Essay 4705

Here’s brief, belated commentary on a news item that’s nearly two weeks old…

Starcom MediaVest Group partnered with Dr. Nat Irvin II (a University of Louisville professor and the founder of Future Focus 2020) to produce a new Black consumer study titled Beyond Demographics. The creators are gushing over the deep data and declaring, “We’re excited to be able to share the texture, the depth, and the richness of the African American culture in an environment that’s [never] really had this level of insight to it before.”

It’s interesting to note that SMG is part of the Publicis network along with Burrell Communications, a multicultural agency that regularly produces Black consumer studies with Yankelovich. Plus, other minority shops and community organizations have generated proprietary facts and figures on the segment.

It’s getting to the point where all Black studies look alike.

Black consumers have been targeted for over 50 years, yet it’s still necessary to explain and validate the audience to advertisers.

Perhaps someone should conduct research to explain this phenomenon.

[Click on the essay title above to read about Beyond Demographics.]