A recently released
report argues that in an increasingly diverse U.S. (where 42% of the population—nearly 150 million people—identifies as multicultural), traditional demographic targeting (e.g., age, gender, income) is becoming less effective for brands and marketers. Instead, cultural mindsets—fluid, chosen identities influenced by heritage, openness to other cultures, and shared values—drive consumer preferences, media consumption, and purchasing decisions more powerfully.
The core thesis, as articulated by Karina Dobarro, Executive Vice President of Horizon Futures Multicultural: "Our research shows that culture, not demographics, is the constant, underlying force shaping consumer behavior."
This shift acknowledges that cultural identities are multifaceted and dynamic, often blending inherited traditions with adopted influences from global media, social movements, and personal experiences. Brands adopting this approach, per the report, are seeing better engagement by aligning with "passion points" tied to these mindsets rather than rigid demo buckets.
Radio, as a legacy medium still reaching 80-90% of U.S. adults weekly (via AM/FM, streaming, and podcasts), relies heavily on ad revenue tied to listener demos for targeting. However, the "culture, not demos" paradigm could disrupt this model by fragmenting audiences along mindset lines rather than age or location.
Traditional metrics like Nielsen ratings (demo-focused) may underperform, pushing stations toward cultural analytics.
Here's how this could play out:
1. Shift in Audience Segmentation and Programming From Broad Demos to Niche Mindsets: Stations currently program for "25-54 females" or "urban millennials." Cultural mindsets demand hyper-targeted content—e.g., a "Heritage Anchored" block featuring Afrobeat for West African diaspora listeners, or "Culturally Curious" shows blending Latin jazz with EDM. This could boost retention but requires AI-driven playlist tools to detect mindset signals from listener data (e.g., app interactions or social shares).
Impact: Smaller, independent stations or podcasts might thrive by owning niche mindsets (e.g., a "Global Cosmopolitan" channel with world music), while big networks like iHeartMedia consolidate around fusion formats. Expect more co-productions with cultural influencers to authenticate content.
2. Advertising and Revenue Models: Advertisers, inspired by Horizon's findings, will demand placements based on mindset alignment, not just impressions. A car brand targeting "Identity Fluid" listeners might sponsor pride-month segments, measuring success via cultural affinity scores rather than demo CPMs.
Impact: Radio ad rates could rise for culturally attuned slots (e.g., 20-30% premium for diverse talk shows), but generic demo buys decline. This pressures stations to invest in data partnerships (e.g., with Spotify or cultural research firms) for mindset profiling, potentially increasing costs for smaller broadcasters.
3. Content Creation and Talent Diversity: To attract fluid identities, radio must diversify DJs, hosts, and stories—e.g., bilingual shows for "Localized Fusion" audiences or guest spots from global artists for "Culturally Curious" ones.
Impact: This fosters innovation, like interactive cultural storytelling (e.g., listener-submitted heritage tales), but risks backlash if perceived as performative. Stations ignoring this could lose ground to podcasts (e.g., Joe Rogan-style cultural deep dives), accelerating radio's shift to on-demand streaming.
Opportunities: Radio's intimacy (voice-driven, community-focused) positions it well for cultural bonding. Successful adaptations could grow listenership among the 18-34 demo (often underserved), with hybrid models (e.g., radio + TikTok clips) bridging mindsets. Early adopters might see 15-25% engagement lifts, per similar cultural marketing studies.
