America Goes Multicultural, Get Ready For The New Norm

In port cities like Miami and New York, it’s common for people of Latin American or Spanish descent to identify with their countries of origin. However, the term "Hispanic” becomes more prevalent the further inland you go, as immigrant communities assimilate to the American way of life defined by labels. The label “Hispanic” represents a diverse mix of cultures, traditions, and ideals that define this young consumer group wielding its purchasing power in support of culturally sensitive brands. But it's not just Hispanics. American consumers are a collective of labels, from race to ethnicity, religion, age, to sexual orientation. Organizations tasked with tapping into new markets will look to the collective to seek opportunities, exposing the need for cultural research and a deep dive into how diversity, equity, and inclusion show up within an organization. Multicultural, multifaceted, and complex, U.S consumers are redefining identity and challenging stereotypes. Brands can either pivot and play or resist and run the risk of being left behind. Multicultural marketing is no longer a value add. It’s a business imperative for marketers navigating the new norm. Marcela Gómez, the founding partner of the Culture Shift Team, talks about the importance of culture and innovation and the future of multicultural marketing on this episode of The New Mainstream podcast. As the head of CST’s multicultural marketing and public relations division, Marcela has worked with universities, public utilities, packaged goods companies, consumer, corporate, nonprofit, and business-to-business clients in transportation, education, government, banking, and health care.