Targeted African American Advertising Here To Stay
It’s become a full-fledged assault. From an Everest guy yelling at us through the television set, telling us that we’re “sitting on the couch, watching TV and your life is passing you by,” to McDonald’s conducting wholesale music videos, companies have gotten downright blatant in their attempts to reach and study Black audiences.
Last week, Farhad Manjoo wrote a piece for Slate explaining “how Black people use Twitter.” According to Manjoo, Black people are fond of hashtags (#) and topics that evince some of the, let’s say, nuanced aspects of Black culture. Some examples listed to support the author’s argument:
#wordthatleadtotrouble
#ifsantawasblack
#ghettobabynames
#annoyingquestion
Of the many points this article made, the larger one is this: there are a host of people at institutions that make a living studying the behaviors and actions and likes and dislikes of Black people. This isn’t problematic on the surface. However, in the interest of taxonomy and marketing, the lowest denominator tends to characterize a whole group of people. Manjoo quotes a Ph.D student from Carnegie Mellon who downloaded 100 million African American tweets (which is interesting, being that marking your race isn’t required to have a Twitter handle).
Twitter has, in effect, become a marketer’s dream.
To the initiated eye, such pandering is insulting and revealing. It recalls many limiting stereotypes some Black folks have worked their whole lives, even generations, to debunk. For every stereotypical depiction of singing, dancing, jesters, sass and flamboyance, there are millions more who are just the opposite. Contemporary advertisements seem to have no room for distinction, but caricature. As obvious as these images are in pursuit of profit, businesses have no incentive to stop them.
For one, these commercial spots are the result of a behind-the-scenes process that has to pass the test of 40 and 50 year-old executives. Secondly, these commercials are working. Thirdly, these commercials are working. During the behind-the-scenes process, the advertising copywriter has to convince execs that their money is not being wasted. Nuance is discouraged because that would require the consumer to think more than he/she has to. A marketing no-no. It’s better for ads to err on the side of obviousness.
In marketing terms, this is called targeted advertising. To get to this point, businesses generally hire an outside advertising agency to assess the market demographic, psychographic, and social habits, of the desired audience. For example, when McDonald’s instituted one dollar meals, this was specifically aimed at a lower-income Hispanic and Black group. What McDonald’s has done since is mine that hole.
Even the most progressive-minded ad copywriter would face the harshest of resistance if he or she deviated from this formula. The executives must be convinced there is a clear line between marketing to the general audience and targeted audience. For a Black agency to get the chance to do ads for black consumers, it has to convince White clients and businesses they know how to do it. They have to use devices to hit that bulls-eye. Why would a business use subtlety and nuance to attract a culture not known for subtlety and nuance?
Cue the obligatory dancing, singing and playing of sports—preferably basketball.
So let’s see: the advertisement comes out formulaic and market researched (read: stereotypical). The sellout process began long before it hit the television airwaves. Who does this hurt more? Well, the people being confined in a box via mass media. Are the hurt people in position to change this? Of course not. And even if they—we—were, what would stop these images from pervading our screens, magazines and newspapers if the formula is making dollars?
Society and mass media have a symbiotic relationship. Movies, music, television sitcoms and news programs—all are complicit in the image marketing firms use in their commercials. A lot of industries depend on the demoralization and stagnation of the personal and collective development of humans. This is insidious, no doubt, but it is for a purpose: money. Black people aren’t the only group exploited; they’re just among the easiest.
As Lupe rapped, “Don’t think you safe though, because you not Black. Greed is colorblind . . . they gon’ f–k with yours, soon as they done with mine.”
Targeted advertising isn’t stopping anytime soon. African Americans have an $803 billion spending power, according to Target Market News. The top areas of consumption:
Housing—$166.3 billion
Food—$65.3 billion
Vehicles—$31.5 billion
Clothing—$26.9 billion
Health Care—$23.9 billion
Look at the commercials that pander to Black audiences. A pattern has been developed, sustained and fortified. And what is the lowest area of consumption for African Americans, you ask?
