Why We Should Start Using The Term ‘Underestimated Audiences’

Editor’s note: In this article, Adweek deviated from its style of using Latinx due to the writer’s preference. Latine is a gender-neutral form of Latino.

“Let’s hire a diverse candidate for this role.”

“We should target underserved communities with this campaign.”

“We need more minorities in this spot.”

We’ve all been in rooms where these statements were shared, or perhaps these phrases poured out of our very own mouths.

Using words like “minority” or “marginalized,” for example, is ultimately harmful rhetoric because it diminishes and others groups of people, suggesting they’re small and inferior. Marketers should see the opportunity in speaking to these audiences as the ultimate business proposition, not an action they have to do because of cultural pressure.

There are moments when we need to speak broadly about people who are not white, cis-gendered, straight, able-bodied men and there are more impactful ways to do that. For every other instance, we should lean into the specificity of who it is that is being referred to because if you’re speaking generally, you’ll get generic results.

Speaking broadly

When speaking broadly, we at Worthi use the term “underestimated audiences.” We gravitate toward this phrase because the word “estimated” is closely tied to valuation and business impact.

When you underestimate an entity, you miss out on some sort of return due to a miscalculation of effort. The act of speaking directly to Black, Latine, LGBTQ+, AAPI, PWD and other audiences feels like it’s inherently related to diversity, equity and inclusion, or something done to be considered charitable. In actuality, the data shows these audiences are critical for business longevity due to their increasing size, outsized influence and buying power that rivals the GDP of many major countries.

Terms like “marginalized” give the impression that these audiences are off to the side watching the world pass them by, which is not the case at all. These are audiences who are constantly at the forefront of culture, driving the trends and shaping habits of the mass market.

“Minorities” is now non-factual, as there is nothing minor about these audiences’ sheer population, cultural impact or buying power.

The word “underserved” is misleading as well. These audiences aren’t looking for service or a handout or any sort of charity; brands actually need them to thrive and, frankly, to survive. There’s no business longevity without gaining the trust and support of these audiences.

And lest we forget, the worst one of them all: diverse. Nobody identifies as “diverse.” You can’t say “I want to get a diverse hire for this job,” or “We should go after diverse audiences.” This is where specificity is important: If your organization has a deficit of Black people, then say you want to hire a Black executive. If research is telling you your product would appeal to Latine audiences, then that’s who you need to specifically target.

Being general with your approach will always yield generic results.

Let’s be specific

There’s sometimes a fear of being specific. My hypothesis is that the fear stems from one of two places: dread of using the wrong word, or concerns about alienating a “general market” (put in quotes because the term general market in 2023 is a farce).

I do understand the fear of putting your foot in your mouth and using the wrong or potentially dated, politically incorrect term, but curiosity and humility here will be your best friends. Ask questions and seek to understand. Don’t let ignorance be your downfall.

For example, the word “Black” is not offensive. You don’t have to whisper it or look around the corner to see who’s around before uttering the word. If you want to target Black audiences, put it prescriptively in your brief, just remember to capitalize the B and never use the term “Blacks” (the plural is racist.)

Then, there’s a lack of credibility to the second fear of alienating a “general market” with specific audience targeting. For decades, non-white/straight/cis-gendered/able-bodied people have had to find relatability in stories and ads that did not reflect their existence, let alone speak directly to them.

There are universal, relatable truths that “general market” audiences can glean from underestimated audiences. Marketers shouldn’t think that if their content features a Black person, for example, only Black people will be attracted to that campaign. Targeting one audience specifically doesn’t mean you’ll only reel in that one audience alone; it means you increase your chances of getting an outsized reaction from an audience that is not only influential to the masses but carries certain human truths that others can relate to.

Black, Latine and LGBTQ+ audiences, especially, carry a lot of influence outside of their specific communities and are known for creating broader cultural conversations, starting trends and sparking awareness where there may not otherwise have been. So think of these audiences as potential brand ambassadors and amplifiers of your message and mission. But the catch is, you have to authentically and consistently show up for them to reap those benefits.

While these audiences are historically underestimated, marketers can now course-correct. Chart a stronger course for your brands not because of principles related to DEI, but because of principles related to profit. Weed out the apathetic language, lean into specificity, and be intentional about authentically and consistently connecting with these underestimated audiences. Your brand depends on it.