with the role that multicultural marketing methods play. As globalization continues to influence purchasing habits, businesses are looking for new methods to reach a multicultural customer base. Advertising and promotions in multicultural marketing are catered to different ethnic groups so that they are more likely to connect with and purchase from the brand. This study digs into the increasing value of product placement as a central advertising strategy for inserting items into material consumed by people of different cultural backgrounds. Marketers want to increase brand identification, memory, and sales by product placement in media that is popular with customers of different cultural backgrounds. The research takes a mixed-methods strategy, delving into both qualitative and quantitative data (surveys, consumer behavior research) to better understand the factors that contribute to the success of multicultural product placement campaigns. It explores how product placement is received and how successful it is in different countries and among different cultural groups by considering the impact of cultural context. In addition, the study delves at methods through which companies may successfully integrate products across cultural boundaries while avoiding offending locals. Culturally appropriate product placement has been shown to greatly increase brand exposure and customer interaction in a variety of countries. A deeper emotional connection is made with customers, building trust and loyalty, when product placement is handled with cultural sensitivity and authenticity. Mistakes in cultural sensitivity may damage brand reputation and sales. Marketers now have a road map for maximizing the potential of multicultural marketing for cross-cultural product placement success, which advances the disciplines of international marketing, cultural communication, and product placement methods. Companies may harness the potential of diversity and inclusion in their global marketing efforts by better understanding the complex interplay between culture and product placement.

Integrating an Intercultural Aesthetic World: Hong Liu’s The Magpie Bridge and The Touch

ABSTRACT Representing China’s history is a narrative tradition of Anglophone Chinese literature, and it is usually considered an effective way for authors to participate in multicultural marketing. This study, however, expounds that Hong Liu’s two novels on Chinese history, The Magpie Bridge and The Touch, featured with cultural translation, represent cosmopolitan literary practice beyond the frame of nation-state and ethnicity. Both address the Chinese in diaspora: their present lives are frequently linked with the past via specific Chinese symbols – the ‘mirror’ and the ‘touch’, which are endowed with English connotations through translation and reveal the intercultural aesthetic world Liu crafts. Analysis of intercultural symbolism, where different aesthetic traditions are treated equally, distinguishes her writing from the marketing of exoticism that subordinates the ‘foreign’, demonstrating her contribution to the discursive diversity of English-language literature by minority writers. In this sense, Liu’s narrative performance of Chinese history engages in the negotiated process of transformation of Anglophone Chinese literary discourse and practices post-Eurocentric cosmopolitanism towards boundary-crossing world literature.

Marketing Across Multicultural Landscapes: A Comprehensive Review of Strategies Bridging U.S. and African Markets

This scholarly inquiry delves into the dynamic realm of multicultural marketing, with a focus on the strategic interplay between the U.S. and African markets. This study aims to dissect the complexities of marketing across cultural divides, identifying the economic and cultural synergies that can be leveraged to foster a cohesive marketing strategy. Employing a systematic literature review as its methodological backbone, the study sifts through a plethora of cross-cultural marketing frameworks to distill the essence of consumer behavior insights and strategic marketing initiatives that have borne fruit in these diverse markets. The study’s main findings highlight the critical role of cultural understanding and technological innovation in crafting marketing strategies that resonate with a multicultural audience. It emphasizes the strategic importance of localized marketing approaches, tailored to the cultural and socio-economic contours of the target market. The study concludes that a deep-rooted knowledge of local customs, coupled with a keen eye on technological trends, is paramount for the successful integration of U.S. and African markets. Recommendations call for an ongoing investment in research, particularly in digital marketing avenues and sustainable practices, to ensure that marketing strategies remain relevant and impactful. The study advocates for a marketing ethos that is not only effective but also ethically attuned to the environmental and social fabric of the target markets.

Advertising, DEIB, and HBCUs: An Interview with Vita Harris

Abstract: This article captures a conversation with Vita Harris, the Global Chief Strategy Officer of Foote, Cone & Belding, and Yvette Lynne Bonaparte, a marketing faculty member at an HBCU. The conversation reveals not only trends in multicultural marketing, or diverse mass marketing as it is referred to at FCB, it highlights the framework used in this global advertising agency to address diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace, workforce, and their work. Highlights of Harris' journey to the C-suite of one of the world's largest global advertising agencies are reviewed. The role of advertising in society as a means of advancing culture, removing stereotypes of underrepresented populations, and increasing cultural competence is discussed.

