As marketing continues to evolve, so too must our approach to diversity. For many years, diversity has been framed through the lens of DEI — often with attention on corporate values, social justice, and representation. While this has raised awareness and promoted some change, today’s marketers need to move beyond symbolic gestures and toward real, audience-centric strategies. The focus should be on understanding and engaging diverse audiences for business growth, and not just as a checkbox for corporate responsibility.
Multicultural consumers or the New American Consumers are not a niche — they are the new mainstream. Today, Hispanics, Blacks, and Asian Americans represent more than 40% of the U.S. population. And they have growing economic and cultural influence. These groups are setting trends, shaping conversations, and influencing purchase behavior across categories. Yet, many brands still rely on outdated messaging and oftentimes only pay attention to these communities during heritage months. I will say it, again, this is a missed opportunity!
To win, companies must consider multicultural marketing as a fundamental business strategy, not a once-a-year initiative. That means understanding the cultural nuances, media habits, language preferences, and values that shape consumer decisions. They must move beyond “diversity” as a theme and insert it into the entire marketing lifecycle — from audience segmentation and creative development to media planning and customer experience.
The lesson for brands is clear: don’t approach diversity as political or designed to advance a social agenda. Rather brands should approach it as a market imperative. Companies that focus on cultural intelligence will outperform those that rely on broad, undifferentiated messaging.
Studies show that companies and brands that invest in inclusive marketing see better engagement, increased brand equity, and better long-term customer retention.
Targeted marketing is never divisive — it’s smart business. When done right, it shows respect, builds trust, and drives ROI.
Brands and marketers must embrace diverse consumers as central to your company’s growth strategies. This means hiring diverse talent, investing in data, and building long-term relationships with communities — not just responding to social or political trends. In doing so, brands can unlock new opportunities, ensure relevance, and lead in a dynamic, increasingly multicultural marketplace.
Armando Azarloza brings more than 30 years of experience in marketing, communications and advertising. He co-founded AXIS in 2005 and serves as CEO of the award-winning multicultural marketing agency.
