Effectively targeting multicultural groups in PR is not a “one size fits all” situation. Multiculturalism is constantly evolving and it’s important for PR people to understand that and follow these rules of diversity and inclusion.
Rule 2: Divide and Conquer
Rule two discusses the importance of effectively reaching your target audience and how seldom that is often done. Every group of people is different and need different ways of marketing a product. Often what happens from the PR perspective is a lack of understanding a certain demographic and using the wrong methods to effectively reach them. But what is difficult is that no demographic group is entirely homogenous. The author discusses targeting Hispanic people and how it is not a “one size fits all” type of situation. Socioeconomic status and generational factors play a huge role in how Hispanic people view brands and their intent to purchase. It’s a similar situation for African Americans, the LGBTQ community, and all diverse groups out there.
Rule 3: Don’t Trust the Experts
Rule three discusses the importance of hiring a diverse staff but how it it’s important to realize any biases they may hold towards their own group of people. The author points out how Mexico’s government-controlled oil company went by the name “Nova” for years, before realizing that the word “Nova” meant something completely different from what they intended. This happens often in the PR world and it reinforces the importance of fact-checking and not relying entirely on an employee’s word, even if they are part of the demographic you’re trying to reach. We also learn about the “Total Market” which pinpoints includes specific and different methods to target diverse groups of people, and not stick to one general, all-inclusive message.
Rule 4: Don’t Let the Joke Be on You
As great and effective as humor is in PR and marketing, it’s super important to go about it carefully. Saying something in the wrong way can lead to a scandal and tons of bad press and so it’s crucial to carefully go about targeting a group with humor. It’s not rare for brands to come out with apology statements following an ad or promotion, but often the mistake comes from a place of negligence. It happened in 2013 with and ad with Tyler the Creator for Mountain Dew which was perceived as joking about violence toward women and Burger was criticized for a racially insensitive commercial just a year later. It’s important for brands to realize that humor is very specific of every group and that humor doesn’t always translate. This goes beyond just the ethnicity of a group, it’s important to take into consideration regional differences. What someone in America finds funny might be very different from what someone in Australia finds funny. However, while going the comedic route may be daunting because of how careful you have to be, when it’s done right, it’s very effective.
Rule 5: Don’t Get Lost in Translation
Wording is everything. The thing people remember most about a brand is usually their slogan and the way things are worded is super important. But with wording, it’s crucial to realize that different cultures have different ways of saying things. Effectively targeting a certain group of people definitely doesn’t mean you can go on Google Translate, type in the english version, and then copy and paste what comes out on the translated side. It’s always a good idea to test translated phrases on people who actually speak that language. One thing the author points out is how translation isn’t just language, it includes culture, too. The example they give is with healthy food- what one culture perceives as healthy food might be completely different from another, so you can’t use the phrase “healthy food” and expect everyone to know exactly what you mean.
Rule 6: Push Their Buttons
Rule 6 targets the important of emotional appeal. A campaign that uses emotion to target their audience is usually effective, but that emotional appeal has to be done in the right way. This section also discusses the importance of using diverse actors. Mainstream media has a history of not being inclusive and generally focusing on white actors/actresses, so in the PR world, it’s important to avoid that. It’s crucial to understand your target audience so that you know exactly how to go about approaching that. That will include doing tons of research and gaining insight into how different cultures function and live. Customizing a campaign to a specific consumer isn’t suggested, it’s necessary.
Rule 7: Market on a Wink and Player
Multicultural marketing has come a long way since what it used to be, but diversity in PR still has a long journey ahead. Avoiding stereotypes is now extremely important when it used to be commonplace with ads. Marketers are beginning to realize that to effectively reach a target group, you have to include a culturally relevant message, without being to overt about it. This is called a “wink” and mastering that is crucial in successful PR. Using the wink ensures that multicultural consumers see their representation and connect to the ad on a more personal level. This includes using the right wording, appropriately translating messages, including diverse actors, and understanding the group you are trying to reach.
Rule 8: Make Up, Don’t Cover Up
You can do all the background work, spend countless hours perfecting your ad and making sure it’s inclusive, and still get criticized. That’s just a factor of life, but you also can’t shut down a campaign at the first sight of backlash. Watchdogs are established organizations that keep a careful eye on the media and what is put out there to reduce stereotypes. These watchdogs pinpoint racially insensitive campaigns and bring them down. But, from a PR perspective, it’s important to know that sometimes you have to stand your ground and trust your campaign. Rather than taking down and erasing an entire campaign, an apology may suffice. But to avoid this situation all together, it’s important to take the proper precautions to ensure a campaign shows respect towards all multicultural groups.