Holly McGavock, Head of Planning at Wing, put her finger on a crucial issue this morning at the Multicultural TV Summit that is taking place in New York City today. When her panel on “Attracting Multicultural TV Audiences: An Advertising Perspective” turned to the all important topic of the Total Market strategy, Mc Gavock noted that there is a risk of oversimplification when the term “Total Market” is used. “There still is a need for relevant insights to connect with a particular audience,” she added.
McGavock added that Wing currently tries to solve this challenge with two CPG clients that are leading their total market approach with Hispanic insights.
Racially ambiguous casting in Advertising
Creative Services Specialist Valerie Graves noted that the “good news” about the Total market approach is that “everyone is considered from the beginning of the process.” However, she also pointed out that the total market approach has also originated many confusing ad creatives. Graves noted that there is racially ambiguous casting in many TV spots, where characters are often a hybrid of different ethnicities but do not identify themselves physically with any of them.
Michal Finn, SVP of Sales & marketing, El Rey Network said that the newly launched El Rey Network tries to execute the Total Market approach by creating American content with Hispanics in it. The panel was moderated by Saul Gitlin, EVP-Strategic Services & Managing Director, Kang & Lee Advertising and also included Craig A. Geller from NuvoTV and Carol Hinnant, SVP, National Television Sales, Rentrak.