Multicultural Marketing and the Super Bowl 2012

Marketers seem to be missing the ball. Madison Avenue and its chronic lack of cultural awareness and representation are evident in the 2012 Super Bowl ads. Blacks and Hispanics can only be seen in the background and as factory or service workers of some type. An online car seller shows a Black buyer a a main character, and a car ad shows a couple of Inuits as main characters, other than that it looks like non-Hispanic Whites own the show along with multiple dogs and polar bears.

Listen, I love non-Hispanic Whites, dogs, polar bears, and most other interesting and cute characters.  That is not the issue.  The issue is that minorities are about 40% of the total population in the US and they are almost invisible and stereotyped in the most prominent ad event in the United States. And I am not asking for fair representation. That is not the issue either.  I am advocating for business sense. How can emerging minorities identify with brands if they are not seen associated with them? And, how can they be compelled if the cultural values of these minorities are not represented?

As I was enjoying the Super Bowl ads it came to mind how our industry is still incredibly naive about what is driving the economy and innovation in this great Country. Emerging minorities are driving technology adoption and have larger families. I am mystified as to how can advertising firms miss the changing cultural environment of the US.  I thought I would share my surprise.

Betty White Still Golden

"OK, we need to appeal to Gen X and Gen Y men ... Quick, someone get Betty White's agent on the line!!!"

Seriously? Who'da thunk it?!?!

Once again, USA Today ranked the top Super Bowl ads with their magic "Ad Meter" (don't we all wish we had one of these bad boys?). And the Snickers ad featuring Betty White in a pick-up game of football took top honors. Personally, I think that the Google "Search On" ad was one of the most effective (see # 43).

Click here for USA Today Rankings

The fatal flaw of the Ad Meter is that is ranks entertainment value and not real results. What I want to see is a report in 1-2 weeks that ranks the increased sales of these companies! When someone says, "I loved the ad with the house made of beer bottles," but can't name the beer, then that was 30 seconds and millions of dollars wasted.

The bottom line for those of us with "real" budgets ... you don't have to be funny or have super special effects or even hire Betty White (though she is comic gold!) ... you just need one simple message and find a way to communicate it in a manner that will speak to the way people live life.

Be real, be sincere, be different, solve a problem, be relevant -- that's the way to win in the "Ad Meter" of real life.

Take care,

Eric