For decades, brands have treated diversity as just another category within their marketing strategies. A segment to target, a specific audience to reach, or an additional variable within the broader market.
Today, that way of thinking is becoming outdated.
In Los Angeles, diversity influences how people build their identities, how cultural trends spread, and how consumers make decisions. It is not simply a characteristic of the market. It is the environment in which everything happens.
This is the central idea behind ThinkNow’s latest report, The Diversity OS: How Los Angeles Runs the Future of Consumer Behavior.
Los Angeles is one of the most diverse cities in the world and often serves as an early indicator of cultural shifts that later spread across the country.
ThinkNow’s research found that everyday diversity is the defining characteristic of the city. Elements such as language, food, communities, and shared cultural experiences carry more weight than many of the traditional associations people have with Los Angeles.
This makes the city more than just a local market.
To help brands better understand this reality, ThinkNow developed the Diversity OS framework.
The model explains how four key dimensions of consumer behavior interact:
Identity: How people define themselves across different cultural and social contexts.
Interaction: How communities connect, share experiences, and exchange cultural influence.
Influence: How ideas, behaviors, and trends spread across different groups.
Decision: How cultural relevance, representation, and belonging influence consumer choices.
Together, these four layers provide a more complete understanding of how multicultural markets operate today.
Today’s audiences are increasingly complex. People participate simultaneously in multiple communities, identities, and cultural spaces.
Brands that better understand these dynamics will be better positioned to create relevant messaging, build trust, and develop stronger connections with their audiences.
For organizations looking to understand where consumer behavior in the United States is headed next, Los Angeles offers a unique window into the future.
Explore the complete findings from The Diversity OS: How Los Angeles Runs the Future of Consumer Behavior and discover how identity, culture, and representation are transforming the way people connect with brands.
Download the report here.
In the latest episode of The New Mainstream, Mario Xavier Carrasco sits down with Ingrid Otero, President and CEO of Casanova McCann, to discuss how multicultural marketing is evolving and what is shaping brand decision making today.
The conversation offers a grounded perspective on the forces influencing the industry.
In recent months, several brands have reduced the visibility of their multicultural initiatives. This shift reflects budget scrutiny, internal alignment, and the need to justify investment across organizations.
At the same time, research focused on multicultural audiences continues. Insights, strategy, and data teams remain actively engaged in understanding behaviors, motivations, and growth opportunities within these segments.
The episode highlights the role of Latino consumers within the U.S. market. Their influence is reflected in consistent consumption patterns, strong community ties, and a meaningful role in shaping cultural trends.
For brands, this calls for sustained engagement and strategies grounded in this reality.
A central theme of the conversation is how authenticity is built.
Effective decisions are rooted in a deep understanding of the consumer, their context, and their cultural identity. Relevance comes from messaging that reflects lived experiences and real connections.
Drawing from her experience leading Casanova McCann, Otero shares how she has navigated key decisions during periods of uncertainty.
During the pandemic, she led a transformation of the agency’s model, focusing on flexibility and independence. This involved operational shifts and a reassessment of priorities.
The current environment requires clarity in how brands engage with multicultural audiences.
Strategies benefit from consistency, deep consumer understanding, and alignment across insights, creative, and execution.
Listen to the full episode of The New Mainstream and hear the complete conversation with Ingrid Otero.
Over the last year, I’ve noticed something interesting.
Several brands have publicly scaled back, rebranded, or quietly dismantled their multicultural marketing efforts. Some announced it. Others simply removed the language from their websites, shifted titles internally, or reallocated visible budgets.
And yet.
Behind closed doors, those same brands are still investing in multicultural research.
How do I know? The demand for multicultural consumer survey respondents hasn’t slowed. And colleagues across the industry have shared projects they’re working on confidentially. The research budgets are still there. The segmentation work is still happening. The Hispanic studies are still fielding. The consumer modeling is still running.
So, what does that tell us?
It tells us this was never about the data.
It was about fear.
