Should Marketing Be Directed Towards A Certain Group?
Written by: Tom Sawyer
Continuing the discussion that was started yesterday, should companies gear advertising towards a certain demographic and/or race?
Advertising towards a certain race, BMWs in this case, isn’t something new. If I remember correctly, a brand of malt liquor was advertised with black people in mind a while ago. I guess the thinking goes white people wouldn’t buy it anyway. Now that I think about it, are there any black people in Coors commercials?
By the way, after doing some research I found out that the thing with BMWs was only partially about BMW – it actually had to do with Mini Coopers. I happen to know someone very close to me that drives a MINI 
What kind of world would this be if we let others limit what we do?
So how do you feel about advertising being geared towards a certain demographic? I would say race, but that wouldn’t be totally accurate. See, some companies seperate their wealthy customers from their customers who don’t spend as much money. All of this is transparent, but it still happens. The next time you call a business and are forced to go through all those telephone prompts remember that the system may be directing you towards a certain group of customer service reps set up for your financial demographic.
September 1st, 2009 at 1:42 pm
You know me, Mr. Capitalist. Of course companies should market for certain demographics. Why would any business want to waste money marketing to a demographic that is unlikely to purchase the goods or services from them?
A long time ago when I was taking a business class at community college we discussed something very similar. Companies are VERY (for the most part) alert when it comes to distributing air time with different races. The day after we discussed how the media creates false ideals for young women by airbrushing photos, producing roles in commercials, etc… we learned that most companies won’t produce commercials that don’t feature at least one minority and usually feature a multitude of races.
To answer your question: (The first one blows that out of the park. lol Dr. Dre is great)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yPTCeJyI2s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja9ADVtteiA
There’s plenty more.
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September 10th, 2009 at 6:49 am
Let me just say, as a person with a marketing background (sort of) marketing to a specific demographic is so limiting and misses the mark! I could tell you marketing stories about how a marketing tactic went awry because of limited thinking. Remember the movie Ghosts? It wasn’t supposed to be a hit but it was! You know the Aflac duck? It was a last second decision to use the duck. Need I say more about the duck? Remember Motel 6 and the line, we’ll leave the light on for you? He had extra time at the end of his radio spot (that he poured every dime into as a last ditch effort) so he just threw that in on a whim. You know those ugly sandals the kids are wearing or were wearing last year, Birkenstock? They were introduced in 1968 and were for old people! The only people I knew who wore them were Quakers! Look at ‘em now! My point, niche marketing could be the difference between mediocre success and great success. I don’t think there is anything wrong with marketing to a demographic to start off with during the introduction period but never, ever leave a group out. They may surprise you!
I went to see about a BMW. When it was all said and done, he had me about ready to buy a Honda Civic. lol.
September 10th, 2009 at 7:58 am
Great comment Kathy! Let me ask you this, do you think it has to do with established companies versus new companies? Once they are established, like BMW, do they look at their demographics and figure out where most of their sales are coming from? If so, are they secretly keeping these statistics? As far as I know they don’t ask buyers to fill anything out with a race check box on it.
Without demographic information, maybe newer companies just market to everyone and on occasion strike gold.
Your thoughts?
September 10th, 2009 at 10:07 am
They got the stats, we just don’t know them. They don’t compile them necessarily from the ones who walk in the door and browse, but they do get them from the ones who buy. That is all they really care about.
I’ve taken the marketing research classes and I know trend research is an ongoing activity within prosperous companies who continually do their homework about the growth or failure of their products in different demographics. But some companies say upfront, their products are geared toward X Z and don’t even consider another demographic.. When you have people like Tommy Hilfiger who (allegedly) say I didn’t make my clothes for black people, well…. Houston, we have a problem. What’s funny is, those demographics (young hip hop blacks), are the ones that love wearing name brand clothes with the symbols and names plastered across their chests! My sister has a friend who swears by Tommy and is her main choice when clothing her children. Too bad and too sad he didn’t think about blacks more in the beginning. That is so closed minded and tunneled vision.
Striking gold is usually calculated and not by chance. But still, it is not wise to completely shut any demographic out. E.g., all it takes is one successful, famous black to wear or buy something and the rest will follow.
May 5th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
oooh nice info!