MCI, formed this year out of the media assets of Malaysian tycoon Tiong Hiew King, publishes a series of Chinese-language titles in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as the US and Canada. It claims a global circulation of more than a million. With 2008 revenues forecast at US$328 million, MCI shows that catering to Asia’s Chinese diaspora can be big business. Research from Ohio University suggests there are 37 million Chinese living outside China, the bulk in Southeast Asia
Specialist ethnic media - print, television, radio or online offerings targeted at a particular ethnic minority, generally in that group’s own language - are already established in the US, Europe and Australia. The US has more than 500 distinct ethnic publications (60 in Vietnamese alone), thought to reach an audience of 72 million. Australia, meanwhile, has around 260 ethnic media publications.
There’s plenty of scope for media serving ethnic minorities around the region. In Hong Kong alone, for example, there are approximately 140,000 Filipinos and 102,000 Indonesians.
The question for both advertisers and agencies is how best to use these specialist channels.
1 Remember that ethnic media is a very diverse category, in terms of the particular ethnic group targeted, circulation figures, editorial slant and the purchasing power of readers.
“Part of our mission is to promote Chinese culture, language, values and virtues to Chinese communities outside Greater China,” says Francis Tiong, CEO of Media Chinese International.
In contrast, Filipino tabloids found in Hong Kong, such as Bulgar and Abante, are slanted toward entertainment news and celebrity culture. “You really need to know who you’re targeting, as ethnic media in a specific language can be aimed at a white-collar readership as well as at migrant workers,” says Sue McCusker, general manager of Publicis Hong Kong.
2 Ethnic media can reach consumers who are difficult to access through conventional media channels. Editorial content is targeted at the specific interests of the ethnic group the medium is aimed at, which means a more focused readership than mass media.
This is especially useful for companies that target migrant workers. “Companies such as Western Union have been advertising in local-language ethnic media for a long time, and it’s an important way for them to reach their target audiences,” says Publicis’ McCusker.
Telecom companies such as SmarTone-Vodafone make effective use of ethnic media, targeting high-volume, low-value users in their own language.
3 As traditional media fragment, ethnic media become increasingly attractive to advertisers. “Media buyers in Australia have realised that this is a smart niche,” says Allan Kaufman, director of Leba, an Australian agency specialising in ethnic media.
“While the costs aren’t necessarily that much lower than mainstream media, they are lower than in other niche media, which is a much better comparison given that you have a clear idea of the demographic you’re reaching,” he says.
Industry estimates in Australia put ad rates per single column centimetre in ethnic media at around one-fifth of those in niche titles with comparable circulations.
4 Which ethnic media are likely to boom in Asia? “It depends on the income profiles of the ethnic groups targeted - the higher their purchasing power, the more attractive their ethnic media will become to advertisers,” says one source. Online ethnic media are tipped for growth, though access remains an issue.
5 Tracking impact in ethnic media is difficult. “We depend extensively on newsstand sales in all of our markets,” says Tiong. “Even in markets such as the US or Canada, only about 10 to 15 per cent of our circulation is via subscription,” he adds.
Sales figures rarely reflect actual readership. “These magazines tend to be circulated around the community. You can generally see the impact of an ad campaign through spikes in purchasing, rather than regular tracking devices,” says McCusker. “Word-of-mouth is king in ethnic media,” she adds.
What it means for…
Media buyers
- Ethnic media is inexpensive and highly targeted — but it can be hard to track what you’re getting for your money.
- Advertising in ethnic media tends to be about long-term engagement, building relationships with particular minorities you might struggle to reach otherwise — don’t be put off if results seem slow in coming.
- Relatively few brands are represented in ethnic media — which means a real opportunity for brands that are a good fit with a particular demographic to really stand out.
- Don’t be over-eager and blast ethnic media with the might of your advertising — getting your ads right and relevant is more influential than pages of rushed translations. Just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean you can leave your brain at home.
Brands
- Make sure that your product is really relevant to the target audience — there’s no point in pressing your agency to specialise its buying if your product doesn’t tap in to the needs and wants of the community.
- Think of ethnic media advertising as part of a broader engagement with the said target group — when word of mouth is king, cultivating the perception that you’re genuinely involved in the community is key.
Local-language copy and ethnic media advertising is a good start, but those who really reap the benefits use these tools to immerse their brands in different communities.