The demographic shift in the United States has not slowed down. Latino purchasing power continues to grow. Multicultural consumers are driving population growth, cultural influence, and economic expansion. Brands know this. Their finance teams know this. Their insights teams know this.
And the data makes it impossible to ignore.
In our LA Identity Report, we found that Angelenos increasingly define themselves through layered, multicultural identities rather than single labels. This is not a niche audience. It is the future of the total market. Los Angeles is simply showing us first what the rest of the country will look like next.
Similarly, in our Hispanic Gen Z Authenticity study conducted with LatiNation, 87 percent of respondents said they can immediately detect inauthentic advertising. Even more telling, 59 percent said they reward brands that acknowledge their heritage, and 42 percent reported making a purchase after engaging with culturally authentic content.
The findings are clear, cultural authenticity influences purchasing behavior. So, what changed?
The political climate.
Instead of doubling down publicly, some companies recalibrated visibly while continuing to invest quietly. They are still trying to win the consumer. They just do not want to be seen doing it.
This places risk management above growth strategy.
And consumers are not inspired by risk management.
Multicultural audiences know who celebrates them loudly and who studies them silently. They know who shows up in moments of pride and who disappears when it becomes inconvenient. They can feel the difference between conviction and calculation.
You cannot build long term brand affinity in the shadows.
Costco recently made headlines for standing firmly behind its diversity commitments despite external pressure. Whether you agree with every tactic or not, the signal was clear. Consistency builds trust. Silence builds skepticism.
The brands that have retreated publicly but continued investing privately reveal something important. They understand the economic inevitability of demographic change. They are not prepared to absorb short-term friction.
But here is the reality. The friction is temporary. The demographic shift is permanent.
Research conducted quietly behind the scenes does not compensate for the absence of visible commitment. If anything, it creates a credibility gap. Consumers today reward brands that align behavior with values. They penalize inconsistency. And in the age of social media, inconsistency travels fast.
If you believe multicultural consumers are central to your growth, then your public posture and your investment strategy should match. Otherwise, you are signaling hesitation. And hesitation erodes brand equity.
The irony is that the companies pulling back publicly are still paying to understand these consumers. That tells me they know where growth is coming from. They are just not prepared to say it aloud.
The next decade will not belong to brands that studied multicultural America quietly. It will belong to brands that embraced it openly.
You cannot whisper your way into cultural leadership.
This blog post was originally published on LinkedIn.
For years, many brands have operated under a quiet assumption:
The more culturally specific you are, the greater the risk.
Traditional logic suggests that neutrality protects mass reach and that leaning into specific cultural identity may create controversy or alienate audiences.
But new data from ThinkNow challenges that belief directly.
We conducted an online survey among residents of the Los Angeles DMA, exploring perceptions of Bad Bunny’s selection as the Super Bowl Halftime performer. The findings do not reveal hesitation. They reveal validation.
The myth of cultural risk does not hold up under data scrutiny.
Download the full report here.
Overall sentiment toward Bad Bunny’s participation is clearly favorable among all Los Angelenos.
Consumers are not reacting defensively to representation. They are recognizing it as culturally meaningful and aligned with broader shifts in American culture.
The assumption that cultural specificity shrinks reach is not reflected in audience perception in one of the country’s most culturally influential markets.
Sports engagement among LA DMA residents is widespread:
Rather than fragmenting audiences, cultural relevance drives additional engagement.
If representativeness were truly a brand risk, perception metrics would reflect hesitation or backlash. The data shows the opposite.
When asked how a brand using Bad Bunny in a Super Bowl commercial would affect perception:
On perceived risk:
In other words, perceived controversy is limited.
The commercial upside, however, is measurable:
Brands using Bad Bunny are most commonly associated with being inclusive, youth-oriented, and trend-forward.
This is not reputational erosion. It is brand strengthening.
Los Angeles is widely viewed as a cultural hub.
Among LA County residents:
LA is not a peripheral market. It is a leading indicator of where culture is moving nationally.
