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The minority population (better described as the “emerging majority“) currently makes up 42% of the U.S. population and is expected to exceed 50% by mid-century. This group—including Hispanic, Black, and other non-white people—already represents the majority in several states like California and Texas. Buying power is following suit.
Despite these extraordinary changes in the market, many marketing practices remain hegemonized, translating general market plans (predominantly targeting white populations) to minority audiences without nuanced insight into cultural differences. While some organizations are further along in their multicultural thinking, all marketers must work to identify, understand, and reach diverse markets if they wish to remain competitive in this quickly evolving landscape.
Grouping individuals of varying backgrounds and identifying their commonalities has always been an inherent part of marketing. We call it “consumer segmentation.” Yet we know remarkably little about how various cultures shape consumer decisions. We are familiar with consumer insight, but do we fully understand multicultural insight? As RFPs increasingly request “multicultural capabilities,” do we even have a common understanding of what that means? The research is relatively sparse; the marketing fundamentals are outdated.
To fill this void in academic research and practical training, the University of Louisville College of Business and Doe-Anderson, the nation’s oldest independent advertising agency, crystallized a long-standing partnership and turned a critical eye toward standard marketing practices. The goal was as simple as it was significant: prepare marketers of all backgrounds to excel in a more diverse workplace and marketplace.
A twist on town and gown
The Multicultural Marketing (MCM) program launched at the University of Louisville College of Business in spring 2024. It includes an undergraduate major specialization, a minor, and an endowed assistant professorship with support for academic research and community outreach. Doe-Anderson and UofL conducted interviews with a range of stakeholders to shape the early vision, carefully selected to represent a wide range of industry sectors and cultural backgrounds. This included a diverse array of students, research faculty, and administrative leadership from multiple universities as well as marketers from local, regional, and global businesses.