Books—$289 million.
The next lowest area of consumption: sports and recreational equipment at $1 billion. I don’t imagine we’ll be seeing a slate of commercials showing Black folks reading books anytime soon.
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If we don’t want better we won’t get better, and that’s the truth. As the author pointed out, this stuff is SELLING. Money is being made of pandering to black audiences.
I do not have that much of a problem with companies appealing to black audiences as long as they realize that there is a SPECTRUM. Not every black man is a baseball cap backwards basketball player nor is every black man a suit wearing Obama or Michael Steele type.
Black people comes in all kinds of shapes, sizes and dispositions and this should be reflected in the media.
The price is too….
Good article. It’s blatant that they make us seem ”extra” in these commercials, but that ”extraness” doesn’t appeal to me despite its mass effectiveness. One by one, we change ourselves, then our overall perception will change too. Unless some sistas like seeing hair commercials with the dialogue (A:Dis Smooth & Hold pudding is da bomb! B:Your hair is looking better awready! A: Aha, I now! B: Gotta keep deez edges togetha! Okay!). Youtube: Organic Root Stimulator commercial. Damn, thats how they view us. Really? smh.
I need to see that commerical, maybe i’m not understanding all this because i don’t watch TV as much.
I see that commercial all the time, and it is so annoying!
I’m actually happy about the way advertising is going for us, not for the so typical commericals like Popeyes, and stuff. I can’t put my finger on the brands, but i have seen some really positive commericals where the African American character came out looking smarter in the end. Again i can’t remember the commericals brands.
I also think that sometimes we are wrapped up in being ashamed of who we are as blacks that we get scared whenever it’s shown to the masses. I don’t think everything on tv speaks for us, but i know that there are some silly people who think it’s a reflection of us. I can understand that, but i really think that there is an equal balance, and it may just be because i’m only watching about 5 channels on tv.
Specifically I’ve been noticing toothpaste commercials casting Black people in racially neutral roles – in other words, I could see them doing the exact same commercial in the exact same way with White people. For some reason you don’t have to be patronizing to sell toothpaste but you do in order to sell Big Macs #shotsfired.
It gets old seeing modern day “black face” with actual black faces to advertise to black consumers. If we just keep excepting it and not writing letters to corporations and complaining it will keep happening. We are a huge consumer and those of us who spend our money need to start dictating how their money is spent. Your dollars are being spent to advertise these crazy commercials with singing and dancing and rapping? I do not hope in the car and start beboxing and rapping with friends. Its stereotypical and shouldn’t be excepted.
Regardless of how much economic power we as a group have, we fail to be financially intelligent. So what do we expect?
If we do not want to see it, do not support it.
For those who do want to see it….a direct result of our parenting and community.
As long as we continue making silly investments that accrue debt and not assets, we will be seen as a group that can be pleased with a drumbeat and flashy lights.
Exactly!
Totally!! Sadly, those caricatures and stereotypes start somewhere.
I’m almost on the same page as you. And why do those people even bother agreeing to dumb commercials? I’ve never ate Popeyes in my life.
That Everest commercial gets on my nerves, but I think I understand why they did it that way.
Bottomline is companies are out to make money by selling their products. Therefore, if they see a goldmine or idea they are going to push, promote and ram it down your throat to make it as identifiable as possible especially if you are the target they are trying to reach. Advertising is a key element for them to do it. Yet it goes further then advertising. The consumption of products by a particular group of people usually stem from the environment of supply and demand. Unfortunately, the way some black people are portrayed is actually a reality. Just because it is not in your immediate circle, doesn’t mean, its not happening. You don’t have to watch tv that much, it is the topic of conversations like now, radio, newspapers, work place, other forms of media, in the home, schools, etc. If it doesn’t represent you, then don’t support it. I am sure that is easier said then done, if we did research on all the companies that we buy products from…there is a possibility we would truly be offended whether they advertise or not. The images may not be representative of you, but it is an image that is represented by many. I have never seen a commercial for hair weave, but if I did and I wore weave would I stop buying it because of the way they did a commerical. Nope, I don’t think so. And why are we to assume that some of these ideas of advertising is not coming from a black person and that is what they identify with in their environment or circle. Hmmmm? makes you wonder or does it? But even if the idea does not come from a black person, it is evident, there is some truth in advertising whether it be the whole truth or not.
