Abstract
This R.J. Reynolds marketing document shows how cigarette marketers viewed U.S. ethnic markets in the 1960's. While today cigarette companies are often cagey about admitting they target certain ethnic groups for their products, this document states right up front that "Since 1965, R. J. Reynolds has spent $5,260,000 tailoring advertising to the Negro, Spanish-Language, and Jewish special markets."
The document gives demographic information about the "Negroes, Spanish-Language and Jewish markets" in the U.S. and then makes general assumptions about these markets. In profiling the African-American market, for example, the document contains the following descriptions and conclusions:
"In the typical sociological diagram of American power and prestige, the Negro woman is at the bottom of the heap. Above her is the black male, then the white female, and, at the top, stands the white male. The majority of Negro women are still imitating the styles and attitudes of white women who are considered more sexy and attractive. The white image is deep inside them, planted there by a lifetime of exposure to white standards of beauty as reflected in the media. Now a movement is underway to elevate the Negro woman, to reshape her vision of herself from broad-beamed kitchen laborer and head-of-household to svelte femininity, to make her a target of male desire and to give her a separate identity that is black, warm, and cherishable. Although her role is beginning to change rapidly, today it is the Negro male who dominates the movement, venturing along new paths, and presenting an image of defiance and resolution."
[From page 62, Bates No.5019809291]:
Negro masses are only at a point in time where economic security is a possibility. They have only begun to feel the freedom of economic security. Quality rates as a cherished attribute. Negroes buy the best Scotch as long as the money lasts, most marketers agree.
[From page 64, Bates No. 501989293]:
The strategy for advertising the Negroes through their media is to create "Negro upscale situations" and to make these consumers feel that the advertising is directed to them. Negro principles should be used against the background of identifiable settings and situations in which they might find themselves. When considering settin showing an integrated football team at work). Effectiveness depends upon the degree
of Negro realism captured in the situations in which
the Negroes are principals. Negroes are primarily urban
dwellers, and as such, settings and situations used should
reflect this. Examples of urban situations that could
be used are:
• A scene outside a telephone booth on a busy street;
• A night out at a cocktail lounge;
• Driving an automobile in a traffic snarl;
• Just missing a bus; and
• Leaving a motion picture theater.
Fields
- Quotes
[Preface]:
Since 1965, R.J. Reynolds has spent $5,260,000 tailoring advertising to the Negro, Spanish-Language and Jewish special markets...
[501989259]:
Outdoor advertising is considered an effective medium in the Negro community. It allows for showings keyed to concentrated Negro population centers tailored for desired markets. Generally, transit is not considered an effective Negro-oriented media as seldom do routes have confinement within Negro communities. However, like outdoor billboards, subway station billboards in Negro areas can be very effective.
[501989263]:
Negro radio, of all media directed towards this segment
of the population is undoubtedly the best, and most efficient means of reaching the Negro. This medium is universally available with several hundred stations throughout the country programming all or a portion of their broadcast day for the Negro...
In the typical Sociological diagram of American power and prestige, the Negro woman is at the bottom of the heap. Above her is the black male, then the white female, and, at the top, stands the white male. The majority of Negro women are still imitating the styles and attitudes of white women who are considered more sexy and attractive. The white image is deep inside them, planted there by a lifetime of exposure to white standards of beauty as reflected in the media. Now a movement is underway to elevate the Negro woman, to reshape her vision of herself from broad-beamed kitchen laborer and head-of-household to svelte femininity, to make her a target of male desire and to give her a separate identity that'is black, warm, and
cherishable. Although her role is beginning to change
rapidily, today it is the Negro male who dominates the
movement, venturing along new paths, and presenting
an image of defiance and resolution.
[Page 62, Bates No.5019809291]:
Negro masses are only at a point in time where economic security is a possibility. They have only begun to feel the freedom of economic security. Quality rates as a cherished attribute. Negroes buy the best Scotch as long as the money lasts, most marketers agree.
