Essay Twenty-Nine

[The following is a response to comments left on Essay Twenty-Eight.]

Dear mrmexico,

First, thanks for reading and writing.

You make provocative points, and I’m offering my own random perspectives and pontifications. Sorry if this essay repeats stuff from past essays.

Based on your comments, as well as things I’ve seen and heard from folks involved with Hispanic advertising, I suspect we all face similar challenges in the multicultural arena.

“A good idea is a good idea” isn’t always applicable with multicultural advertising — especially when clients still demand “Hip-spanic” directions or ask, “What’s Black about it?” Sadly, the same demands surface within minority agencies too.

Therefore, I’m hesitant to blame target markets more than clients for the issues surrounding multicultural efforts. For now, I’ll continue to distribute the blame between clients and advertising agencies — because both are squarely accountable.

It’s true that Hispanics and Blacks are quick to complain with accusations of perpetuating stereotypes. These groups tend to be hypersensitive on the cultural tip, filled with paranoia and suspicion. It’s a seemingly no-win scenario — they’re irate over insufficient representation, and then irked over increasing representation. But there are real social crimes and inequities to warrant the responses and attitudes.

Sure, many Hispanics decorate their cars’ rear windows with Old English type fonts, and many Blacks enjoy barbecues. So why would they get upset to see the imagery in commercials or print ads?

For starters, these messages are not conversations among the audiences. That is, it’s not about Hispanics speaking to Hispanics or Blacks speaking to Blacks — even though Hispanics and Blacks are often technically creating the messages. Rather, the messages are coming from huge, predominately White corporations. And that makes all the difference in the world.

Cultural cues in advertising are fine, provided these cues are relevant to the brand and commercial concept. But when the cues become borrowed interest designed to pander to minorities, the messages become legitimately insulting and offensive.

Hispanics and Blacks are not monolithic groups. The diversity within the segments is as broad as the mass market. Given the lack of rich media coverage these groups receive, every image becomes extra dramatic. As I’ve stated before, clients and agencies have certain responsibilities and obligations when dealing with minorities.

One solution would be to significantly boost the number of minority-targeted messages, but that’s a pipe dream for now. In the meantime, everyone needs to do a better job when judging the content and character of ideas prior to actual production.

Research studies show many minorities dislike the majority of the ads targeting them, mostly because of imagery they deem stereotypical. Research studies also show many minorities are attracted to fresh and unexpected imagery. More research and planning should be done to uncover more authentic insights. But that would require more money, which makes it one more pipe dream.

The lines between minority and mass market advertising continue to blur. I believe this can be a sign of progress — but only if the progress dissolves political and professional segregation and unequal opportunities.

But that’s just my biased opinion.

Culturally yours,

HighJive @ MultiCultClassics