What festivals and languages do you think matter most to an Indian-American household?
If your list only includes Diwali, and if you don’t think about the dozens of regional languages they speak, you have a long way to go to effectively target one of the highest earning and culturally-unique demographics in the US.
Multicultural advertising has become a strategic necessity for companies seeking to compete effectively in an ethnically diverse market like the US.
Businesses that fail to address the cultural nuances of high-value, niche demographics such as Indian-Americans (Asian-Indians) risk missing out on significant opportunities for growing their brand, business and revenue.
Can You Afford To Ignore This Segment?
There are almost 5M Asian-Indians in the US.
This segment has an average household income of ~$120K, almost double the average US household. They also tend to be highly educated (with 75% having a bachelor’s degree).
Did you also know that Asian-Indians come from a cultural heritage that spans 28 Indian states, each with its own unique culture. And the 22 unique languages make up for further nuances in these communities.
Other than Diwali, Indians celebrate numerous other festivals – Holi, Lohri, Navratri, Ganesh Chaturti and many more. In 2023, Diwali saw $600M worth of spend on flowers alone. Festivals typically see huge upticks in purchases, covering all manner of items – from food to clothing to jewelry to home decor to cosmetics.
And let’s not forget this demographic’s love of cricket.
The 2024 T20 cricket world cup was held in the US for the first time ever. 53M viewers tuned in globally. 97 advertisers showcased 153 brands. 2.7 million US-based users visited the ICC (International Cricket Council) website and app. 190,000 people attended the matches in stadiums.
If your brand doesn’t have a strategy to target this high-earning, high-spending, highly-engaged audience, then you are missing a critical opportunity for growth.
Why Multicultural Advertising Matters
Multicultural advertising involves tailoring marketing strategies to resonate with distinct cultural groups.
This means taking their unique preferences, values, habits and experiences into account. This goes beyond mere translation of messages – it requires a deep understanding of cultural nuances and the creation of authentic, relevant content on channels and inventory that matter most to this segment.
If your agency or digital advertising team doesn’t know where to buy ad space, what languages to get creatives done in, what times of year and days matter most and what festivals to focus on, it’s time to revisit the approach.
Ad inventory matters. Segments matter. Knowledge of where to find and target these audiences matters. Knowing how to message and position the brand matters.
Multicultural Marketing Isn’t Just About Metrics
Growth, new customers and revenue aside, multicultural advertising can build brand loyalty and trust. When audiences see that a brand understands and respects their culture, it can create emotional bonds. This can mean increased retention and great word-of-mouth, both of which are hugely valuable.
It’s also about better understanding what specific segments want – which impacts messaging, positioning, product development and can even open up brand new lines of business.
It also helps to increase the size of your prospect list and ICP, helping you tap into valuable audiences that you never thought would be interested in your product or service.
Don’t Miss the Multicultural Boat
It’s time to seriously think about how to position and get your brand to niche, culturally-unique demographics. Getting valuable segments such as Asian-Indians aware and engaged can open new growth opportunities and ICPs for your brand.
The good news? It’s not (that) difficult.
Sources: US Census Bureau, Pew Research, Live Mint, ICC, CNBC