The data does not support the belief that cultural representation creates brand danger.
It shows the opposite:
The myth of cultural risk appears to exist more in corporate caution than in consumer behavior.
For brands planning national campaigns, especially in high-visibility moments like the Super Bowl, the question is no longer whether representation is risky.
The question is whether ignoring cultural reality is the greater risk.
Because for consumers, representation is not a gamble. It is a need.
If you are planning national or multicultural campaigns, this study provides concrete evidence of how consumers actually respond to cultural representation.
Download the full report to explore the complete findings, data, and analysis from the LA DMA study.
Bad Bunny’s selection as the Super Bowl halftime performer raises practical questions for brands. Does his presence drive awareness and help sales? Does featuring an outspoken Latino performer during the nation’s largest sporting event, at a time when Latinos are at the center of immigration raids, inject politics into brand marketing? Can a joyful, dance-driven reggaeton performance help change the narrative and connect with the broader market?
To answer that, ThinkNow conducted a nationally representative survey of 1,500 U.S. adults examining awareness, reaction, cultural meaning, and brand implications surrounding Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl appearance.
Download the full report here.
Awareness of Bad Bunny is solid but not universal. Just over 60% of U.S. adults say they know who he is, with awareness concentrated among Hispanics and Gen Z. Awareness that he is performing at the Super Bowl halftime show is highest among Hispanics, followed by non-Hispanic Whites, with only modest variation by age.
This establishes the baseline reality. Bad Bunny is mainstream, though not evenly so, and his strongest recognition remains rooted in Latino and younger audiences.
Initial reactions to Bad Bunny as the halftime performer are strongly positive among Hispanics and younger generations. Interest in watching the halftime show because of Bad Bunny follows the same pattern.
This Super Bowl lands at a tense cultural moment. Latinos are at the center of the current immigration raids, facing heightened enforcement, fear, and public scrutiny. Visibility has increased at the same time political rhetoric has hardened. Bad Bunny’s reggaeton-forward, dance-focused, joyful energy matters here. While Bad Bunny is skipping the U.S. on his current World Tour schedule because of concerns that ICE would be present outside shows, his music isn’t overtly political. It celebrates Hispanic, specifically Puerto Rican, culture.
The data reflects this reality. Younger audiences and Hispanics overwhelmingly see Bad Bunny’s performance as affirming and forward-looking. Older and non-Hispanic White audiences show more ambivalence. This divide mirrors broader debates about whether multiculturalism continues to expand or whether a narrower vision of American identity reasserts itself.
Sixty percent of respondents say Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl is good for Latino cultural representation in mainstream media. Agreement is strongest among Hispanics and younger generations and weaker among older and non-Hispanic White audiences. Nearly two-thirds of respondents agree that his performance reflects the growing influence of Latino culture in the United States.
Using Bad Bunny in a Super Bowl ad generates positive brand perceptions across most demographic groups. The effect is strongest among Gen Z, Millennials, and Hispanics. Non-Hispanic Whites show a more muted response.
Spanish-language music or reggaeton significantly increases brand recall among Hispanics and younger audiences. Recall gains decline among Gen X and Boomers, reinforcing that cultural specificity drives impact within aligned segments.
Bad Bunny also drives word-of-mouth intent among Hispanics and younger consumers, though overall lift at the total market level is limited.
When asked what values a brand signals by featuring Bad Bunny, respondents most often select youth-oriented, trend-forward, and inclusive. These associations are especially strong among Hispanics, Gen Z, and Millennials.
In terms of Bad Bunny’s appeal in advertising, English-language ads featuring Bad Bunny are preferred. Hispanics stand out as the only group that shows a stronger preference for Spanish-language or bilingual advertising.
Elements that make Bad Bunny feel most authentic include Latino cultural references, reggaeton or dance-driven music, and Puerto Rican cultural cues. These resonate most strongly with Hispanics, Black audiences, and younger consumers.
A fun, party-focused creative centered on cultural pride emerges as the most appealing ad concept overall. Cross-cultural collaborations resonate more with Black and Asian audiences.
