Black women/moms are culturally distinctive. Culture plays an important role in how she perceives herself, how she parents, and how she connects with brands.

2. 2
Define. Explore. Disco
For whatever reason, ver. Engage.
• Creative/interesting premise: Half truths/
whole truths that women tell marketers

3. 3
Define. Explore. Disco
For whatever reason, ver. Engage.
One Marketer’s
Worldview
Marketers often like to focus more on women’s
differences, preferring fine-toothed
segmentation and consumer algorithms that
split hairs instead of commonalities that can
actually be marketed to. We think they’re
missing the forest for the trees.
- Mary Lou Quinlan
what she’s not telling you

4. 4
Define. Explore. Discover. Engage.
Mary Lou and many marketers
believe it is forward thinking to
see beyond ethnicity and
culture.
It is not.
Why Mary Lou
missed the
trees

5. What Mary Lou Doesn’t Tell You
5
Black women are culturally
distinctive:
• Culture plays an important
role in how she perceives
herself, how she parents, and
how she connects with
brands.
• To reach her, it’s critical to
understand what matters
and what doesn’t with
respect to identity and Black
culture.

6. What Mary Lou Doesn’t Tell You
6
71% of all
Black births are
to single
moms*
Struggles with
“Black mom”
stigmas and
stereotypes
Believes White
moms have
more support
from society
and White men
Believes
White moms
have the
option to
work or stay
home
*newsone.com May 9, 2010

7. 7
Connecting with African-American Moms

8. Engage Her"
1. Get Black Culture
2. Know who you are really talking to
3. Flip the script from negative to positive imagery
4. Direct her toward better health
5. Re-think advertising
6. Connect with her across multiple media
platforms
7. Invest in relevant research
8

9. 1. Get Black
Culture
9
 African-American moms place a
value on being respected.
 Gain permission to talk to her
by demonstrating respect and
understanding Black Culture.

10. Respect and Black Culture
 Black moms are more likely than
mainstream moms to use corporal
punishment.
 Children are also taught not to
question adults or authority
figures (50% vs. 33% for non-
Hispanic Whites).*
 Children are expected to address
non-relative adults as “Mr. Miller”
or “Miss Jackie” rather than by
their first names.
 Many Black moms want children
to have Black role models**
 Extend an invitation. Welcome her.
 Speak to her. Aknowledge her
presence. She’s not invisible.
 Don’t talk down to her. She has
value.
 Don’t stereotype her. She’s so much
more.
 Don’t judge her. Walk in her shoes.
Understanding Respect
Showing Respect
*Yankelovich Multicultural Monitor 2007-2008
**Black America Study 2008
10

11. 2. Understand who you are really talking to
All Black moms are not the same
11
Black is Better
Mean Age: 42
Stretched Black Straddlers
Mean Age: 27
Faith Fulfills
Mean Age: 48
New Middle Class
Mean Age: 36
blackamericastudy.com 2008

12. 3. Flip the Script…
.
…from negative stigmas
(i.e. welfare queens,
devaluing Black men,
raising unruly children)
to more positive
imagery.)
…to positive “good
mom” themes
1
2

13. 4. Direct her toward better health
 Explore Black attitudes and
behavior toward health and
wellness
13
2010 Nielsen Media Research

14. 5. Re-think Advertising
 Include Black men/fathers.
(not target them)
 Consider aspirational
messages/programs around
parenting and co-parenting.
14

15. 6. Connect with her across multiple media"
platforms
Print TV Radio
Digital/
Mobile
Experiential
15

16. 7. Invest in Relevant Research
 Change the environment
 Invest in “real”
ethnographies
 Use Black experts
16

17. Final Thoughts
“There is great value in targeting consumers from a cultural
perspective rooted in ethnicity, heritage, race-related influences
and the like.
Don’t “see beyond” these things. See them.
What is important for our collective futures is to acknowledge
race, ethnicity and culture and stop judging it”.
--Rochelle Newman-Carrasco
17

18. 18
18
Thank You!
Pepper Miller
President
The Hunter-Miller Group, Inc.
6745 S. Wabash Avenue, Suite 2
Chicago, IL 60637-3922
P: (773) 602-1620
F: (773) 483-9101
pepper@huntermillergroup.com
www.huntermillergroup.com
BLOG: adage.com/bigtent
Twitter: twitter.com/nsightguru
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Pepper’s Second Book
Coming Soon!