Trends and issues in multicultural business communications in South A'frica

In South Africa we have lived in a society where separation ofcommunities and racial groups has been the norm. Since 1994 theseparation is being bridged as more individuals encounter people withdifferent attitudes, value systems and cultural behavioural patterns insocial and business environments. This leads to new avenues ofunderstanding, but also to a wider scope for misunderstanding andunintentional miscommunication, especially in the business context.The way in which people communicate in a business setting, varies fromculture to culture. Such variation occurs in all stages of development andat all levels of culture. whether from one corporate culture to another, orfrom one region, state or country to another. Although most rules ofbusiness communication apply to the domestic business environment,Intercultural business communication requires knowledge and skills thatdiffer from those within a specific culture. It is impossible to know all thevariations in business communication in a multicultural business societylike South Africa, but businesspeople can and should prepare themselvesfor those experiences they are most likely to face in employee andcustomer relations when conducting business in more than one culture.This article probes the possibility of diminishing businessmiscommunication in South Africa, by focussing on awareness of barriersto multicultural marketing and management communication. Businesscommunication is defined as consisting of management as well asmarketing communication. A pilot survey on existing businesscommunication strategies in a large South African province is discussed.This has pointed towards a more comprehensive research project, with
 the aim of providing a three-tier model for effective multicultural marketingcommunication strategies in a post-Mande/a South Africa.

Representation of women of color on the covers of the top three fashion magazines: a content analysis

Purpose This paper aims to assess the representation of women of color (WOC) in the top 3 fashion magazines and explore the implications of underrepresentation within marketing communications. The authors draw from diffusion theory and marketplace omission and commission to situate the research focus and highlight its application to the study findings. Design/methodology/approach A content analysis was conducted on 481 cover models on the top three fashion magazines of 2018 – Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Vanity Fair during 2006–2018. Findings The findings indicate WOC are underrepresented despite the strides of inclusion in the marketplace in America during a postracial period. Representation is as follows: white – 412 (86%); black – 41 (9%); Latina – 19 (3.9%); biracial 7 (1.5%); Asian – 1 (0.2%); and Native American – 1 (0.2%). Latina models had the lowest representation. Native and Asian women were completely excluded. When they do appear, black and Latina cover models are more likely than white models to be shown wearing sexually suggestive attire. Practical implications This study makes four recommendations to promote antiracism in marketing: diversify staff hiring and editorial decision-makers for public-facing talent; solicit counsel from multicultural marketing agencies; create antiracist marketing curriculum; and cultivate a pipeline of diverse talent for future hiring. Originality/value The originality of this paper centers its contribution to the dearth research investigating representation implications within the fashion marketing industry during an alleged post-racial period, and a longer time span. It also presents structured antiracist marketing solutions to mitigate underrepresentation.

Self-referencing and optimal distinctiveness theory: The theoretical underpinnings to US multicultural marketing

This paper revisits in-culture marketing, a model that has served as the strategic backbone to Hispanic marketing in the USA for more than three decades. Although popular and useful, in-culture marketing lacks a theoretical foundation and empirical validation. To help brands do a better job of engaging with an increasingly multicultural population, this paper introduces two theories rooted in social psychology: self-referencing, which has been shown to drive advertising effectiveness when information is linked to the self, and (2) optimal distinctiveness theory, which helps explain social identity and how people come to define themselves in terms of their social group memberships. At a time when the US population is becoming increasingly multicultural, this paper advances a conceptual fourquadrant model designed to improve marketing effectiveness for leading corporations. The paper argues that the US advertising industry bears the responsibility to develop and promote new strategic approaches that help leading brands grow — even if it means challenging today’s business models and disrupting the status quo.

A review of two decades of research on language in international and multicultural marketing (1997-2020)

A review of two decades of research on language in international and multicultural marketing (1997-2020)

To create the value of indigenous tourism in multicultural market based on tourists' cultural experience

PurposeTourism development can reduce the economic disadvantages of indigenous tribes; however, it is also reproached for the destruction of local culture. The challenge for tourism and culture is to reach those diverse audiences through a multicultural marketing perspective for managers to make decisions. Therefore, learning the activity preferences of tourism experiences and creating the value of indigenous tourism by strategies are essential indicators of this research.Design/methodology/approachThe knowledge lacks cultural understanding and the acceptance of prices concerned with indigenous tourism. This research introduces the value of cultural experience into indigenous tourism experiences and establishes a link between the attributes of tourists' preferences and tourism. The data mining methods are used to analyze relevant indigenous tribal data on the cultural experience.FindingsBy providing a different quality of service for various tourists, it is expected to improve the sustainable tourism of the tribe through the experiential value of different attributes and strategies of push–pull factors.Research limitations/implicationsThe experiential activities are based on second-hand data collected from Taitung's indigenous tourism activities, and sample data are the domestic tourism experiences of tourists over the past year. Through empirical analyses, the attributes of tourists' preferences can create the value of the cultural experience for indigenous tourism.Originality/valueThis research explores how indigenous cultural experience can be communicated via learning the value of cultural experience to formulate effective strategies.