Thank you bringing attention to this. I have NEVER been in a carpool in the morning rapping about a breakfast burrito! NEVER!
I’m so glad to see this article, and sad at the prospect that unintelligent targeted marketing campaigns won’t end anytime soon!
Ugh! I HATE those rappin’/singing/neck rollin’ McDonald’s commercials. (And other companies as well, but Micky D’s is a top repeat offender) I don’t mind, in fact I enjoy, seeing Blacks in RACE NEUTRAL commercials (as one poster pointed out), for things like toothpaste, amusement parks, grocery stores, etc. But its those coony stereotypical ads that just get to me! I’m kinda insulted by them, and it makes me want to not use that product or service.
But as it was also pointed out in the article and by other posters, its bout bringing in the money, so the corporations are going to do what they haev to to attract or maintain business. At the end of the day, they are not concerned about the diversity or accuracy of the images they portray of us, OR our community’s well being. Only that we keep on buying________ or going to _____________.
Interesting article, and it’s the truth. I don’t really mind our portrayal because it’s an open door and a means to an end. We are proving that we count and the numbers don’t lie. It’s a start and it will change as we change. Education is key. That has been the deciding factor in white households for years. Education is not an option for them it is part of growing up. We aren’t fully grown in the Black Community no matter how much we think we are and want to be looked at differently on a whole. It goes back to the youth and the pop culture. Why is it so easy to tell a grown white person from a white child? Yet with Black Women and Men …30 is the new 20? When we start taking the next step in society serious on a whole we will get there. As we progress as a culture we will be taken seriously in the media. It’s a wake up call for me.
I hear you, but at a cwertain stage you have to ask yourself, how much on this money is being invested rather than consumed.
I am involed in a little art and antique buying and selling. There are two markets just south of the river, one is populated by black people because it sells clothes, tv and cds. You hardly see any white people.
There is another market is a garage sale or car boot, many people who are buying, knowledgable go there to buy valuables cheapl;y and sell them. There are black people but they are far apart.
What I am saying is you can always depend on black people buying luxury goods just because we are the only group who are into the bling bling lifestyle.
Twitter, well that was a business space before, since black peope joined, how many are making something from twitter? Twitter is still a place to make money.
if every black person 14 and up would just identify ONE simple talent, whether it’s styling people or making something with their hands, and then set up a 1) website (you can put one up for just $25 a year) and 2) twitter account to promote it — I think that simple collective act would put the black community on the track to significant financial empowerment within one year.
Black people aren’t the only group exploited; they’re just among the easiest.
This single line summed up the insight of this entire article for me. I love the numbers… The question now becomes how do we regain control of this $803 Billion in buying power? Is it through living different lifestyles or does it require a complete change in culture? These are the questions that may open pandora’s box. i am of the mindset that we have to readdress ourselves and ask ourselves a simple question… why?
notice the Ford Fiesta advertisement on this site .
ok? But the thing is black companies like Clutch have to place advertising like Ford to stay alive. Whether they like or endorse the company or not. It’s apart of business. Cause love a’int the only thing keeping this site up.
“As Lupe rapped, “Don’t think you safe though, because you not Black. Greed is colorblind . . . they gon’ f–k with yours, soon as they done with mine.” ”
boy was lupe right. italians are feeling it right now with the popularity of “Jersey Shore.”
Exhibit A:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrj14MSn6g8
I am so tired of seeing the coonery in these commercials. ESPECIALLY those Everest Institute commercials. If I have to see that dark skinned girl with the fake Chanel earrings one more time I’m gonna go off.
And I’m pretty sure the black community could have done without “Annie the Popeye’s Chicken Lady” as well.
