Activate Your Brand on Juneteenth to Empower Black Consumers

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On June 19th, six in ten Black Americans will celebrate Juneteenth and honor the occasion by learning about Black history and culture, supporting Black-owned businesses and attending a parade or festival. Since being established as a federal holiday in 2021, Black Americans celebrating the holiday have increased by 18%.

To help your brand celebrate and authentically activate, Collage illuminates the most important annual events and experiences in the lives of Black consumers and identifies natural and effective ways to fuel brand growth through meaningful cultural occasions—during and beyond Juneteenth.

The Big Picture

Black cultural holidays are booming in the United States. Beyond Black History Month, Juneteenth and Kwanzaa are gaining momentum and providing fresh ways to honor and celebrate Black culture.

Black Americans don’t shy away from acknowledging the hard realities of Black history, even as they celebrate. The segment’s group traits (Determined, Real, Believing) explain their ability to embrace complexity across the many holidays and occasions celebrated throughout the year.

Key Insight #1:

Since Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, the popularity of the holiday has increased considerably. Black Americans drive the boom in celebration rates, but more Hispanics, Asian, and White Americans are celebrating too.

To fuel growth with the segment, we suggest that you ensure your marketing and advertising campaigns connect with Black history or culture authentically by:

1. Sponsoring ongoing community events honoring Juneteenth.
2. Donating any proceeds from Juneteenth-related products to help the Black community.
3. Amplifying voices within your organization who want to speak about the holiday’s meaning to them.

Key Insight #2:

For Black Americans, cookouts are an important part of family reunions and holidays such as Memorial Day and Labor Day. Family reunions tend to be big events with historical roots and offer a chance to reconnect with loved ones. Memorial Day and Labor Day offer an opportunity to celebrate while honoring Black Americans’ history in this country.

To drive brand love, we suggest your campaigns offer clear examples of how your brand can complement a cookout or barbecue whether that be in the category of food and drink, games, music, or overall experience.

Interested in more? Contact us below for additional studies on how to connect with Black consumers, and to learn how to make your brand a winner with high-growth segments.

What matters most to American consumers across racial and ethnic segments? Collage Group’s latest study covers major Multicultural Passion Points your brand can act on immediately.

Collage’s Passion Point research offers deep insight into 8 Passion Points we know Americans care deeply about. This work offers brands and marketers important tools to win multicultural consumer segments.

To get you started, let’s look at some topline findings about the things that matter most across both segments and the Passion Points themselves.

Sources ↓

1. Multicultural Consumers Want More Experiential Movie-watching

When we asked people if they like watching movies in theaters more than at home, and if they prefer “enhanced” movie experiences, like IMAX or 3D, less than half of the total population agreed. But it’s the Non-Hispanic White segment which is driving this low agreement. Multicultural segments were more likely to say they prefer watching movies in theaters, and that they prefer IMAX and 3D movie experiences.

When we double click into acculturation, we see that bicultural and unacculturated Hispanics are the ones really driving the Hispanic desire for theaters and enhanced movie experiences.  Acculturated Hispanic consumers are less likely to enjoy watching movies in theaters (42%H ; Bi: 54% ; Un: 63%H), or having an “enhanced” movie experience (41%H ; Bi: 56% ; Un: 56%).

2. Multicultural Consumers Have Distinct Tastes for Music Genres

Which genres are most popular across multicultural segments?

For the total population, Rock is most popular, with 42 percent of consumers saying it is in their top three music genres. But all three multicultural segments under-index on rock music. Especially the Black segment, where only 11 percent say they choose rock! What do these consumers listen to instead? 

For Black Americans, the answer is R&B – seven in ten Black consumers choose R&B over other genres. Black consumers are also most likely to listen to Hip-Hop, Jazz, Blues, Soul, and Gospel music.

For Asian Americans, the answer is Pop music – half of Asian consumers say they choose Pop over other genres. Asian consumers are also most likely to choose electronic and K-Pop music.

And for Hispanic Americans, the most popular music genre is Latin Pop, including Reggaeton. About a third of Hispanic consumers say they choose this genre over other options.

