Honors Theses

Date of Award

2018

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

Journalism

First Advisor

Christina Sparks

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

This research will explore the importance of cultural context in engaging multicultural audiences through communication cues strategically placed in advertising messages. Consumer response to cultural cues embedded in messages targeted to multicultural consumers will be examined to identify influences that determine its effectiveness in appealing to multicultural markets. Taking into consideration that consumer brand personality perceptions and reactions must be considered within a cultural context. (De Mooij, 2004) brands communication to multicultural consumers have to be informed within the consumer's cultural context. The current multicultural population growth, growing purchasing power, and the different ways people respond to different messages has made this communication approach essential to reach multicultural consumers authentically, respectfully, and effectively, based on the reasoning that to be successful, marketers must consider the cultural context their brands exist in, understanding cultural markers adds depth and meaning to the conversations you want to have with your consumers (Marketing Mag, 2016). The goal of this research is to accomplish an understanding of the importance of cultural context in engaging multicultural consumers, it will focus on the argument supporting the utilization of an emotional marketing strategy and the development of a congruent brand identity and image through an IMC approach in order to achieve said engagement and positive response. This study explores the receptivity of advertising messages designed to appeal to multicultural consumers. Findings suggest that advertising receptiveness by multicultural and general market consumers increases through embedded cultural, social and racial symbols and cues strategically embedded in the communication. Results suggest that use of authentic, cross-cultural cues communicated within cultural context will affect the underlying consumer decision-making process, which influences the effectiveness of multicultural advertising practices. Primary Research was gathered to reconcile the importance of social and cultural cues in different advertisements. Data was collected from the following methods of research: focus groups, survey/questionnaires, interviews with subject matter experts and interviews with college students from varying backgrounds to gain insight within the younger millennial population on the perception and consumer-brand relationships of multiculturally targeted ads.

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