The changing multicultural marketing landscape

Within the USA, 2020 was a turning point in terms of attitudes toward race, racism and social justice, particularly among whites. After a horrified nation, indeed world, watched the brutal murder of George Floyd at the hands of police officers, and the growing support extended to the Black Lives Matter movement, Americans began to look toward their brands to take on systemic racism and promote the wellbeing of people of colour, as well as the LGBTQ and gender non-binary communities. As companies’ diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives become increasingly visible and important to customers, as well as employees, the business of multicultural marketing is likely to change. This paper examines the evolution of the multicultural marketing industry over the past 25 years, where it is in 2021, and the direction it is likely to go, given an increasing focus on racial equality amid stark attitudinal divisions.

Culturally relevant marketing: Conceptualising a critical pedagogical approach to multicultural marketing strategy

In this era of unprecedented political shifts, the global health pandemic, and social justice awakenings, marketing strategists who look to develop effective marketing strategies must be able to navigate an evolving socio-political landscape and the needs of an increasingly diverse population and marketplace. To meet these needs, this paper proposes a new framework: the culturally relevant marketing strategy. For theorists, pragmatists and practitioners operating in this space, culturally relevant marketing offers important features and benefits. Taking cues from education pedagogy, this hybrid approach integrates traditional marketing strategy with multi-dimensional consumer research, discourse, critical interpretation, and analysis, to facilitate meaningful outcomes. It does this by providing the tools needed to overcome cultural blind spots and social justice tone-deafness in strategic development. This paper considers the market factors at play to present a grounding overview, including what distinguishes it from other branded theories, in order to conceptualise a go-to multicultural marketing strategy approach for right now.

Social identities in consumer‐brand relationship: The case of the Hijab‐wearing Barbie doll in the United States

AbstractThis study explores the role of social identities in consumer‐brand relationship through the case study of the first hijab‐wearing Barbie doll in the United States. Through a qualitative analysis of people's response to the announcement of the new Barbie doll on Twitter, the study reveals how ethnic‐identity based products influence consumers relationship with an iconic brand. Ethnic‐based products help in social identification and facilitate some consumers desire to buy the product however, they also elicit negative emotions, racism, and animosity in other group of consumers resulting in weakening of their ties with a once favored brand. Theoretical and managerial implications for multicultural marketing are discussed.

Asian American Advertising, Multicultural Communication, and Inclusivity: An Interview with Jeff Lin, Maxwell Davidson, and Selina Guo from Admerasia

Abstract: Jeff Lin, Selina Guo, and Maxwell Davidson from Admerasia, a multicultural marketing and advertising agency, talk with Wan-Hsiu Sunny Tsai (University of Miami) about Asian American advertising, multicultural communication, and inclusivity. Many topics were covered during their conversation: the journey of getting into multicultural advertising and marketing; advertising's move from one-way communication to two-way dialogues; brand activism and corporate social responsibility; multicultural agencies' impact on society's understanding of minority communities; Admerasia's Invisible PSA campaign drawing attention to the fact that three in five Asian Americans do not feel that they are represented in advertising; Admerasia's Racism is Contagious campaign centralizing information about anti-Asian hate crimes; how multicultural advertisers and brands should be sensitive to the similarities and differences among various Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities; fighting the model minority stereotype of Asians; how to bring various minority communities together; how multicultural agencies facilitate brand activism; the difference between organic and performative brand activism; multicultural agencies' increasing role in providing diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting to companies; and advice to students on how to work in an increasingly multicultural society.

Multiculturalism needs more than openness to diversity: Updating the Openness to Diversity and Challenge scale for increased inclusion

This paper describes a case study conducted with graduate students in a large, culturally-diverse university and suggests the addition of a more contemporary facet to the Openness to Diversity and Challenge (ODC) scale created by Pascarella and colleagues in 1996. The first phase of the study entailed observing a group of 24 graduate students enrolled on an elective multicultural marketing course in 2019, followed by a second observation of the same course in 2020, this time counting 22 students. During this phase, when students were asked to choose an ethnic community to study, the majority of students selected their own community rather than explore an alien culture. The second phase of the research entailed analysing the narratives contained in the students’ assignments. This phase provided insight into the reasons behind their choices and improved understanding about how contemporary students experience openness to diversity. Prior to this study, it seemed reasonable to assume that multiculturalism and ODC walked hand in hand. Based on the study findings, however, this paper argues that the others-oriented approach of the ODC scale would benefit from the integration of a self-oriented symmetrical side in order to better suit contemporary needs. The findings of this research are highly relevant because young adults must be open to diversity in order to succeed in contemporary society.

