Page 247 - Marketing Management

224 PART 3 CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS

Marketers are reaching out to Hispanic Americans with targeted promotions, ads, and Web sites
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but need to be careful to capture the nuances of cultural and market trends. The California Milk
Processor Board (CMPB) had to change its famed “got milk?” ad campaign when targeting the
Hispanic market.

Got Milk? In 2001, Hispanics represented 32.5 percent of California’s total
Got Milk? population, a number that was growing every year.They were also heavy milk drinkers, spending

more on milk than any other demographic segment. Initial consumer testing of the “got milk?”
ads revealed, however, that Spanish-speaking households did not find the commercials funny
when translated directly to Spanish. As CMPB Executive Director Jeff Manning explained, “We
found out that not having milk or rice in Hispanic households is not funny: running out of milk means you
failed your family.” In addition, “got milk?” translated in Spanish roughly means “Are you lactating?”
As a result, the CMPB and its Hispanic ad agency, Anita Santiago Advertising, created a series of ads
focused on milk as a sacred ingredient, often using the tagline “Familia, Amor y Leche” (Family, Love, and
Milk). When the campaign did use the “Got Milk?” tagline, it was left untranslated. Awareness rose among
the Hispanic population, and in 2002 the CMPB tested its first Spanish-language television spot, featuring
La Llorona, a mythical Hispanic character. Hispanic consumers were thrilled that the commercial understood
their culture and targeted them specifically. 36

U.S.-born Hispanic Americans also have different needs and tastes than their foreign-born
counterparts and, though bilingual, often prefer to communicate in English. With two-thirds of
U.S. Hispanics considered “bicultural” and comfortable with both Spanish- and English-speak-
ing cultures, most firms choose not to risk alienating the English-speaking audience on national
TV and to run Spanish-only ads just on Hispanic networks Univision, Telemundo, and
Telefutura.
Some marketers such as General Motors and Toyota have used a “Spanglish” approach in their
ads, mixing some Spanish naturally in with English in conversations among Hispanic families. 37
Companies such as Continental Airlines, General Mills, and Sears have recently been using mobile
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marketing to reach Hispanics. With a mostly younger population and less access to Internet or
landline service, Hispanics are much more likely to consume content on their cell phones than the
general market.

African Americans African Americans have had a significant economic, social, and cultural
impact on U.S. life, influencing inventions, art, music, sports, fashion, and literature. Like many
cultural segments, they are deeply rooted in the U.S. landscape while also proud of their heritage
and respectful of family ties. 39
Based on survey findings, African Americans are the most fashion-conscious of all racial and
ethnic groups but strongly motivated by quality and selection. They’re also more likely to be influ-
enced by their children when selecting a product for purchase, and less likely to buy unfamiliar
brands. African Americans watch television and listen to the radio more than other groups, and
they buy more DVDs than any other multicultural segment except Hispanics. 40
Many companies have successfully tailored products to meet the needs of African Americans. In
1987, Hallmark Cards launched its African American–targeted Mahogany line with only 16 greeting
cards; today it offers 800 cards and a line of stationery. Sara Lee Corporation’s L’eggs discontinued its
separate line of pantyhose for black women; now shades and styles popular among black women
make up half the company’s general-focus sub-brands.
Ad messages must also be seen as relevant. In a campaign for Lawry’s Seasoned Salt targeting
African Americans, images of soul food appeared; a campaign for Kentucky Fried Chicken showed
an African American family gathered at a reunion—demonstrating an understanding of both the
market’s values and its lifestyle. 41
Cigarette, liquor, and fast-food firms have been criticized for targeting urban African
Americans. As one writer noted, with obesity a problem, it is disturbing that it is easier to find a
fast-food restaurant than a grocery store in many black neighborhoods. 42

Asian Americans According to the U.S. Census Bureau,“Asian”refers to people having origins in
any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent. Six countries
represent 79 percent of the Asian American population: China (21 percent), the Philippines