Diverse media—how culturally relevant ads drive sales conversions and brand lift

The fact that only 1.4% of all ad buys are designated for diverse-owned targeted media underscores an industry-wide neglect that deters brand growth. Brands need to better understand the value of high-quality connections and the untapped potential of diverse media. It's a reckoning moment for brands, which can achieve their growth goals by developing connections with diverse consumer segments through highly resonant, trusted and unique platforms. Investment in diverse-owned media is a strategic step toward brand success and industry growth, but it requires shifting media buying strategies from mere presence to genuine connection. Resonance in the media landscape Media resonance measures how deeply a message connects with its intended audience. It's about going beyond placing ads in entertaining content with broad reach to investing in content that tells diverse stories in a way that genuinely connects—forging a bond of trust and loyalty within a community. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs Resonance becomes even more critical for diverse segments in light of consistent perceptions of invisibility, misrepresentation, stereotypes and a growing distrust in advertisements and content. For too long, diverse targeted media has been the advertiser's token rather than the treasure. Many brands fail to recognize the inherent value in these channels despite studies revealing their significant role in increasing persuasion and resonance. More: How Walmart, P&G, General Motors, PepsiCo and other big marketers are spending on Black-owned media Culturally relevant creative performs stronger in conversions across all programming. ANA’s Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing measures such relevance in part with its “Cultural Insights Impact Measure,” a new metric that identifies the impact and effectiveness of cultural insights in ads and programming and how these have the potential to affect sales lift. Relevant ads in diverse media generate 46% higher purchase intent, 34% higher interest in information gathering, 36% higher brand recommendation and 42% higher trust than their mainstream media counterparts. This isn't just about inclusivity; it is cold, hard statistical evidence reinforcing the business case for diverse media's powerful resonance. Gracenote Inclusion Analytics have also demonstrated that culturally relevant ads placed in diverse media drive even higher conversions and sales lift—up to 3 times—versus non-cultural creative in general market media among heavy buyers, proving the unrivaled power of resonant context in media. Leveraging equity and connections Brands that commit to authentic, meaningful communication in diverse, targeted media benefit from a unique position. These publications and channels provide a window into the nuanced world of a consumer base most often homogenized in broader media. With young, diverse audiences becoming more critical of brands' authenticity in messaging, diverse platforms offer solid opportunities to leverage the unique equity they have built. Moreover, the loss of race and ethnic identifiers restricts brands' ability to effectively align culturally relevant messaging in general media. However, the high concentration of engaged diverse audiences in resonant diverse-owned outlets provides more accurate connections, leading to more efficient returns. Measuring heart share, not reach It's time for the advertising industry to reconsider its metrics for success. Reach, clicks and impressions are metrics of visibility, not value. They tell us how many saw a message, not how many felt it. A shift toward measuring resonance and heart share calls for innovative metrics that capture a message's impact on individual consumers. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs Share of voice in the form of CPM or advertising dollars may have been the currency of the media industry, but the future lies in the share of resonant connections—connections of heart and mind. This isn't mere sentiment; it's a recognition of how advertising is evolving. Achieving scale through diverse media Dispelling the prevailing misconceptions about diverse media is pertinent to expedite evolution. Case studies and on-stage discussions unveiled at this year’s AIMM GrowthFronts provided robust evidence that diverse media can deliver marketers' desired scale and impact. For instance, Publicis's general market programmatic campaign successfully catered to over 50% diverse audiences for Starbucks, demolishing the myth of limited inventory in diverse media. Furthermore, P&G's pivot toward a greater programmatic emphasis on diverse-owned and targeted media expanded the diverse markets for many of its flagship brands through increased household penetration, buy rate and market share. To achieve this, P&G added 71 new multicultural partners and doubled its spending in diverse media to close share gaps in multicultural segments. Culturally inclusive ad strategies are about winning To succeed in today's multicultural marketplace, brands must prioritize diversity in their advertising strategies. This means investing in media that genuinely resonates with diverse audiences and building trust through shared values and insightful understanding. By prioritizing buys in diverse-owned media‑authentic, culturally resonant platforms—brands can avoid duplicating reach while connecting with consumers on a deeper level that lifts results. Diverse publishers hold the key to winning the hearts, minds and wallets of customers who will make or break a brand's potential to succeed. It's time for brands to recognize the immense value of diversity and invest in media that genuinely resonates with their diverse audiences. Brands on the rise A look at up-and-coming brands disrupting their categories Read more here

Diverse media—how culturally relevant ads drive sales conversions and brand lift

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