3. More Americans Consider Themselves “Foodies” Rather than “Health Nuts”

About half of Americans consider themselves “Foodies,” and the Black segment – at 56 percent – is more likely than non-Hispanic White consumers believe this.

We also see that while less than a third of the total population considers themselves “health nuts,” all multicultural segments are more likely than non-Hispanic White consumers to do so.

While only a quarter of White consumers are “health nuts,” over a third of Asian, Black, and Hispanic consumers are. With Unacculturated Hispanic consumers being the most likely, at 48 percent, compared to the other Hispanic Acculturation segments.

And while most Americans call themselves “foodies,” Multicultural Americans lead the “health nut” trend. 

4. Bicultural and Unacculturated Hispanic and Asian Americans Prefer to Travel Internationally

When we asked consumers to choose between traveling domestically or internationally, most of the Hispanic and Asian segments chose international travel. As you can see on the chart, only 48 percent – about half – of Hispanic consumers chose domestic travel, and even fewer – 38 percent – of Asian respondents opted for the U.S. option. Within the Hispanic segment, bicultural and unacculturated Hispanic Americans are more likely than their acculturated peers to prefer international travel.

The Black and Non-Hispanic White consumer segments, on the other hand, prefer domestic over international travel.

1. Multicultural Consumers Want More Experiential Movie-watching

Collage Group Passion Points Survey, January 2021 (18-75 population)

% agree

* Indicates statistically significant difference (p > 0.95) from all other racial/ethnic segments

W Indicates statistically significant difference (p > 0.95) from Non-Hispanic White respondents

H Indicates statistically significant difference (p > .95) from all other Hispanic Acculturation segments

2. Multicultural Consumers Have Distinct Tastes for Music Genres

Collage Group Passion Points Survey, January 2021 (18-75 population)

Multiselect, Max. 3

* Indicates statistically significant difference (p > 0.95) from all other racial/ethnic segments

W Indicates statistically significant difference (p > 0.95) from Non-Hispanic White respondents

H Indicates statistically significant difference (p > .95) from all other Hispanic Acculturation segments

3. More Americans Consider Themselves “Foodies” Rather than “Health Nuts”

Collage Group Passion Points Survey, January 2021 (18-75 population)

% agree

* Indicates statistically significant difference (p > 0.95) from all other racial/ethnic segments

W Indicates statistically significant difference (p > 0.95) from Non-Hispanic White respondents

H Indicates statistically significant difference (p > 0.95) from all other Hispanic Acculturation segments

4. Bicultural and Unacculturated Hispanic and Asian Americans Prefer to Travel Internationally

Collage Group Passion Points Survey, January 2021 (18-75 population)

Forced choice

* Indicates statistically significant difference (p > 0.95) from all other racial/ethnic segments

W Indicates statistically significant difference (p > 0.95) from Non-Hispanic White respondents

H Indicates statistically significant difference (p > 0.95) from all other Hispanic Acculturation segments

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Family is a commonly shared value across diverse segments, but that doesn’t mean it’s one-size-fits-all. Read on to understand the nuances within multicultural family life for authentic representation and effective connection on the path towards Cultural Fluency.

Our research confirms that family matters to pretty much everyone, but our data also reveals: how is family experienced and expressed differently across cultural backgrounds?

These subtleties aren’t just food for thought – getting them right matters. Multicultural Americans, especially Black and Unacculturated Hispanic consumers, say it matters a lot to them that advertisements represent families that look like theirs. And a fifth of Americans, especially Black consumers, want to see more non-traditional family structures represented.

How should brands activate on the shared value of family connection?

Brands must understand nuances in multicultural family dynamics to accurately represent and connect with these powerful segments. In doing so, you’re not only pleasing consumers – you’re taking a strategic approach to be Culturally Fluent.

Authentic representation of one segment doesn’t come at the cost of resonance with other segments. In fact, genuine cultural signals are what resonates. Even if the cues aren’t personally relatable, the recognition of authenticity is priceless. An accurate portrayal of one segment is a way to position your brand as trustworthy and respected by all consumers.

