The one-child policy in China has now grown up, creating a new generation where only children are having only children – One Child Policy 2.0. Read more…
Daniela Rubio
In the United States, a stereotypical description of a Hispanic woman would probably read as follows: “Speaks Spanish, likes to be sexy and pretty, is family oriented, acts humble, has many kids at an early age, cooks at home and likes to clean.” However, this description represents less than 50% of the real story, as it fits better with the older generation of women. New generations of women are adapting to new world realities, right?
Well, so are Bicultural Hispanic women! This group accounts for 36.5% of the total Hispanic women population (total 22.7 million), of which 54% are at least 18 years old (4.7 million out of 8.3 million). While most Bicultural Hispanic women (80%) born in the U.S. grew up with a mother that most likely fit the stereotype above, many have also adopted mainstream worldviews and values into their lifestyles. Read more…
General Electric recently released an online campaign encouraging Chinese entrepreneurs to partner with them to address China’s most pressing environmental and resource challenges.
A noteworthy aspect of the campaign, titled “Future Folklore”, is how environmental issues are grounded within Chinese history and culture. This departs from a persistent stereotype which encourages local consumers to fight against Chinese tradition to achieve environmental outcomes. The typical tone is often condescending – where normative behaviour is inevitably Western and Chinese are asked to “get in line” and “abandon ancient thinking”. Read more…
In China a common way to distinguish people is by the generation in which they are born. The terms “post 80s” and “post 90s” have become the default to define different values of Chinese who have grown up in the period after the politically disruptive Cultural Revolution (which ended with Chairman Mao’s death in 1976).
These terms are so widely used, that brands have consciously started to deploy them to target specific age groups. Li Ning, a local sports apparel giant, presented a provocative campaign in 2010 that suggested “no-one understands the post 90s”. The relationship between the post 80s and post 90s is relatively caustic. The post 90s argue that the post 80s are out of touch with new China. While the post 80s dismiss the post 90s as selfish brats who are selling out to the “West”. Read more…
Stephen Palacios writes for AdAge: We’re at a Tipping Point in the Battle of Effectiveness vs. Efficiency:– In just one week, in very different work settings, Walmart Stores, Kellogg’s, AT&T, Wells Fargo, General Mills and Target were in focus.
The topic? How each is wrestling with new marketing models that try to balance the “total market” vs. ethnic-specific initiatives. “Total market” is defined as an appreciation that the general market has dramatically shifted, and is now defined in large part by ethnic consumers. Read more…
Acculturation:
The growth of the Hispanic market between 2006 and 2016 is estimated to be 31%. In terms of acculturation, the story is:
(Source: Cheskin Added Value/Census Projections/ACS Acculturation proxy) Read more…
Growing without a stink
As the economic might of China grows, so too does the ambition of Chinese brands to expand internationally. In fact, several Chinese brands have already started to gain traction in the West. Successful examples include Haier, a white goods manufacturer, and Lenova and Huawei, who offer computer and communication solutions.
A noticeable feature of first wave of successful Chinese brands abroad is a distinct lack of “Chinese-ness”. There is nothing in the brands’ imagery that clearly marks them as “made in China” or culturally recognizable as Chinese. Read more…
They live on Facebook and shop at Abercrombie, but listen to Spanish radio and embrace diversity. They’re proud of their unique individuality and their collective Hispanic heritage. It’s no secret that US Hispanic teens are an appealing segment and a challenging one. So what’s the secret to reaching them?
Cheskin Added Value’s Stephen Palacios blogs for AdAge:
At the fictional Sterling Cooper ad agency in “Mad Men,” Pete Campbell urges a client to “take a look at the Negro market.” In the TV show the year is 1961. It’s a reminder that the push to understand and target consumers on the basis of their ethnic identity goes back decades.
Cheskin Added Value’s Stephen Palacios writes for The Huffington Post’s Latino Voices: - Let’s consider unintended consequences and the growing Hispanic market: Laws and regulations that start out with the very best intentions for Hispanics may now actually be impeding their progress. Take for example, a recent meeting I was in with a major financial services company. I was with a group of execs going through a presentation of market data, competitor reviews and overall Hispanic consumer category attitudes and usage behavior. At the end of the meeting, one exec came up to me and said “we have the same problem as I had in my last company, it’s hard to make the business case with CRA regulations limiting our ability to measure the market”. What did he mean?
