What does the urban sprawl mean to African Americans? It means that a term that was once owned by minorities now includes people of all races, ages and nationalities. But that is nothing new for African Americans. For centuries, they have been major contributors in shaping mainstream culture. From music to sports to fashion, African Americans have been the nation’s leading trendsetters.

With the urbanization of America, African Americans now have the opportunity to capitalize on the revolutionized urban mindset. As trendsetters, we can provide goods and services that reflect our trends and watch it blend into mainstream society. More and more entrepreneurs can grow their businesses – everyone is wearing urban clothing, carrying two-way pagers and eating in soul food restaurants. What was once considered “cool” for only inner city minorities is now cool for everyone. Many people in rural areas want to be active participants of urban trends. According to UrbanIQ, 59.2 percent of the urban market is composed of Whites. This puts minority owned businesses in a position to compete in majority-dominated markets.

Because of the urban sprawl, the term urban also includes adults of all ages. Adults have the same desire to stay abreast of the latest cultural evolutions as young people. The most significant point is that young adults have the money to spend on supporting their urban mindset. This makes the urban market more attractive to marketers and advertisers, and its buying power commands greater potential. Marketers can use this innovative technique to more effectively reach their target audiences. Those who are of the urban mindset are easily influenced by the perception of the latest trends. Companies such as PepsiCo, Budweiser, Old Navy, and Nike are utilizing new trends in their advertisements in an effort to relate to their audiences. The companies who are successful in linking themselves with the urban market will find themselves with a group of tightly knit, loyal customers who may begin viewing the organization as trendsetters themselves. This puts the companies in a great position to influence a large majority of the population with their messages, and it often translates to big rewards at the bank.

However, marketers need to be careful when making the distinction between urban and ethnic marketing. “There is a major difference between ethnic marketing and urban marketing,” said Jeff Lin, CEO of Admerasia, an Asian-based ethnic marketing agency in New York. “Ethnic marketing speaks to the group’s culture and roots, while urban marketing refers to a particular lifestyle. It is important that they balance their use of the two techniques to talk directly to their target audiences.” When targeting particular ethnicities, urban marketing does not dig deep enough into these specific groups to effectively reach them.

According to the March 2001 issue of the “Marketing to the Emerging Majority” newsletter, it is also important that marketers stay ahead of the urban culture curve because once something gains too much appeal in the mainstream, the trendsetters lose interest and start looking for their next big trend.

Focusing on emerging majority trends is a big responsibility for urban marketers. Innovative approaches have been developed by some of the nation's leading trend setting teachers to not only identify leaders in trends, but to also identify how to predict a trend's life span and cultural reach. IMAGES USA's nontraditional approach to data collection and cultural observation ranges from working the lines outside of nightclubs, festivals, and football games to hosting on-line chats and conducting surveys in hair salons. Many of our clients like Pfizer, McDonald's and Dean Foods depend on our knowledge of their target market to create measures that are naturally in culture and on the leading edge.

The most comprehensive way to stay abreast of cultural innovation is to study the past for historical pivots and reach beyond the boundaries of specific markets and demographics to evaluate the total market opportunities across cultural boundaries for urban markets to capitalize on what is often taken for granted.

About IMAGES USA

IMAGES USA is an Atlanta-based full-service diversity marketing communications agency with a specialized skill in the ethnic market segments. They provide services in print and broadcast advertising, marketing planning & consulting, public relations, event management, market research and various merchandising/promotional services.
IMAGES USA is one of the nation's leading marketing firms with specialized services for both general and ethnic markets, including the African-American, Asian, alternative lifestyles and Hispanic communities for a diverse client base that includes the U.S Army, the Environmental Protection Agency and Pfizer Inc.