• by Nancy Tellet , Op-Ed Contributor, April 25, 2018

Demography and digitalization are the two most transformative and disruptive forces in our society. The growth and influence of the Hispanic consumer, coupled with increased social, pop culture and political clout of African-Americans is transforming the American cultural landscape.

Despite changing demographics, there is one national obsession that connects us all: digital. Digital inhabits every area of our lives today, transforming how we buy things as well as redefining content sharing, curation, delivery and consumption across entertainment, news, marketing and everyday human interaction. 

A new study by the Culture Marketing Council: The Voice of Hispanic Marketing (CMC), the national trade organization of all marketing, communications and media firms with trusted Hispanic expertise, reveals that presence in cultural platforms, in-culture ads on mainstream sites and organic diversity in social media and video content are some of the critical strategies that resonate across all audiences and increase brand engagement.

Digital Lives 2018: A World of Digital ‘Everything’ Through a Cultural Lens also shows that culture drives digital behavior regarding how information is shared, how on-demand content is consumed, and which platforms are chosen, permeating outside of in-culture spaces and across non-Hispanic white, Hispanic and non-Hispanic African-American segments. 

Sponsored by Oi2 Media Response, ThinkNow, Univision and Viacom, Digital Lives 2018 study surveyed 3,500 total 13-49-year-old respondents with equal representation of non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic African-Americans and Hispanics.

Key findings include: 

• Cultural Content in Advertising: Study results showed that advertisements placed on platforms with cultural content have more power across all ages, segments and languages, regardless of U.S. or foreign births—71 percent of non-Hispanic African-Americans and 60-64 percent of Hispanics (60 percent on English-language Hispanic sites, 64 percent on Spanish-language Hispanic sites) are more likely to buy from brands who advertise in their cultural spaces.

• Spanish-language Ads: Spanish-language ads, even in mainstream sites, create more engagement with Hispanics, including third+ generation Hispanics that continue incorporating time in Spanish as part of their in-culture digital activities. 

• Branded Content: In a world of online clutter, branded content stands out. Consumers not only view it, they also share it with their online communities. Branded content supercharges marketing efforts, making consumers want to try, buy and use that brand more than a regular ad.

Culture is the biggest opportunity for growing revenue, and the Digital Lives 2018 study concludes that viewing multicultural efforts through the lens of language alone is a misstep many marketers make. 

Based on this study, what does the CMC recommend for marketers? 

• Ensure you have the right culture marketing specialists at the table who understand the nuances of culture to help you navigate opportunities and triggers 

• Develop culture marketing campaigns as an integral part of your overall strategy from the very beginning 

• Arm yourself with the right research, data and cultural insights 

• Allocate the proper budget toward your segmented cultural efforts

For more information on the Digital Lives 2018 study, go here.