Why Your Business Needs a Multicultural Marketing Strategy

A recent Ad Age article highlights a notable trend that some companies are taking a stand to keep DEI at the forefront of their business strategies. One such company is Reckitt, the global health and hygiene powerhouse behind well-known brands like Lysol, Finish, and Air Wick. In the article, Gary Osifchin, Reckitt’s Chief Marketing Officer for its U.S. hygiene business, reaffirms the company’s commitment to DEI, recognizing it as a crucial driver of both ethical responsibility and business growth.

For global brands, fostering multicultural closeness means not just reaching out, but genuinely connecting with diverse consumers to understand their cultures – what’s important to them, their values, and lived experiences – and weaving those voices into the very DNA of the company’s brand.

So, why is multicultural marketing so important for consumer-centric brands? 

1. Reflecting the diverse realities of your customer base

Your consumers come from a variety of backgrounds, and their experiences shape how they see the world and what they need from brands. Multicultural marketing acknowledges this diversity and strives to reflect the realities of all consumer segments. When companies authentically represent different cultures and communities, they demonstrate that they value their customers’ unique stories and needs. This commitment not only builds trust but also fosters loyalty, as consumers are more likely to engage with brands that recognize their individuality.

2. Fueling product and messaging innovation

By staying close to diverse consumer segments and incorporating a wide range of voices and experiences into product development and marketing strategies, in-house teams can create more effective messaging and product designs that truly resonate with their audiences. 

In the Ad Age article, Gary Osifchin gave the example of how these insights have helped them think about their products differently, “If you think about Finish, the way Hispanic consumers think about dishwashing and auto dishwashing is, different than the general population. Hispanics, we found, from an insight and data mining standpoint, actually think that doing the dishes by hand is an act of care and part of the family cooking and preparation and cleanup experience, and that a dishwasher won’t do as good of a job as I will hand washing. That comes [in home visits] and ethnographies and diving deep.”

3. Enhancing brand reputation

We live in a world where consumers are highly aware of corporate social responsibility and the stances that companies are taking on certain social issues. Global organizations that prioritize DEI in their marketing efforts boost their brand image and create a reputation of inclusivity that helps build stronger connections with existing customers and attracts new ones who share similar values.

A great example is Procter & Gamble’s “The Look” campaign, which addresses the biases that Black men face in their everyday lives. The campaign features powerful storytelling that highlights the experiences of Black individuals, showcasing the importance of understanding and respecting diverse perspectives. In a press release, Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer, at Procter & Gamble, said “Empathy can be a particularly effective antidote to bias, and we created ‘The Look’ to change perspectives, prompt personal introspection, and bring people together for a conversation to ultimately change hearts and minds.”

4. Unlock new market potential 

There is a significant growth opportunity for companies willing to invest in multicultural marketing. By embracing multicultural marketing strategies, in-house teams can tap into new consumer segments that have historically been overlooked or underserved, expanding their market reach and driving sales and business growth.

For example, consider the beauty industry, which has seen remarkable success by adapting its product offerings to cater to a wider range of skin tones and hair types. Brands like Fenty Beauty have set a new standard by offering an extensive range of foundation shades that celebrate diversity. This approach not only meets the needs of multicultural consumers but also positions them as a leader in inclusivity, attracting a loyal customer base that appreciates the brand’s commitment to wide representation.

Best practices for multicultural marketing strategies

1. Develop empathy programs for multicultural consumer closeness

Empathy programs focus on understanding consumers’ experiences, values, and needs. In-house teams can conduct in-depth qualitative research, like empathy interviews or focus groups, to gather market insights directly from their multicultural consumer segments. This approach helps companies build authentic relationships and fosters a deeper understanding of the communities they serve, by getting to know them as people first, customers second. By prioritizing empathy in their marketing strategies, companies can ensure that their messaging resonates with a variety of audiences and cultures.

2. Leverage GenAI to more easily understand global perspectives 

GenAI technology can significantly enhance brands’ understanding of global audiences and accelerate the time to insights. In the past, insights from non-English speaking regions might become lost or misunderstood simply because research or brand teams didn’t speak that language. In this new era, GenAI can analyze conversations from research projects across 100+ countries, so anyone can tap into these opinions and perspectives from around the world, even if they don’t speak that language. By providing summaries and key themes from these conversations in English, GenAI makes sure everyone across the organization can understand and act on the feedback, no matter where it came from and use this information to refine their product offerings, tailor marketing messages, and identify new opportunities for consumer engagement. 

3. Lean into diverse partnerships and collaborations

Partnering with multicultural influencers, community organizations, and cultural ambassadors can help brands authentically reach and engage their diverse target audiences. These partnerships can provide valuable market insights and ensure that marketing campaigns are culturally relevant and respectful. For instance, Coca-Cola’s collaborations with local artists and community leaders have allowed the brand to authentically connect with various cultural groups, enhancing its reputation and consumer loyalty.

4. Build inclusive teams and amplify diverse voices within the organization

To create genuine and impactful multicultural marketing, it’s crucial for brands to promote diverse voices within their own teams. This includes hiring and empowering individuals from various backgrounds and ensuring they have a seat at the table in decision-making processes. By fostering an inclusive workplace culture, in-house teams can tap into a wider range of perspectives and ideas, which will enrich their marketing strategies. Diverse teams are more likely to identify potential cultural missteps and contribute innovative ideas that speak directly to different consumer segments, leading to more authentic and effective campaigns.

How to create a scalable multicultural closeness program 

For many companies, the biggest hurdle in multicultural-driven consumer research is scale: how do you conduct empathy interviews across multiple cultural segments, consistently and affordably? Discuss’ Consumer Reach solution provides the answer with its unlimited research model, which enables brand and marketing teams to engage in consumer empathy interviews with their key multicultural audiences – powering consumer closeness on a scale and frequency previously not possible.

With unlimited access to both the technology and the essential support services, team members across insights, product, and marketing teams can easily connect with their consumers and find the market insights they need to shape their communications, product development, and brand strategy.

Multicultural consumer closeness, your competitive edge

Embracing a multicultural closeness strategy offers a powerful business advantage – allowing you to capture greater market share, deepen your consumer loyalty, craft products and messages that resonate, and drive sustainable business growth.

Talk to an expert today to learn how Discuss can enable closer, more frequent interactions with your global audiences.