Ethnic Youth to redefine the future of advertisers
One in four of Gen Y is ethnic (i.e. Non White British), but what do we really know about them?
An overlooked, but rapidly growing audience, the IPA set out on an ambitious project to put a spotlight on our 18-29 Ethnic Youth in the UK which has never been done before.
Though they are British youth – there is a clear difference between Ethnic Youth and White British Youth, which changes the way an agency would target them.
The Ethnic Youth recognise and celebrate the ethnic differences and their ethnicity. With diversity being one of the top three positives of being in the UK for the Ethnic Youth, they acknowledge the influence of their roots. 68% agree their ethnicity has shaped who they are today and 79% are proud of their ethnic origin.
Keeping these facts in mind it is important for brands to understand and celebrate the positive differences such as food, music, festivities, family life, methods of socialising and communicating and dual cultural identities in order to market to them effectively.
Manish Tiwari, Managing Director, Here and Now 365 points out: “Ethnic Youth from Asian culture have key influencers in terms of strong traditional family structure as well as exposure to cultural roots in formative years in terms of music, films and other aspects of culture. It is a fact that UK has exported artists back to Bollywood – popular mainstream culture in India with artists who blend into both classical and pop music traditions of the subcontinent. Ethnic Youth from the subcontinent have a wide spectrum of beliefs and cultural orientation and hence, the media usage is also so varied that it makes a very unique case for marketers”
Media Consumption
Ethnic Youth are more likely to embrace new digital behaviours – by being early adopters of newer social media platforms and have a higher usage of Google+, Instagram, Vine and Tumblr. YouTube is one of the most effective digital platforms with 54% of Ethnic Youth tuning in at least once a day as compared to 35% White British Youth. They use these platforms to indulge in their desire for creativity and sharing.
With creativity and content a core part of many brand campaigns, leveraging this aspiration to produce and share is a great way to engage this audience and boost that elusive, earned media share of voice.
When it comes to newspapers, the Ethnic Youth have a bigger appetite for newspapers with 70% of the Ethnic Youth reading newspapers regularly as compared to 60% of the White British Youth.
Word of Mouth
Did you know the Ethnic Youth have larger networks and communicate more frequently with friends are relatives than White British Youth. At least 27% of the Ethnic Youth communicate with five or more friends on an average day and one in five communicate with more than five family members on an average.
“Ethnic Youth in the UK is a brilliant reflection of a fusion culture comprised of cultural ROOTS they have been brought up with and the British SHOOTS which they have grown up with. Our work on Supermalt has elucidated some amazing psychographics of the 3rd and 4th generation Caribbean and 2nd generation Africans in country. While these audiences are well assimilated in the mainstream and consume the popular culture exactly like their White British friends and colleagues, they have fairly strong associations with cultural anchors like food, music, fashion and dance which come into play when they are with their family & community,” explains Preet Khanna, Account Director at Here and Now 365. “These anchors evoke feelings of pride, community, heritage and celebration and play an important role in shaping the identity of this population segment. Undoubtedly, we have several Carnival parades across the country every year, plethora of Bollywood movies releasing in the UK and an immense growth in the African and Caribbean food ranges at Supermarkets.”
Pair this with a bigger appetite for sharing their positive experiences with as many of their network as possible and think how much harder a brand reward mechanic, designed to share and create advocacy, could work if it engaged an Ethnic Youth audience. Brand stories and messages could travel a lot faster and further. They are untapped producers, promoters, communicators and connectors.
For the detailed report log on to: http://www.ipa.co.uk/blog/careers/ethnic-youth-is-redefining-gen-y-for-advertisers/11300#.VGD_k_msWSo
Here and Now 365 has always prided itself for promoting multiculturalism and celebrating the ethnic diversity of the UK.