Collage Group’s 2020 research initiatives dive deep into family values, attitudes, and behaviors to distinguish variations across segments and uncover authentic details. Keep reading for high-level segment takeaways and download the deck for more, including family profiles by segment.

1. Which consumers value the role of song, music and dance in the family?

About a third of Hispanic and Black Americans value the role of song, music, and dance in the family. These activities are ways to bond with one another and are also likely to be present at family gatherings.

For instance, Oreo acknowledges the lively nature of Hispanic American families with a relevant portrayal of the importance of song and dance in family life. Their recent spot features Latin pop singer Becky G video-chatting her brother. They connect over a shared love of music – and Oreos – as they sing and dance over the phone with her extended family in the background.

Our CultureRate:Ad research shows that this ad successfully represents the Hispanic experience of the universal Group Trait of Family, while simultaneously resonating across segments (including White viewers). The music-and-dance-filled ad did exceptionally well with the Hispanic segment, with an A-CFQ score of 81 (+6 points above the resonance threshold of 75), as well as the Black segment (A-CFQ score of 74). But the power of authentically representing the Hispanic family was appreciated by other segments, too, with A-CFQ scores of 73 for the Asian segment and 72 for the White segment. Even though the ad was in Spanish, consumers recognize and appreciate the cultural cues of singing and dancing as relevant to Hispanic families.

2. How do Unacculturated Hispanic and Asian American consumers value family?

Both segments like to make their families proud and live in accordance with familial expectations. They also tend to be especially loyal to their families and prize their input when making decisions.

This spot by Chase leans into Asian Americans’ desire to please their elders. A son is learning to make noodles from scratch, and along the way seeks guidance from his mother and approval from his grandmother.

3. How often do multicultural consumers spend time with family?

Multicultural Americans tend to have more relatives and be closer to distant relatives than White Americans. Moreover, Hispanic and Black segments spend more time with their relatives and are more likely to build close relationships with them than White Americans are.

Connect across segments through this common value and illustrate how your brand can strengthen family ties. For instance, a recent Christmas spot by Etsy shows a Black family gathered for the holiday. The son’s new boyfriend joins the celebration, but feels intimidated by all the relatives, until they warmly “welcome him to the family” with a personalized gift.

For more insights on the study, download an excerpt of the sample above. Learn more about membership, custom research and more by filling out the form below. 

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Collage research identifies community as a powerful space where all consumer segments engage with the universal Group Trait of Connection. Here’s what brands and marketers need to know about community across race and ethnicity.

But what your own community looks like depends on many factors. Do you seek out community with your neighbors? Or with those who share your faith? Or your cultural heritage? Or is it something else, entirely, which makes you feel connected with others?

Getting these questions right is essential for marketers trying to authentically represent and resonate with multicultural consumer segments. Collage research confirms that community matters to pretty much everyone, but our data also reveals how community is experienced and expressed differently across cultural backgrounds.

In our 2020 Roundtable Study, we learned that multicultural Americans, especially Black and Hispanic consumers, want to see communities that look like their own represented in advertising.

Moreover, it is within their communities that these segments discuss and evaluate marketing executions.

In other words, people do indeed share and discuss what they like and don’t like about advertising within their community.  The importance of this insight cannot be overstated, especially for Black and Hispanic consumers.  These segments are far more likely to talk about your ads, even if their respective racial/ethnic background isn’t the focus of the advertisement at hand!

To activate on the shared value of community connection, brands must therefore understand the power of authentically representing community across multicultural and other segments.

For most brands, the authentic representation of community and family offers pure upside: not only does it result in increased activation of the target group, it also resonates with other segments, who are drawn to the authentic representation of segments, even if not their own .

Read on for high-level takeaways and download the deck for more, including community profiles by race/ethnicity.

1. Black and Hispanic Americans Feel Most Connected to Their Racial/Ethnic Communities.

Hispanic consumers – especially within the Unacculturated Hispanic segment – have the strongest connection, with 76 percent feeling either “very” or “somewhat” connected to the broader Hispanic community. Asian consumers, on the other hand, feel a weaker connection to a broader Asian community, with only 58 percent feeling either “very” or “somewhat” connected. Given the important distinctions within the Asian segment based on country of origin, it makes sense that these consumers feel weaker affiliation with a sense of generalized Asian American identity.

