Consumer Sentiment

Since the onset of COVID-19, global communities have been rallying around one another in solidarity, giving marketers a unique window into the cultural nuances reshaping consumer behavior. As brands peer into the looking glass of the next normal, much of the context for their brand strategy will be dictated by these cultural connections and new patterns in consumer behavior.  This week, Dr. Jake Beniflah, Executive Director of the Center for Multicultural Science, stops by The New Mainstream podcast to discuss the influence of cultural DNA on brand strategy, recession marketing, and the future of brand loyalty during the pandemic. ·

Semiotics -- the study of symbols and their usage in a broader context -- is a major element of effective brand strategy but is often overlooked and underutilized. Marketers tend to analyze consumer behavior at a high level but fail to look at the subconscious forces that influence consumers’ thoughts, feelings, and ultimately purchasing decisions. This week, we speak with Whitney Dunlap-Fowler, semiotics expert, brand strategist and founder of A Touch of Whit Creative, to examine the history of culture, the differences between culture and multiculturalism, and how semiotics can be used by brands to get a more comprehensive narrative of consumer behavior. ·

Today’s multicultural consumers are younger than the general population and tech-savvy, making mapping their digital DNA essential to a company’s value chain. The issue is that some of that intel comes too late in the process. This week, Charlie Echeverry, founder of Black Brown Collective, discusses the intersection of digital, diversity, and youth and how putting diverse consumers at the top of the value chain will be a game changer for companies and brands looking for sustainable growth.