When Honda targets Latino and Asian consumers in ads for its Accord, it most often pitches the sedan version. When the carmaker targets African-Americans, it emphasizes the sportier coupe. When Ford advertises its Focus to Hispanics, it emphasizes the small car's attributes as a family vehicle. But the carmaker pitches it to other groups as a fun-to-drive vehicle for the young.
The rationales? Honda says its market research finds strong family orientation among Latinos and Asians but a greater emphasis on style among African-Americans. The Ford agency that handles ads aimed at Latinos says a small car tends to be the first family vehicle for newcomers to the United States, many of whom are Hispanics.
Is it stereotyping or is it smart marketing?
Whichever it is, experts say, such racially or ethnically targeted marketing is a minefield -- where companies, if they're not careful, can fail to reach the people whose dollars they seek. Worse yet, they could even alienate them. "It's very touchy stuff," said Rob Frankel, a Los Angeles consultant in brand marketing. "It has a hair trigger."
Yet, dangerous or not, more auto companies are specifically targeting minority groups in hopes of tapping their growing economic power.
| Continue Tom Incantalupo's Newsday article "A driving force" for a useful outline of ethnic-marketing attitudes and practices in the auto industry
posted in articles on February 16, 2004 2:32 AM | t (0)
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