2. Hispanic and Black Americans Lean More Heavily on Religion as Part of their Daily Lives.

While most Americans do ascribe to a religious tradition – with Christianity holding a plurality across racial/ethnic segments – only 1 in 5 adult consumers say they participate in a church group or other religious organization. The Hispanic segment, though, sees a higher rate of religious participation, at 25 percent. Black consumers are also more likely to have strong connections with their religious and spiritual communities, being most likely (19%) to turn to them for emotional support.

3. All Multicultural Segments Feel a Stronger Connection to their Neighborhoods and Cities.

Most Americans – including white consumers – identify strongly with the places they live. But Hispanic, Black, and Asian consumers all feel stronger connections to their neighborhoods or towns/cities. It is therefore essential to emphasize the role local communities play in daily life when trying to reach and resonate with multicultural America.

Across these three insights, and the others presented in the attached slides, there is a clear pattern: multicultural segments tend to be more connected with their communities.

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But how do you get there?

We at Collage decided to roll up our sleeves and do what we know best – research. For this project we decided not only to run our own study on consumer perceptions of racism and responses to current events, but also to identify the best resources available to educate ourselves and provide valuable learnings for our membership. As part of our effort to help break the cycle of systemic racism, we compiled a collection of useful resources as a starting point for your own efforts.

The sources we found address three main areas: (1) the personal experiences of racism of America, (2) the role of systemic racism, and (3) what you can do in terms of activations and potential CSR partnerships. Collectively, these resources provide context and guidance on what you need to do as a brand to truly make an impact on combating racism.

1. Learn about racism at a personal level

Educate yourself through listening, reading, and watching things that will help you better understand the lived experience for Black people in America. NPR’s Code Switch offers a curated list of books, films, and podcasts for self-education. Here are some other great resources:

1. PBS’s “Say It Out Loud” is a video series covering topics including Black pride, terminology, history, and pop culture.
2. The National Museum of African American History and Culture provides guidance on how to begin talking about racism by exploring different topics like bias, being Anti-Racist, and supporting your community.
3. Pew’s Social Trend Research on race in America helps shed some light into perceptions of and personal experiences with racism across ethnic segments.

2. Understand the history and impact of systemic racism

Our present moment has brought increased scrutiny on the role policing and the criminal justice system has played in perpetuating racism against Black Americans. The organization Mapping Police Violence  offers up to date data on police killings across the United States with a focus on these racial disparities. We at Collage came together to watch and discuss Ava Duvernay’s documentary 13th, which helps connect the dots between slavery, Jim Crow, and mass incarceration in America.

But there is much else we must address beyond criminal justice reform. Economic inequality should also be top of mind, as we see Blacks and Hispanics disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis. In a recent article by CNBC, Mellody Hobson, the -President and Co-CEO of Ariel Investments, and Ken Frazier, the Chairman and CEO of Merck, agree that leadership, job, and financially literacy programs can help rectify the economic imbalance we see today. Here are two additional helpful resources:

1. The Urban Institute, research and policy organization, offers a collection of data and stories on structural racism.
2. Brookings dives into the history and statistics behind the racial wealth gap, pointing out exactly how large and persistent it is. McKinsey extends this conversation with powerful insights identifying the unmet financial needs of Black individuals and families.
3. In his article ‘The Difference Between First-Degree Racism and Third-Degree Racism’ John Rice explains different levels of structural racism. His organization, Management Leadership for Tomorrow, offers career support to youth from underrepresented communities (including Hispanic, Black, and Native American communities).