Only about one-third of respondents believe featuring Bad Bunny in Super Bowl advertising carries risk for brands. Concern is highest among non-Hispanic Whites, but remains a minority view even within that group.
Purchase consideration follows familiar lines. About one-third of adults say Bad Bunny in a Super Bowl ad would make them more likely to consider buying from the brand. The lift is significantly stronger among Hispanics, African Americans, Gen Z, and Millennials and much lower among Boomers and non-Hispanic Whites.
Most respondents were unaware that Turning Point USA plans to run an alternative “All American Halftime Show.” When given the choice, the official halftime show is preferred by a ratio of 5 to 1 by Latinos, 2 to 1 by Asian and African Americans, and by a plurality of non-Hispanic Whites.
Bad Bunny delivers real brand value, though his strongest impact lies with Hispanics and younger consumers, particularly when cultural authenticity is embraced directly.
This moment is a test. It asks whether brands believe cultural progress pauses during periods of backlash or whether it continues through celebration, visibility, and confidence.
The data points to an answer. Latino culture continues to advance. Joy continues to travel. Music continues to move people forward. Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance reflects that reality. Latinos are here to stay. The darkness will pass. Celebration remains.
Download the full report here.
Los Angeles is entering a three-year period unlike anything in marketing history. Between the 2026 World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl, and 2028 Olympics, billions in brand investment will flow through a single city. But while the attention and spending will be unprecedented, most marketers are still planning for L.A. using outdated assumptions.
ThinkNow’s new study, The World in One City, challenges those assumptions. The data shows that Los Angeles is not just diverse. It is structurally, culturally, and demographically different from any other U.S. market. And in 2026, brands who fail to recognize these differences will waste significant resources.
Key findings:
If your brand treats L.A. like any other market, you will miss what truly drives cultural relevance and performance here. The city already lives in the demographic future the rest of the country is moving toward.
The complete findings are available in ThinkNow’s new strategic mini-report, including:
Download the report to see the real Los Angeles, and to build campaigns that perform in 2026 and beyond.
For years, multicultural marketing was treated as an add on. Something layered onto a broader strategy. But in a country where diversity is now the engine of growth, that approach is no longer enough.
In this episode of The New Mainstream Podcast, Mario Carrasco speaks with Arnetta Whiteside, SVP, Multicultural Consulting, Publicis Media at Publicis Groupe, about how brands must rethink culture, representation, and who truly holds power in the marketing ecosystem.
The conversation closely aligns with ThinkNow’s 'The World in One City' initiative, which positions Los Angeles as the place where cultural, identity, and consumer behavior shifts appear first, before spreading across the United States.
One of the key takeaways from the episode is the distinction many brands still miss. Representation is not just about who appears in ads. It is about who shapes the insights, who defines strategy, and who makes decisions.
Arnetta emphasizes that when communities are visible but not influential, brands lose credibility. That disconnect leads to weaker engagement and declining trust.
This mirrors what ThinkNow sees in Los Angeles, where only a minority of residents feel brands represent them accurately, despite the city’s outsized cultural influence on the rest of the country.
Another central theme is that culture can no longer be treated as a niche. In markets like Los Angeles, identity is layered, fluid, and contextual. People move between communities, languages, and cultural signals daily.
Brands still relying on rigid demographic frameworks are optimizing for a consumer that no longer exists. Those that treat culture as an operating system, not a campaign, are building lasting relevance.
The episode also makes one thing clear. Choosing not to adapt is no longer neutral.
When brands fail to understand the communities driving growth, they lose legitimacy. When lived experience is absent from strategy, attention fades. And when cultural complexity is ignored, competitors move faster.
The episode closes with a clear message. Inclusion is not just a value. It is a business advantage when backed by structure, data, and informed decision making.
Listen to the full episode of The New Mainstream Podcast with Arnetta Whiteside and explore how culture, power, and representation are reshaping marketing in the United States.