The truth is the visibility of our community is limited and it’s not for lack of trying. The work many organizations like Gold House, Ascend, the ANA’s 108 AMAM, and more, are doing to bring together brands, agencies, and platforms is critical for more mainstream recognition.
So, how can the ad industry move this forward?
A challenge as complex as this needs all of us to work together. All parts of the ecosystem from agencies to social platforms to networks must make a concerted effort to lift our community from quiet to visible. The marketing/advertising industry is one of the world’s most powerful industries, helping to shape a global consensus on what should be visible. We have the power to make this right, and, in the process, unlock massive business growth avenues for our clients.
For the Asian Pacific community, we need to continue to make our presence felt and heard. This sounds much easier than it is given our upbringing has always valued “heads down, work hard.” In the U.S., following AAPI Heritage Month in May, our community is largely quiet until the following year.
Committing to a year-round content-sharing strategy is critical to keeping our community top of mind. This means doing what we do in May all year round—speaking up about Asian Pacific issues, or even simply speaking up and representing our cultural heritage authentically. More importantly, we’ve rallied our community together but now, together, let’s bring our voices boldly and broadly to the fore.
For brands, agencies, and platforms, inclusivity has always been an imperative to creativity. The rise of Asian Pacific culture(s) as part of a global fabric of culture has become more commonplace. From K-Pop to J-Beauty to a global acknowledgment and celebration of Diwali as the Festival of Lights, there is more global participation in Asian Pacific culture than ever. Yet, there is still such a long way to go. Like the McKinsey report referenced above, which shares what Hollywood is leaving on the table by not engaging this community, imagine what the marketing and advertising community is also leaving on the table.
As the fastest growing community in the U.S., engaging with the Asian Pacific community will unlock a source of growth for brands, but as we saw in the Olympics Opening Ceremony, and throughout the games not many are doing so, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Ultimately, it’s a brand awareness problem that must be solved systemically.