3. Take action

Now that you have some context, start thinking about what actions you can take as a brand and as a company. Keep in mind the importance of transparency and aligning your actions with your communications. Vox points out how some brands have received major backlash for putting out empty statements of solidarity. It is important to lead by example, so when it comes to taking action, think about what you need to do internally and how you can extend a helping hand locally and nationwide. Below are some examples of how companies can act:

1. Internally: CNN Business highlights five concrete structural efforts companies can undertake to promote racial justice.
2. Internally: Pull up for Change is a campaign that pushes brands to be more transparent about their internal diversity by asking them to release such information as their number of total black employees and their the demographics of leadership positions.
3. Externally: Ben and Jerry’s has long been an unapologetic ally to the Black community. This post serves as an example of best-in-class activation and features some of their social justice partners.
4. Externally: P&G’s #LetsTalkBias initiative includes short films “The Look” and “The Talk”, along with conversation guides to help drive change through community dialogue.

We sincerely hope you can dedicate time to digest these materials. Whether by yourself, within your teams at work, or even with your families and social spheres, we also hope these resources foster new conversations and willingness to leverage the tools at your disposal in the struggle against racism.

To help brands understand how Americans are responding to current events and what they can do to support the drive for racial equality, we conducted a survey-based study in June 2020. Below are a few high-level insights and implications from this research. An excerpt of the study is available for download to the right.

Four things you need to know about consumers’ views on racism and related brand actions

1. Most Americans, but especially Black and Gen Z Americans, recognize the seriousness and pervasiveness of racism in the country

The majority of each segment considers racism to be a very serious problem with Hispanic and Black Americans over-indexing. Additionally, multicultural Americans and Gen Z across segments are more likely to recognize that race impacts how people experience life in the U.S. This is evidence these segments are more in tune with the existence of implicit and systemic racism in the country.

1. Most Americans recognize the need for significant change to address systemic racism.

Hispanic and Black Americans are more likely than White and Asian Americans to think significant change is needed to achieve racial equality across core institutions like criminal justice, politics, education, health care, and financial systems. These segments are also more likely to think diverse areas of life such as the news, beauty standards, and sports leagues need to change significantly to better reflect the needs, wants, and preferences of non-White Americans.

1. There is now more risk in remaining silent than taking a stand.

Most consumers expect and demand that brands take a stand. In fact, more than half of all Americans, and roughly two-thirds of Black Americans, think that companies that do not take a stand against racial inequality are part of the problem. Multicultural and Gen Z consumers are more likely to purchase products from companies that make statements about and donate money to causes and organizations they care about.

1. This time is different: You must take concrete steps beyond statements of support.

Young consumer segments that tend to skew multicultural have well-tuned bullsh*t detectors. They see right through empty promises and virtue-signaling remarks. Brands need to back up their statements of support with concrete actions that show they are serious about driving change.

For more tips on how to be a positive agent of change and details on consumer attitudes and behaviors related to racial justice and current events, download an excerpt of the study above. Contact us for more details.

As part of our session, we shared early findings from our just-fielded survey of over 2361 consumers on racism and social justice in America.  Full results of this initiative will be published in several weeks, but we provided an excerpt to set discussion with our invited guests.  Wound that the vast majority are feeling “sad,” “frustrated,” and “angry” in response to the recent events, but we also found that 20% of consumers felt “hopeful.”  Indeed, similar positive emotions are significantly stronger among the multicultural community, with Black consumers in particular feeling “motivated” and “empowered” to a degree unmatched by other consumers.

We also asked consumers to report on how big a problem racism is on a scale of 1 to 10  where 1 equates to “not a problem at all” and 10 to “a very serious problem.”  No surprise that the Black community overindexes in response to this questions with 85% scoring it in the range between 8-10, but even a solid majority of White consumers report scores in this range.  Indeed more individuals across every single intersection of race, ethnicity and generation responded with a 10, than with any other score.

The good news is that brands taking a stand are most likely to gain. We asked consumers how they would respond to brands making statements “supporting causes and organizations I care about”, and to brands “donating money to causes and organizations I care about.” The answer: the highest percentage of consumers report they are “more likely to purchase products,” with an around one in ten reporting they would react negatively.

