New research has highlighted a need for more black millennial representation in advertising sectors.
Following research by marketing company Ipsos, YouTube’s Director of Diverse Marketing, Oona King, has challenged companies to create more inclusive and diverse advertisements that have specific appeal to black millennials.
Anyone interested in how next generation is most diverse ever? See why inclusion matters: my @ThinkwithGoogle piece: https://t.co/kY2lxecBfv
— Oona King (@Oona_King) February 21, 2017
In an article posted on Google’s Think with Google, Oona noted the lack of progress made by the advertising industry in terms of black representation. She wrote: “In 1978, 5% of the ad industry’s workforce was composed of black and Hispanic workers… 36 years later, African Americans made up only 5.8% of the ad industry.”
This is despite millennials being the most ethnically diverse demographic in the US’s history. Oona explained this concept by saying, ”The demographic shift of the audience has far outpaced the demographic shift of the ad industry.”
According to Oona, these imbalances come at the expense of advertisers. A survey she cited explains that “70% [of black millennials] say they are more likely to buy from a brand that takes a stand on race-related issues”.
Further propagating the business case for greater black representation is the data suggesting black millennials watch 73% more YouTube via their mobile devices than the equivalent white millennial, and the reports which state that YouTube is the medium where they feel represented – over two-thirds believe they are represented online, compared to under half for television.
Oona suggested that brands inquisitive about the prospect of making more inclusive advertisements watch the #YouTubeBlack playlist. In the videos, prominent black YouTubers in the community suggest potential methods advertisers could use to promote greater diversity.
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