Cultural Considerations: Tackling the Heterogeneity in Society

Marketing departments and advertising agencies carry out due diligence to understand their existing and potential customers.  In theory, this additional research leads to campaigns that are effective and targeted.  Ads are uniquely designed for various customer segments and customized to reflect specific positioning to a group of purchasers.  The choice of casting, setting, and dialogue can, at times, be painstakingly scrutinized.  The ultimate goal:  connect with the buyer.

What is of particular interest is the way that companies advertise their goods and services, specifically in light of the cultural differences of their customers.  For instance, there are examples of companies that run a set of commercials using the exact same script but with each advertisement showcasing actors of a specific race/ethnicity.  I have seen an ad on BET, and, after switching the channel, experience a moment of déjà vu when an eerily similar ad for the same product airs on NBC, this time with a white family instead of African-American.  The positives of this observation:  businesses understand the similarities in their customer base and realize that a strong commercial appeal can cross demographics.  Various individuals are able to relate to commonly shared moments, routines, and rituals, which allows for little differentiation in advertising strategy execution.  The negatives:  companies think that ads that feature an ethnicity outside of the primary demographic of a certain network or show will fail to resonate with those select viewers. 

On the extreme, companies cater to a particular demographic and tailor their messages based on supposed “research” of various degrees of accuracy.  The positive:  businesses understand the uniqueness of their customers and work specifically to craft a message that resonates with a given group.  The effort of customization deserves commendation.  The negative:  sometimes these tailored approaches can be particularly offensive, if taken to the extreme.  Ads that target African-Americans, for example, may feature Hip Hop music, slang, and baggy jean-wearing protagonists that do not capture adequately the breadth and depth of black culture.  No matter how well-intentioned these ads are, they arguably portray stereotypes that showcase a truth only applicable to a portion of that population.

What are the major takeaways of this examination of commercials?

§  There are strategies in place to showcase the commonality of buyers with an emphasis on choosing the right commercial to air on the right channel at a specific time for targeted customers. 

§  Despite best attempts, buyers can be turned off by efforts that fail to portray accurately customers’ lives and instead rely on generalizations.

§  Companies understand that customers need an appeal to which they can relate.  They need to see themselves on screen and visualize themselves using the products/services.  Businesses intentionally choose all aspects of advertisements with this hope in mind.

D.J. Vaughn