Q & A: The Future of Marketing is Multicultural Marketing

As you plan your advertising goals and strategies this year, how high does reaching and resonating with multicultural audiences fall on that list? We’ll take a wild guess and say not high enough. And if you’re only investing in holidays and heritage months like Black History Month, you’re not doing enough to build meaningful connections with multicultural audiences.  

No doubt, the climate surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is changing, but despite this, multicultural marketing efforts are more important than ever. In the current state of the country, consumers will remember the brands that fought to make a difference and those that retreated without a sound. 

The reality is this: Multicultural audiences spend more time with audio than average, but 52% aren’t satisfied with portrayals of their race and ethnicity in advertising—leaving a large gap to bridge. And with diverse communities holding an immense amount of spending power, which is only expected to grow, this audience is increasingly one that brands can’t afford to not invest in. 

If you’re unsure about your next steps, read and bookmark the Multicultural Advertising Playbook. 

We spoke with our very own Nikki Buchanan, Senior Sales Director, Multicultural, for her expert take on why audio reigns supreme over other channels when reaching diverse audiences—and why SiriusXM Media stands out. 

Get your headphones or speakers, and hit play. 

Audio Is More than a Medium—it’s a Cultural Bridge 

Question: Why is audio the best way to reach multicultural audiences over other media? 

Answer: "Audio is a medium that consistently has a very intentional intimacy for listeners. There's a choice. We are picking and choosing what we're listening to. Podcasts are really unique because podcasts create these trusted spaces where a host feels like friends and they forge bonds. We forge bonds that connect us on a more personal level…

Take music; it's really deep and woven into our lives, particularly for multicultural audiences. There’s bachata, there's R&B, there's rap, there’s Soca, there's so many Afrobeats, there's so many different genres. And then there are the subgenres. And that's really what I find evokes the emotions that really transcend language. And it comes very naturally to us because these are the songs you grew up on. These are the beats of our childhood, our families, our communities. And so it's just very important to understand that it's very deeply rooted. And so it's not just a medium. It's a very essential and emotional cultural bridge that I think really connects users in a very meaningful way—I can think of no other word but intimate."

Meeting Partners Where They Are 

Question: How does SiriusXM Media stand out from its competitors?

Answer: "We really facilitate thought leadership and data-driven discussions to bring clarity and solutions to all the stakeholders, not only our brands and partners, but to the industry. One of the things that we found from a multicultural lens is that partners were like, ‘Well, wait, do multicultural consumers, do Black and Brown people listen to podcasts?’...We partnered with Edison Research, and we developed a study along with some of our holding company partners on the agency side. And what it showed was not only do Black and Brown consumers listen to podcasts—they’re the fastest-growing segment. 

We also showcase how culture drives purchase intent and consideration, whether it's helping a travel brand reach new audiences or creating culturally resonant audio strategies. We really work to meet partners where they are and build from there. And what we're building is really impactful and consultive plans. The real key is demonstrating how cultural insights directly translate to business growth, and that remains our top priority. And that is really the secret sauce. Across the board."

Connecting Superfans With the Artists They Love

Question: There’s nothing quite like the power of resonating with consumers in person. How would you describe the influence of our events? 

Answer: "Our franchise events are top tier. I think they're top tier because of the way that we lean into the data. It's a very 360 approach where we are spotlighting not only the impact of our franchise events with the creator, but also the impact on the consumer and then the impact on the brand…So when you think about the partners that have activated, it's been a real surgical approach that is very turnkey for the partner but delivers this return on investment through and through. And the good thing about that is it's all based on added value. And so for our partners, it doesn't take away from your media investment. And so those hard working dollars continue to work. This is just an amplification and something that just brings additional kinds of engagement from your target audience. 

We did an event called El Pulso, where we featured Rauw and Anitta, who are huge stars in the Latin music space. We just did Black Music Month and we paired that with red carpet season in LA, where we kicked off the weekend with Coco Jones…

So I say that to say that those are the ones where you can see the proof is in the pudding. Those are the ones where you could see all of our data tools really working for the greater good of the campaign and the effort. Those are the events that get our clients super excited and unlock just additional dollars and growth for us as we move forward. Those are the events that really translate that audio works, and audio delivers."

Harnessing the Unmatched Power of Audio with a 360 Approach 

Question: What are some of our strengths, and what makes you proud about our work? 

Answer: "I think what we do really well is always rooted in how we leverage our data and pair that with our audio. I think SiriusXM Media really harnesses the unmatched power of audio. It's really unparalleled. And then we really tailor that with data. And then we offer data-driven solutions that deliver measurable results. 

We work to really build solutions that are customized to the needs of our partners, and that's a strength that sometimes is hard to translate into words. We have so much within our ecosystem to align and pair with that consultatively; leaning into our partners is the best way to get the best results. And so it is a partnership. And when you think about how we personalize this across our different platforms, whether it's satellite, Pandora, SoundCloud, Audiomack, the SiriusXM app, or our franchise events, we’re really working to bring the right audience to the right message at the right time. And so we really work to stay on top of the trends, but we align with the market trends as well to bring cultural relevance. 

And so simply put, we say this all the time, we're serious about audio, but I think we're really serious about audio in terms of delivering the connection and the impact at scale…"

To better understand your audience is to put on their headphones. Check out our multicultural playlist here, filled with music recommendations from the top Asian, Black, and Latino artists today.

Ready to take the next step in investing in multicultural marketing? Connect with our Fluency team, let’s talk. 

Up Your Multicultural Marketing Game