What I see here is a a great opportunity for Black-owned and operated marketing/advertising/media/research agencies to take advantage of their own buying power and get their piece of the pie too. Can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
I don’t know if I have an issue with focused marketing per say. Marketing is a tool designed to appeal to an audience, and it’s good business to know your audience and play to that. It’s when the research is interpreted by non blacks or out of touch black people that things often go wrong and we end up with commercials that perpetuate rampant stereotypes, and I begin to take issue.
What I still can’t get comfortable with, is the African American section at every book store I go into. As if these authors exist in a literary subcategory (like our history during black history month). I know there are benefits to access and being highlighted, but it continues to speak to differentness and that bothers me. Not differentness in and of itself, because general differences are real and good. But what is the value being assigned to said differences by society is the question… and the reply is often lesser.
If our estimated $803 billion spending power were contained in a separate nation, we’d be one of the worlds most economically powerful groups. Regardless of our backgrounds because when it comes down to doing business in America we’re all consumers. That $893 billion represents a very important factor in the American market place, but we don’t get any return on our dollars.
Advertisers don’t really take us serious as consumers because they know that many of us will buy from whomever regardless. We are free walking advertisements to brands that don’t even target us,but ignore us and continually overlook us as consumers, even despite the absence of black models.
We think that we can buy our way into status so we buy high-end that we can’t even afford. The only brands that do are the ones you mentioned above, the car manufacturers, fast-food, pharmaceuticals, household products.
How we spend is indeed a personal choice, but they all add up and we still overlook the “right in your face” disrespect shown by the advertising media and buy anyway. We don’t use our combined clout to change all that happens to us as consumers.
We accept poor & inadequate housing, poor service, you name it we accept it. Take a dollar and see just how much it turns over in our community, the eagle flies right out, nothing is ever reinvested in our communities. Our dollars should demand that we should be courted and wooed like any other group, but we’re not.
We have the power to change the economic market out there, but we won’t because we don’t complain because we really feel we have no voice. I Pay very close attention to businesses that don’t support me to include black ones and I do not patronize them.
Where do we stand as consumers, will it be business as usual or are we going to start getting our fair share on the return of our consumer dollars?
BTW, this is a great article and this is what we need to see more of in many magazines directed at our demographic.
True Story….
There is a Family Dollar down the street from my house. I go there often enough to notice that one day the air was not working (95+ degrees at that) and the floor was DISGUSTING looking. So I asked an employee about the conditions of the store and he said I will tell corporate your concerns. A week later, still the same thing. I was upset and felt taken advantage of, I started thinking, I need to call corporate myself. Therefore, I called the store to ask for a number…get this….
The black man that answered the phone hung up on me when I asked for the number after he was trying to force me to tell him WHY I wanted the #. Ok…so I called back and a black woman answered this time. I advised of how I was hung up on and she apologized and gave me the number. I wondered WHY he was protecting a company that obviously did not give a damn about him and his community. I called and left a message something like:
I am a concerned person that comes to this store often. I am sad that this company would choose to invest in a security systems that blares loudly “Please do not steal we are watching you” that makes me feel like a criminal yet, the store’s air conditioning is not working, its 95+ degrees in the store, the employees should not have to work in these conditions and patrons should not have to come into a store that looks as if the floor has not been cleaned in months. In Family Dollar’s in ‘other’ neighborhood, I do not see these issues.
I received a return call from corporate detailing how they were going to fix these issues. The store LOOKS BETTER overall. The security system is still there but they turned it down and it only says, “Don’t steal” every hour or so, new shelving, floor is gleaming and the air is working properly. The one employee that gave me the number thanks me EVERY Time I go in the store now. I felt good that my voice help to facilitate this change. I just wish we were not afraid to speak up and much more would change.
Why didn’t u go 2 their web site ..I’m sure the info 4 their corporate is listed on
it and then u could have sent a detailed explanation in your e-mail. This is the
21st century and all the info u need u can find on a company’s web site