[Page 64, Bates No. 501989293]:
But perhaps one of the most important decisive motivatons of the Negro consumer is best reflected in the results of a regional study about beer among white, Negro and Puerto Rican consumers. Reaction to product benefits (lightness, body, color, etc.) were about the same. Difference occurred, however, when personal versus social motivations were considered. Negroes placed very little emphasis on the social interaction associated with drinking although Puerto Ricans placed much emphasis on it. On the other hand, Negroes placed great emphasis on the personal satisfaction of drinking beer and Puerto Ricans did not. Obviously the point here is that the personal satisfaction derived from a product is perhaps one decisive motivation of Negroes and any attempt to sell them had better take this into primary consideration.
The strategy for advertising the Negroes through their media is to create "Negro upscale situations" and to
make these consumers feel that the advertising is dir-
ected to them. Negro principles should be used against
the background of identifiable settings and situations
in which they might find themselves. When considering
settings, the "outdoors" (hunting, skiing, sailing) is
not felt to be suitable, as these are stiil considered
unfamiliar to the Negro in general, and .part of the luxu-
ries afforded only whites. However, there are settings
which could be universal to both white and black consumers
(i.e., Pepsi's commercial showing an integrated football team at work). Effectiveness depends upon the degree
of Negro realism captured in the situations in which
the Negroes are principals. Negroes are primarily urban
dwellers, and as such, settings and situations used should
reflect this. Examples of urban situations that could
be used are:
• A scene outside a telephone booth on a busy street;
• A night out at a cocktail lounge;
• Driving an automobile in a traffic snarl;
• Just missing a bus; and
• Leaving a motion picture theater.
...Any good strategy will create the music for the campaign
theme in the sound of rhythm and blues, which is the pri-
mary ,format of Negro-oriented radio stations. The beat,
the tempo, and the "feeling" of the "Soul" music is almost
instinctively identifiable to the Negro ear which is accustomed to this sound...Disc jockeys, who for the most part consider themselves entertainers, often are the best for the delivery of commercials, provided they do not have a "screaming" delivery often associated with Negro announcers...
- Company
- R.J. Reynolds
- Author
- Holland, Gehrmann
- Recipient
- Presumed recipient, R.J. Reynolds
- Region
- United States
- Litigation
- Minnesota Selected
- Operation/Project
- Ethnic marketing
- Type
- MARKETING RESEARCH
- REPORT
- Named Person
- Reynolds, R.J.
- American
- BAT
- B&W
- Liggett
- Loews
- Lorillard
- Philip Morris Inc
- RJR
- William Esty
- Parke Gibson & Assoc
- Joesph Jacobs
- Cencus Bureau
- Fortune
- Opinion Research
- Black, J.
- Harvard Business Review
- Proctor & Gamble
- Evans, W.L.
- Center For Research in Marketing
- Crest
- Colgate
- Commerce Dept
- Amsterdam News
- Afro American
- Pittsburgh Courier
- Ebony
- Jet
- Tan
- Sepia
- Life
- Wook
- Tuesday
- List of Negro Publications
- Business Week
- Natl Housing Producers Assn
- Greyhound
- Basie, C.
- WAOK
- WERD
- WIGO
- Atlanta Daily World
- New Crusader
- Atlanta Inquirer
- WENN
- WJLD
- Birmingham World
- Birmingham Times
- Birmingham Mirror
- True Story
- List of Chicago Negro Comm Media
- True Confession
- Southern Christian Leadership Confe
- WCIA
- Stokes, C.B.
- Call & Post
- Cincinnati Herald
- WABQ
- WJMO
- KNOK
- Post Tribune
- Dallas Express
- Fort Worth Mind
- In Sepia Dallas
- List of Detroit Negroes Media
- KCOH
- KYOK
- Houston Informer
- Forward Times
- KPRS
- Kansas City Call
- KGFI
- Stokes, L.
- Los Angeles Sentinel
- Wdia
- Memphis World
- Milwaukee Courier
- Milwaukee Star
- La Weekly
- Wnjr
- Katz
- Nj Afro American
- List of NY Blacks Media
- WRA
- WHTH
- Norfolk Journal & Guide
- Philadelphia Tribune
- Philadelphia Afro American
- Richmond Afro American
- List of St Louis Blacks Media
- List of References
- Clay, W.
