Embracing Cultural Sensitivity in Marketing: How to Create Remarkable and Impactful Campaigns

Introduction To Cultural Sensitivity In Marketing

In today’s digital age, the world has become smaller than ever before, thanks to the unparalleled reach of the internet. Through global connectivity, businesses can instantly connect with consumers across geographical boundaries and language barriers. As such, companies have a responsibility to demonstrate awareness and respect for the norms, values, beliefs and practices of the cultures comprising their target audience.  

Where cultural intricacies have not been accounted for in targeted campaigns, companies have unintentionally generated offensive or insensitive content. This can present itself in various ways, such as using culturally inappropriate language or imagery. This is not only relevant to differences in race, religion, gender or disability, but it can also apply to social, environmental or humanitarian causes. Cultural insensitivity can make brands appear tone-deaf, risking long-lasting negative impacts which could be difficult for companies to recover from. In this article, we explore such repercussions in further detail, alongside the successes that come with recognising cultural differences and practical tips to implement in your next market research study or marketing campaign.  

Consequences of failing to recognise cultural sensitivity In Marketing Campaigns

Fostering inclusivity is not only the right thing to do morally, but also makes good business sense. Companies should be mindful of the ways they interact with their consumers and by understanding and respecting the diversity of their customer base, brands can better serve their needs. Where a brand fails to pick up on cultural nuances within their target audience, it can have serious consequences for their consumer engagement. Here, a customer may feel misrepresented and misunderstood, which can lead to a decline in customer loyalty and satisfaction. 

Consequently, in today’s interconnected world, news of a brand’s unintentional misjudgement can spread rapidly through social media platforms where it can come under scrutiny in the public eye. Unlike Baby Boomers and Millennials, Gen Z are the most multicultural generation to date; are soon to make up 40% of global consumers and 70% of them are more likely to support a brand that is committed to diversity and inclusion. As the first truly digital native generation, they can influence and shape conversations online through social media platforms.

This reach has potential to generate backlash and boycotts from customers, activists and the broader public, impacting the perception and reputation of the brand further. Where a competitor has been able to cater to the needs of the targeted customer base using a more considered approach, this could result in loss of market share and future business opportunities. In the most serious failings, companies could face legal and regulatory challenges resulting in lawsuits, fines, and damage to the brand’s legal standing.    

Cumulative effects from the negative public perception has potential to ultimately impact a company’s financial performance through declining sales, profitability and long-term damage to its competitive position in the market. Such a detrimental outcome could be prevented, however, through careful planning, market research and strategy implementation.  

The potential for embracing cultural sensitivities

Where companies have been able to adapt to demographics and navigate diverse audiences, they have thrived and even redefined industries. An example of such success is Fenty Beauty, a cosmetics brand which in 2017 launched a foundation which could be purchased in 40 shades for people of all complexions. The product not only provided an extensive shade range, but it was a well-designed formulation leaving no “white cast” when applied, a frustration frequently experienced by women of colour. Previously unfound and as an industry “first”, their representative product and marketing campaigns embodied inclusivity, equality and authenticity.  

Interestingly, upon product launch, their darkest shades of foundation sold out the quickest, evidencing the untapped nature of the market and the spending power that women of colour have. The impact on the beauty industry was far wider than what may have been anticipated, culminating in “The Fenty Effect”, a movement which has prompted market leaders, who previously offered 10-20 foundation shades advertised on Caucasian women, to extend their product offering and diversify marketing campaigns. Fenty Beauty have inadvertently set a new beauty standard and expectation, without once using the word “inclusive” in their messaging. Instead, they were defined as such by the press and their consumers, who they remain engaged with through the Fenty Beauty Community.  

By catering to and celebrating cultural differences, companies have the potential to be market-drivers and if not, they can at least be market-driven. Done correctly, businesses can improve customer satisfaction, loyalty, trust and profitability. The Fenty Beauty Effect is an example of this, since 77% of customers have shown loyalty to the brand. 

Practical steps to implement in your next marketing/market research strategy

Where companies are better positioned to adapt to demographics and navigate diverse audiences, they have the potential to thrive. Carefully planned market research or marketing campaigns have the potential to offer this global perspective, where insight can tailor initiatives and marketing campaigns in a respectful and inclusive way. This requires a thoughtful and deliberate approach, the main points of which are summarised below: 

1. Conduct secondary desk research to gain an understanding of the specific cultural subgroups, customs, values, language and beliefs that might be relevant to your target audience. Many tools can be used to investigate this, such as social listening, which uses AI to track specific mention of keywords, topics, brands or competitors. This information will be used to gauge public opinion, understand specific audience interests and gather insight into cultural conversations and sentiment. Such an exercise brings forth unfiltered insight driven by data, to help better understand your target audience. 

2. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of your target audience, or to better understand potential cultural taboos, seek the services of a cultural consultant. Such professionals work in tandem with marketers and market researchers and share their deep knowledge and experiences about specific cultures, and apply this to cross-cultural marketing campaigns, product development or community engagement initiatives among others. Similar outcomes can be achieved by partnering with local research partners or stakeholders. Such individuals will be open to receiving questions, so be sure to make the most out of the opportunity to clear any doubts or misconceptions. This approach lends credibility to marketing efforts and the research process, moving away from tokenism. 

3. Integrate cultural learnings into research design and consider using mixed modes of primary data collection (such as a blend of quantitative surveys and in-depth qualitative interviews) to gain a 360° view of the target audience. It would also be worth developing methodologies or questions sets that allow for on-going monitoring as cultural landscapes change over time. This ensures relevance while striving for authenticity in the long-term. If targeting an international audience, translate questionnaires accurately and in a culturally appropriate way, to ensure they resonate as intended. Lastly, before launching primary data collection, questions sets should be tested on smaller, representative samples of the target audience to identify any misunderstandings. 

4. From a business development perspective, learning should be deployed by actively collaborating with the targeted community outside of project work. Developing mutually beneficial partnerships increases brand loyalty, which in turn fosters understanding, trust, respect and effective communication across cultural boundaries. Where mistakes can inadvertently be made, apologise sincerely and promptly, ensuring a “crisis management” strategy is in place to manage such occurrences. Taking accountability; learning from mistakes; demonstrating openness to feedback and a commitment to learning builds credibility within the community of your target audience.  

Conclusion 

Where companies have a specific target audience, they have a duty to be mindful of cultural sensitivities, despite it initially appearing as a daunting task. Embracing them can have transformative potential on a company’s reputation and revenue, however every effort made should stem from a genuine place of respect for the cultures they intend to engage with. 

If you are seeking help navigating cultural sensitivities in your market research project, please contact our team of research specialists.