How (Not) to Use AI to Reach Multicultural Audiences

Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the incredible contributions of Hispanic communities. It’s also a great opportunity for advertisers to reassess how they are using AI to communicate with Hispanic audiences (and multicultural audiences overall).

AI technology offers unprecedented opportunities for engaging with consumers—but when it comes to multicultural audiences, caution is key. Why? Advertising and marketing have traditionally centered around the preferences, values, and norms of white audiences. As a result, implicit biases are embedded in AI, as it learns from these same messages, affecting its output while potentially perpetuating exclusionary practices. Yes, AI can be a helpful tool, but tapping into human insights and cultural understanding should be paramount for brands.

It Starts at Home

AI struggles to capture the true color of a culture. That’s why it’s crucial for companies engaging multicultural audiences to have diverse creative professionals on staff—or collaborate with outside agencies staffed with multicultural experts (like us). These individuals—such as Studio Resonate’s Multicultural Creative Director, Antonio Francisco—bring deeply ingrained cultural experiences to their work. They offer authentic representation in creative output that AI simply can’t replicate.

“The lived experiences and cultural insights of creative directors behind ad campaigns are extremely important,” states Francisco. "AI, no matter how advanced, acts as a ‘director’ without the firsthand experience needed to accurately capture cultural nuance.”

Our multicultural team is pretty awesome—however, of course, no one can know everything about every culture. But unlike AI, multicultural creatives know when there is a cultural blind spot and when they need to seek out more specialized experts. Rather than relying on AI to fill the gaps, they turn to primary resources from multicultural thought leaders. We produced one of those very resources—our own podcast series Studio Resonate Speaks: Hispanic Voices. Each episode offers valuable insights into Hispanic communities, including the importance of respecting the many dynamic voices within them. 

The Evolution of Language

Language is always changing, and sometimes AI cannot keep up. The result? AI-generated messages that can seem inauthentic or even insensitive. For instance, the New Miami Dialect is a newer unique language blend where both native Spanish and native English speakers mix Spanish phrases into English. Phrases like ‘get down from the car’ and ‘make a party’ showcase how Miami’s Spanish-speaking cultures have influenced the local language.

AI tools can miss these subtle and microcultural shifts. Advertisers who rely solely on AI may lose the opportunity to demonstrate nuanced cultural understandings of language that build trust and connection. Instead of risking it with AI, brands should turn to Studio Resonate’s multicultural team to stay up to date on evolving language patterns and ensure their ad copy is written and recorded accurately. 

The Voice Choice

So, you just got a personalized birthday voicemail from Bad Bunny? Unlikely. Voice cloning technology has advanced significantly, enabling the creation of synthetic voices that can mimic human speech. However, it’s important to consider the ethical implications of using synthetic voices in ads versus voiceover artists.

Using AI voices to mimic specific dialects and accents can unintentionally lead to cultural appropriation. Instead, advertisers can ensure authenticity and respect for the culture they’re representing by prioritizing voiceover actors, securing their permission to clone their voices, and fairly compensating them. 

Here’s some good news: Studio Resonate has a diverse roster of professional voiceover artists who can help advertisers avoid multicultural mishaps. 

The Accent Trap

An accent tells us a lot about someone—including in audio ads. However, it's crucial to recognize that Latinos are more than a single, expected accent. AI will sometimes use stereotypical or overused accents to represent Latino culture, risking inadvertently erasing the representation of Latinos who don't fit into assumed accent categories.

For example, many Latinos identify with their heritage while speaking with Standard American English accents. They are just as authentically Latino as those with more commonly recognized Latino accents. Accents can be significant—but can also become culturally reductive.

It’s best to rely on multicultural creatives (us, again) who can advise when to rely on accents and, more importantly, how to craft in-culture creative that resonates across the entire Latino spectrum, irrespective of accent. In multicultural marketing, the goal is to deliver an inclusive and representative message transcending superficial cultural elements and ensure that AI isn’t simplifying or misrepresenting the richness of identities.

The Holistic Approach

Even with flawless traditional multicultural audio advertising, brands can still fumble by failing to maintain authentic consistency across all their sonic touchpoints. It’s important to be mindful of how AI is being used in telephony on-hold messages, virtual experiences, UI/UX sounds, and customer-service interactions. 

For example, some brands use AI technologies for call centers that alter accents to fit Standard American English. This practice homogenizes accents deeply tied to cultural identity and pride. By choosing to amplify diverse voices rather than neutralize them, brands can create deeper connections and inclusivity with their multicultural audiences, honoring the full spectrum of their linguistic heritage.

AI Isn’t All Bad

Studio Resonate recognizes the power of AI to expand the reach and impact of our audio content. However, we’re committed to using it responsibly and ethically in our multicultural audio ad creative. We aim to harness AI as a force for good by adhering to these principles:

• Authenticity: Prioritizing authentic representation of cultures through real VO artists whenever possible.

• Sensitivity: Ensuring culture and cultural nuances are respected and accurately reflected in all AI applications.

• Representation: Engaging internal and external community representatives to maintain authenticity and integrity in our content.

• Transparency: Being open about our processes and intentions, ensuring trust and credibility with our audiences.

We’d love to hear from you. Reach out to learn more about how Studio Resonate can help you navigate the complexities of AI technology without compromising multicultural voices.

Featuring: Antonio Francisco, Multicultural Creative Director, Studio Resonate at SiriusXM Media

Written by: Joey Selden, Copywriter