Ethnic minorities purchase almost one-quarter of new vehicles, according to Randi Payton, president of the media company On Wheels, which publishes African
Americans on Wheels and Latinos on Wheels. Not surprisingly, he suggests that automakers increase their efforts to reach these markets, saying that "the returns can be huge" from "consumers [who] are
starving for relevant content on products and services that speak to their culture."
The cuts could hurt automakers' standing with minority shoppers, maintains Andrea Hoffman, a former Mercedes-Benz marketing executive and author of "Black is the New Green: Marketing to Affluent African Americans." "These brands are going to play catch-up with the competition," she says.
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