- List of Ca Metro Blacks Media
- List of Washington, D.C. Negro Media
- UCLA, University of Calif. Los Angeles
- Mexican American Study
- Ted Bates
- Needham Harper & Steers
- Pepsi Cola
- Coca Cola
- Shaeffer
- Kraft
- Dancer Fitzgerald
- Compton Grey Young & Rubicam
- Louis, D. Albertini
- Colgate Palmoltive
- Caballero, E.
- Petgen, A.
- Medmark
- Ny Times
- Novella
- Temas
- Pimenta
- Sullivan, E.
- Velilla, M.
- Persuasian Research
- Ny Daily News
- Ny Subways Advertising
- Bacardi
- Canada Dry
- El Pico Coffee
- Campbells Soup
- Benton & Bowles
- El Diario, L.A. Prensa
- Vanidades
- Tv Guide
- Lis of Spanish Radio Markets
- List of Spanish Publications
- Gillette
- Pulse Study
- List of Jewish Publications
- Fitzhugh, H.N.
- General Longshore Workers Union
- Richmond Chamber of Commerce
- True Confessions
- Consolidated Bank & Trust
- King, M.L.
- Small Business Administration
- Carmichael, S.
- Johnson Publishing
- First Research
- List, O.F. Major Negro Radio Markets
- NYC Board of Education
- Quaker Oats
- Pulse
- ABC
- Best Foods Hellmans
- Pan Am
- Pimienta
- List of Spanish Television Markets
- List of NY Spanish Movie Theatres
- Hadassah
- Bnai Brith
- Subject
- Target/ethnic (targeting ethnic markets)
- Target/Low-Income (Target Groups)
- target market
- Ethnic marketing
Document Images
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09
R. J. hFYNULLS TUk3ACC0 CU?".YANY
OUTDOOR
NFZR0
( ~'
~~CHI$IT ~r
Criterion - 3 Sheet Junior Posters -.6 Sheet
i:brkc•t Number of ),osters Monthly Cost Number of Posters Monthly Cost
Atlanta, Ga. 50 $ 1,613
Baltimore, 21d. 150 1,575 50 1,CCA
Bir:nin;hnm, Ala. 50 . 1,0'.rJ
Boston, I:ass. 50 525 30 825
Chicago, 111. 250 2,625 150 3,c00
Cincinnati, Ohio 40 960
Cleveland, Ohio 100 1,G50 60 1,440
Columbus, Ohio 90 945 30 480
Dallr::, Te.x. - 40 1,000
Detroit, t;ich. 125 1,313 60 1,155
Fort M:orth, Tex. 15 293
Houston, Tex. 60 1,855
Indianapolis, Ind. 25 263 30 600
Kansas City, Mo. 55 578 40 1,200
Los Angeles, Calif. 50 525 200 6,OOJ
Mer.phis, Tenn. - - 50 1,125
24ilwaukee, :disc. 50 525 40 960
Newark, N. J. 50 525 1co 2,300
New Orleans, La. - - 50 925
New York, N. Y. 220 2,310 250 6,250
2JorfoLk-Portsmouth, Ya. - - 40 SC0
Philadelphia, Pa. 200 2,100 100 2,300
Pittsburgh, Pa. 50 525 5C 1,100
Richmond, Va. - - 30 600
San Francisco, Calif. 70 735 70 2,450
St. Louis, 110. 175 1,838 60 1,410
9/15/69
lAZ6 96t05
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I ADVERTZSING PLANNING
50198 9282
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Ir-
R. J. ReYnolds
NEGRO MARKET STUDY
IV. Advertising Planning
A. Nature of the Market
Few fields of marketing are in so pronounced a state of
confusion as that of selling to the Negro consumer. Some
firms even seem uncertain about how to proceed. They
are unsure of choice of media, type of appeal, mode of
presentation, and above all, the element of good•taste.
