African-Americans are often seen as "monolithic consumers" that can be addressed through mainstream advertising. Little if any research has explored African-American perceptions of advertising.
Studies demonstrate that the most effective communications to African-American consumers are campaigns that highlight family, community strength, and culture.
African-American families share more features with other ethnic families than mainstream Americans. Some of the similarities they share with Hispanic and Asian families include:
- Approaches to marriage
- Family formation
- Gender roles
- Parenting styles
- Tightly extended family units
- Matrilineal organization of family
African-American consumers are more receptive to advertising than White non-Hispanic consumers and find advertising more meaningful when it features African-American models. Additionally, they are more satisfied with the "informational" value of advertising than White non-Hispanic consumers are.
Which Advertising Mediums Work Best?
Advertising mediums work differently among the various ethnic groups with some having a greater reach and impact than others. The various mediums for African Americans are no exception and are detailed as follows:
Print
African-Americans read daily newspapers and magazines (mostly weeklies) 3x per week on average.
Print media reaches only ¼ of the African-American population.
Television
African Americans watch about 5 more hours of television per week than their White non-Hispanic counterparts and are more susceptible to media's effects because they often use television as a source of guidance. Unfortunately, much of the research focuses on effects of television on African Americans, and little addresses advertising or attitudes toward advertising.
Radio
A substantial majority of African-American adults listen to ethnic radio stations on a regular basis. African Americans that are 40 years of age or older and those with annual incomes of over $40,000 listen to ethnic radio more often than the younger and less affluent.
Perspectives of African-American Homebuyers
Toni Wilson, founder of AquaInternational, a San Francisco Bay Area-based leadership-consulting firm, provides some great tips to real estate professionals working with African-American homebuyers.
· Respect their use of cultural filters. African Americans see more through the behavior and attitude of others than most people realize.
· Understand the "strong desire and need for respect that spans all generations." This means using a culturally different approach.
· Be authentic in fostering a comfort level that builds an honest, straightforward, and non-judgmental service experience.
· Success in creating a quality service experience depends on how you approach the African-American customer.
· African Americans believe that someone who understands them culturally would not judge them through a filter of negative stereotypes.
The biggest challenge facing many real estate professionals is making sure the pipeline is full of prospective homebuyers and sellers. Do not overlook the Multicultural customer segment that is poised to buy regardless of economic conditions.