A review of two decades of research on language in international and multicultural marketing (1997-2020)

A review of two decades of research on language in international and multicultural marketing (1997-2020)

Political Ideology in Consumer Resistance: Analyzing Far-Right Opposition to Multicultural Marketing

Political ideologies of the far-right are gaining ground in world politics and culture, not least by way of market forces. It has therefore become urgent to understand how these ideologies manifest themselves in the fields of marketing and consumption at a sociocultural level. The authors explore the discursive efforts in far-right consumer resistance to advance a political agenda through protests directed at brands’ multicultural advertising and analyze how these consumers conceptualize their adversaries in the marketplace. In contrast to previous framings of adversaries identified in consumer research, where resistance is typically anticapitalist and directed toward firms’ unethical conduct or the exploitation by the global market economy per se, the authors find that the following discursive themes stand out in the far-right consumer resistance: the emphasis on the state as main antagonist, the indifference to capitalism as a potential adversary, and overt contestation of liberal ethics. The article concludes with a discussion of research contributions as well as the public policy and marketing implications in light of a growing far-right consumer culture.

A 30-year view of US Latino marketing: An interview with Andrew Orci

Within the USA, the changing demographic landscape is creating significant challenges for brand marketers across virtually all business categories. Evolving consumer tastes and preferences, coupled with new media technologies, have forced marketers to pioneer new strategies. In this interview, Andrew Orci, President and Chief Executive of Orci Advertising, a leading multicultural advertising agency, discusses what the future looks like for Latino and multicultural marketing, identifying key business trends and growth strategies.

The metonymy of #BlackTwitter: The effect of urban identification on hashtag activism

‘Black Twitter’ is the moniker for the cultural identity of African American Twitter users, the influence of which is spreading from mainstream Twitter to society-atlarge. To investigate the influence of Black Twitter, this study posits a model of subcultural capital, conceptualising the knowledge, experience and skills that accompany hierarchy and influence within Black Twitter. Subcultural capital can be garnered in three ways: embodied, objectified and institutionalised. The study finds that the transcending, crosscultural psychographic of urban identification is the requisite embodied capital that significantly predicts the number of tweets (objectified capital) within Black Twitter. The number of followers a Black Twitter user has (institutionalised capital) statistically mediates the relationship between urban identification and number of tweets. Contrary to intuitive belief, ethnic identity — as embodied capital — is a nonsignificant predictor of objectified and institutionalised capital within Black Twitter. This paper contributes to the marketing psychology literature by positing urban identification within a model of multicultural social media consumption. It concludes that for multicultural marketing via Twitter, the combination of urban identification, followers and tweets, is a better basis for segmentation than race and ethnicity. The paper also discusses managerial implications and additional theoretical considerations.

Marketing, communities of colour and the consequences of fast foods

Within the USA, the marketing of some of the worst, most health-endangering products in the modern age, including menthol tobacco, fast food and sugary drinks, has been conspicuously targeted at non-white communities. Campaigns of this sort have contributed to an epidemic of tobacco addiction and severe overweight among youth of colour. It is upon this premise that this paper critically examines the impact and influence that advertisements play in the mental and physical health of non-white communities within the USA. The paper first provides an overview of the disruptive forces shaping modern marketing. It then addresses the specifics of multicultural marketing and the biases that have a stronghold in communities of colour throughout the USA. The paper concludes with policy implications for the issues discussed.

Strategic target marketing considerations and implications for the US Hispanic market

Hispanics, a highly diverse population in terms of geographical origin, education level and language usage, are the fastest-growing ethnic segment in the USA. Despite their growing economic power and cultural significance in the US marketplace, marketers are yet to address this market properly. Utilising both secondary data and interviews with advertising/marketing industry experts targeting Hispanics, this paper presents an application of the strategic marketing process that takes into account the multiplicity of cultural factors influencing the success of targeted marketing campaigns. The paper provides tactical implementations to execute a multi-cultural marketing strategy. Examples from successful digital campaigns targeting a variety of Hispanic populations in the USA are provided as Hispanics over-index in digital technology usage especially in the mobile category. A brief section on managerial implications for marketing practitioners is provided as well.