The US is becoming more diverse, with multicultural groups making up a majority of Millennials and Gen Zers. However, multicultural groups remain under-represented in media spend, and some feel ignored by advertisers. For brands looking to reach these audiences, digital media appears to be the path forward, according to a study from My Code.
Based on a Q1 online survey of 3,711 US adults ages 18-64, My Code reveals that 66% of connected multicultural adults are either spending a lot (42%) or a bit (24%) more time on the internet compared to a year ago. By comparison, fewer (55%) of the rest of the respondents could say the same. The gap was particularly acute among those saying they’re spending a lot more time on the internet than a year ago, with 42% of connected multicultural adults professing this versus 27% of the rest of the sample.
The multicultural adults surveyed are using a range of devices to access the internet. Fully 95% use a smartphone, and 89% a computer. A majority (57%) also use a smart TV or connected TV (CTV) device to access the internet, and 55% use a tablet. Of note, three-quarters use the internet away from home (excluding work or school), compared to two-thirds of the rest of the sample, which the study authors say gives marketers “more opportunities to connect with the right message at the right time in the right place.”
Multicultural adults are also turning to the internet to get their entertainment, which happens to be the most prevalent digital activity in the US population. Almost 4 in 10 (38%) report doing so very often or always, compared to about 1 in 4 (26%) adults from the rest of the sample. Even when they’re getting their entertainment elsewhere, some will still be using the internet: 15% say they always use the internet on another device while watching TV, compared to 1 in 10 non-multicultural adults.
Among digital media activities, connected multicultural adults are more apt than the rest of the sample to watch online video, with 71% saying they view this content at least once a day, versus 57% of other adults. MarketingCharts’ own research indicates that digital video viewing is particularly strong among Hispanic adults.
Digital audio – which has long been a medium of appeal for Hispanics in the US – also attracts a multicultural audience. Some 58% of multicultural respondents to the My Code survey listen to podcasts on a monthly basis, versus about half (51%) of the rest of the sample. And among those listeners, 43% of Black adults listen to at least 3 hours of podcasts a week.
Finally, 9 in 10 multicultural adults surveyed are monthly social media users, and 8 in 10 use social media daily. However, almost 8 in 10 believe that online racial hate is a serious problem, and more than half feel that social platforms aren’t doing a good job of curtailing the spread of misinformation.
About the Data: The results are based on a Q1 online survey of 3,711 US adults ages 18-64. Additional sample was included to provide a total of 900 each among Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, and Hispanic adults ages 18-64.
