Why brands and media owners should invest in content that reflects diversity

With data from the 2020 US Census showing less than 60% of the country’s population now identifies as “white, non-Hispanic,” media owners need to create content that reflects diverse audiences, and brands need to make media buys that support that content. 

Why it matters

The 2020 US Census data reaffirms rapid demographic change in the US, but many brands and media companies need to realise the business imperative to connect with an ever more diverse array of consumers.

Takeaways

• Progress is uneven; a Nielsen report from December 2020 found that people of diverse groups were more likely to be found on streaming platforms than in broadcast or cable TV. 
• Brand investment is lacking is Spanish-language TV, and another recent report from Nielsen and Univision actually showed it was declining.
• That report also showed that CPG (consumer packaged goods) brands who invested heavily in Spanish language networks had a 70% higher return on ad spend than brands with low investment.
• One promising recent development is the commitment by some companies to invest a dedicated percentage of ad spend into diverse and minority-owned media, but lack of inventory can hold back these efforts. 

The big idea

Better addressing inequities in the marketing and media ecosystems is about overwhelming demographic shifts, in addition to doing the right thing.