Systematic market studies are scarce and much of what
is available comes from Negro media and so may serve
specialty interests. In addition, Negro consumers them-
selves are responsible for confusing many potential adver-
tisers in Negro-oriented media. For instance, some demand
to be referred to as black, another group is sensitive
.,
to any name other than Afro-American, another group wants
to be called Negro, and some still insist on "colored".
Despite these handicaps, some guidelines can be set forth
which reveal some very important distinguishing characteristics.
This market can be defined as two predominant groups,
the "haves" and the "have-nots". The Negro middle class,
the haves, is socialogically farther removed from lower
income Negroes, the have-nots, than middle class whites
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are from low income whites. The five million Negro mem-
I-
bers of the middle class (often defined as those with
family incomes of $6,000 or more) not only control a large
fraction of Negro discretionary spending, but also are
sensitive to poor taste and willing to do something.about
it. This middle class, while only about 22% of this
Ethnic group, comprises the most influential buyers among
Negroes. Usually, these people are the elders and more
often than not follow the teachings of the late Dr. Martin
Luther King and, in addition, pattern their living on white
norms.
The middle-class Negro has little in common with the
low income one. The gulf between poor and prosperous
widens as white collar and professional jobs open up
faster than the much-needed blue collar jobs. The Negro
market is very young with a median age of 21 as compared
with 29 for the white market. The younger segment of
the Negro population, the low class, is divided. One
group wants only to leave the ghetto. The other pre-
fers to stay in the ghetto and go "militantly Black".
The youngster who idolizes Stokely Carmichael or goes
all out for the "natural Afro look" does not identify
with his elders.
Ln
It should be understood, however, that there is a trend o
~
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`_ toward "blacks getting together". This is evidenced °D
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in some identifiable for-ms. Membership in ethnocentric
L_
organizations is on the-increase. More magazines and
newspapers serving black readership have been initiated
One of the most successful contests held recently was
the "Miss Black America" Contest. This is not to indi-
cate that efforts to eliminate discrimination in the
Miss America Contest are being abandoned, but rather
that the Negro community collectively will accept and
support a Miss Black America. Organizations are being
created, such as the National Housing Producers Asso-
ciation, which is comprised of black contractors, join-
ing together to achieve certain goal-s.
The Negro society today is essentially a matriarchal
one with the woman of the house making most of the deci-
sions. One out of four Negro families has a female
head-of-household as compared with one out of ten white
families. They play a more important role in holding
i
families together than their white counterparts. In
the District of Columbia, 53% of the potential Negro women's
work force is employed; Florida is second with 52% and
the greater metropolitan New York market is third with
50%. With the average employed Negro woman contribut-
ing about 32% of the average median income, her consumer
, .
advice is heeded. However, as employment opportunities
open up for the Negro male, he is beginning to play a
~
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more important part in family life.
In addition to the emergence of the Negro male to become
an influential decision maker, is the search of the Negro
female for her real identity. In the typical sociologi-
cal diagram of American power and prestige, the Negro
woman is at the bottom of the heap. Above her is the
black male, then the white female, and, at the top, stands
the white male. The majority of Negro women are still
imitating the styles and attitudes of white women who
are considered more sexy and attractive. The white image
is deep inside them, planted there by a lifetime of
exposure to white standards of beauty as reflected in'
the media. Now a movement is underway to elevate the
Negro woman, to reshape her vision of herself from broad-
beamed kitchen laborer and head-of-household to svelte
femininity, to make her a target of male desire and to
give her a separate identity that,is black, warm, and
cherishable. Although her role is beginning to change
rapidily, today it is the Negro male who dominates the
movement, venturing along new paths, and presenting
an image of defiance and resolution.
The Negro market means many things to many people.
To some firms, the Negro is a consumer like anybody else.
To others, he is among many special markets in the demo-
graphic spectrum. But to an increasing number, he is
4
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one of several Ethnic groups that deserve special con-
A--
sideration. Mr. H. N. Fitzhugh, Pepsi Cola Vice Presi-
dent for Special Markets says, "If companies treated
Negroes as they do everyone else, there would be no
Negro market". What he means is that the Negro is indeed
a separate and distinct market when seen by a marketer
but not so from the point of view of the Negro himself.
