For those unfamiliar with the United States, grasping the diverse and multicultural audiences here can be a challenge. The rising tides of societal and cultural shifts culminated in the unmistakable Black Lives Matter movement—a movement impossible to overlook when over 40% of the U.S. population has brown skin.

The advertising industry, predominantly Anglo-Saxon, faced internal and external pressures for change. In 2020, amidst the surge of COVID-19, there was a remarkable increase in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) officers, leaders, and groups. Marketers and agencies reacted, bringing about a noticeable shift in advertising creative—more brown-skinned talent, biracial families, and increased LGBTQ+ presence.

However, media spending remained stubborn. Ad Age reports multicultural ad spending at 5.3% of total US ad spending, a marginal increase from 5.2% in 2017. Accounting for inflation, one could argue that spending is down.

An intriguing shift is seen among consumers. Fewer believe diversity in advertising is crucial. Two years ago, 23.7% of respondents aged 18 and older in the MRI-Simmons survey strongly agreed that culturally diverse advertising is essential for a company’s relevance. In the latest survey, that number dropped to 20.9%, signaling an 11% decrease in two years.

Share your thoughts. Would you like to see more diversity in advertising?

Source: 2021 & 2023 Fall MRI-Simmons, USA

https://adage.com/article/marketing-news-strategy/us-multicultural-media-spending-expected-surge-2024-still-lag-behind-total-spending/2534556