When the California Milk Processing Board introduced the Spanish version of its iconic “Got Milk?” ad campaign, it used the direct Spanish translation.
Unfortunately, the slogan’s direct translation is “are you lactating?”
That’s one example of multicultural marketing gone awry that Luis Soto, marketing manager for VantageWest Credit Union, Tucson, Ariz., shared with 2019 CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council Conference attendees Thursday in Las Vegas.
As America becomes more diverse, multicultural marketing grows in importance, he says. However, “There’s a fine line between being relatable and condescending.”
Soto cites statistics showing multi-cultural Americans account for more than one-third of the population, and that the white majority will end by 2043.
“We’ve reached a multicultural tipping point,” Soto says. “We need to rethink multiculturism to include family connections, interests, marriage, place of residence, and more.”
Here’s how credit unions can reach out to diverse groups without offending them:
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