Business Week says it this way, "They just want to be
part of the mainstream. Every guy in the street wants
what whitey has. They want the opportunity to live the
life that TV says everybody lives".
Although Negroes have the same wants, desires, and needs
as any other group, there is one significant difference.
He sees America through a prism of 350 years of discrim-
.ination. As a consequence, he has a great need for
recognition'as part of U. S. society. This makes him
hypersensitive to real or fancied slights, whether in
advertising, the retail outlet, or in employment prac-
tices. As a result of this, Negroes generally express
greater national brand loyalty than do whites. They
are sceptical of private label and associate national
brands with quality. Because of this association, they
put more confidence in these brands thereby attempting
to avoid the embarrassment of "being took". From a o
~
marketing point of view, it is important to remember m
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that loyalty associated-with quality or brand image is
stronger than loyalty associated with low prices or
bargains; white consumers tend to be low price and bar-
gain shoppers. Another reason Negroes consistently buy
the brands that are nationally advertised is that they
are the ones that have the prestige connotation. Negroes
have deep psychological needs and often feel left out
or forced outside. Often the association of a name
product with themselves provides a lift. However, this
brand loyalty discussion is not intended to imply that
Negroes do not switch brands, because they do. The dis-
tinguishing characteristic is that, rather than their
brand preferences being spread over six or seven brands
in a given category, their selections tend to cluster
ar.,ong two or three brands within a particular product
group. And within these two or three brands, they can
be influenced to switch. Joe Black, former major league
pitcher and now a Greyhound vice president, has stated:
"One can safely say that the Negro market is a general
market in itself. It has teenagers, females, million-
aires, paupers, mass and class facets, and the common
denominator that unites it is the psychological inferi-
ority complex that has been generated through fallacious
and outmoded stereo-types".
B. F.eaching (Strategy Development)
In trying to reach this market, there are three operating
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modes: Negro-oriented advertising, Neutral advertising,
~_j
and Integrated-advertising.
1. Negro-Oriented Advertising
Negro oriented advertising is that advertising which
uses Negro models in realistic Negro situations,.is
placed in media oriented to Negroes, and is executed
so to primarily establish conviction and believability
in the minds of the Negro audience. This is believed
to be the most effective technique for influencing -
the Negro consumer because it reassures him that the
product is meant for him. Effective advertising should
reflect realistic considerations of the Negro consumer
as a Negro, be placed in media oriented to his inter-
ests, and usually should not be white-orierited cam-
paigns with Negro model substitutes.
2. Neutral Advertising
Product advertising, sometimes referred to as pack-
age advertising, is considered neutral, since it
does not.have people, and it can be used generically
in any customer-oriented media. There is another.
form of neutral advertising which is the use of regu-
lar advertising in all media, white and Negro, count-
ing on the basic appeal of the product to sell it,
wherever it is placed.
Neutral advertising is not as influential with Negroes
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as Negro-oriented advertising because of its neutrality.
~
Because he is so aware and proud of his highly visi-
ble and different outward appearance, he prefers
advertising keyed to him.
3. Integrated Advertising
There is much debate about whether integrated ads,
no matter what the medium, help sell products to
Negroes. Integrated advertisin2 is that which is
prepared primarily for white-oriented media, that
includes Negroes either in starring, featured, or
walk-on roles. It is more a public relations strat-
egy than a marketing strategy. Negroes and sometimes
other non-white models are used with whites in tele-
vision commeYcials and print ads primarily to "secure
a more realistic portrayal,of the role of minority
groups in our national life" and in the companies
which use them, Its use is primarily to fulfill an
official or unofficial commitment to include Negroes
and iden.tifiable members of other minority groups
in advertising. Although it is doubtful that this
is an effective technique to influence Negro consumers,
white reaction generally has been favorable. How-
ever, W. L. Evans, President and Editor of Tuesday
magazine says that "inclusion of Negroes in TV com-
mercials. was part of a social crusade and political
consideration. There was no thought at the time,
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