American communities are advocating for change in large numbers and with resounding energy. Is your brand ready to take on the change needed to support America’s multicultural consumers? As you evaluate and prepare to take on this challenge, we suggest you ask your team these four questions:

1. Do we understand the multicultural population in America? 

2. How is our brand perceived among multicultural America, specifically the most influential generations?  

An intrinsically diverse youth segment (ages 18-39) has emerged in the U.S. These Gen Z and Millennial consumers, referred to as the New Wave, are highly invested in their beliefs and passions, and orient toward inclusion and diversity not seen in older generations. Evaluating how well your brand(s) and advertising resonate is critical to growth.

Powerful traits like exceptionalism and anxiety influence how consumer segments perceive and engage with brands. Improving your understanding of these traits among multicultural consumers can help you recognize, anticipate and influence consumer decision-making in your category. From there, you can develop a framework and a plan to effectively build deep, authentic connections.

4. Are we successfully embedding Cultural Fluency throughout your organization? 

This week, Collage Group staff came together to discuss the protests against the police brutality, systematic racism, and racial injustice plaguing our nation.

The findings from our recent survey begins to illustrate the depth of the challenge ahead.

We asked Americans across racial and ethnic groups if they thought racism was a serious problem in the country today. As the chart below shows, less than 40% of white consumers recognize racism as a concern in this country.

According to Pew Research Center, many white Americans have never been subject to the covert and implicit forms of racism that many people of color experience. Many may have an outdated understanding of racism that fails to recognize the structural issues that have never really been addressed.  School-to-prison pipelines, food deserts, mortgage discrimination, and redlining are just some of the institutional factors whose legacies have never been confronted by so many, especially older white Americans.

Overcoming structural racism will require intentional action and concerted effort by all stakeholders in American society. We each have a part to play in ensuring all Americans feel free, safe, and supported.

More than 10 years ago, Collage Group was founded to help leading consumer organizations better serve the diverse cultural fabric of America. In that spirit we are offering the following initiatives to support our members.

1. A new survey diving deep into the attitudes and expectations consumers are reporting now with implications for brands and companies.
2. Compilation and distillation of authoritative third-party resources on the Black experience of structural racism, provided in the actionable language marketers need.
3. A virtual Roundtable with some of our member companies across industries who are directly engaged as individuals and professionals in this crisis, to understand how their companies are mobilizing in response.
4. Continue to evolve our thinking about ways to galvanize the Collage membership to act in concert in a transformative initiative.

We are always a phone call away if you are in need of any other support. In these trying times, social and political voids provide an opportunity for brands, companies and their leadership to step in to encourage the change that ensures all Americans experience the liberty, peace, and justice too few can rely on.

David Wellisch

CEO

CultureRate:Ad and CultureRate:Brand are major new initiatives that provide a solution to our members’ mounting need for a comprehensive, ongoing analysis of the cultural fluency of branding and advertising. 

This is especially for the “New Wave” of younger Americans who regardless of race or ethnicity are highly responsive to multicultural themes, representation and stories.

CultureRate:Ad and CultureRate:Brand are part of a larger initiative to place every member’s brands and ads at the center of what we do. In the last two weeks, we begin our 2020 CultureRate:Brand initiative with the release of rankings in alcoholic beverages.

Our rating system is built on two years of research into how best to measure cultural fluency. Our 2020 initiative is the first step toward realizing a vision of a comprehensive and transparent database that reveals what works and what doesn’t. CultureRate:Ad is based on over 120,000 responses to approximately 150 ads in 8 categories, with deep multicultural, Millennial and Gen Z oversample. We piloted CultureRate:Brand with four investigations testing over 100 brands with 6000 consumer responses.

For each investigation we are testing ads and brands with approximately 450-500 consumers between 18-39 (21-39 for alcoholic beverages) equally divided across three levels of Hispanic acculturation, Black, Asian and White. Except for personal care and beauty categories, the sample is equally divided across gender. We also capture respondents’ cultural attribute profile and other demographics factors. This can enabled detailed assessment and lookalike identification of high frequency, high affinity or culturally similar consumers.

We hope that access to this database will motivate more inclusive advertising to drive up Cultural Fluency across every category.  It’s time to raise the bar for everyone.

Contact us to learn more about the benefits of becoming a Collage Group Member.