For 25 years now MTV has been quite successful at maintaining a pulse on global youth culture. Not only has it mastered anticipating youth trends, it has also known how to evolve its offering to meet their needs.

Recently MTV announced that later this year it will launch MTV Tr3s. Yes, yet another MTV channel. What’s different about MTV Tr3s is that it is targeted at 12-to-34-year-old bilingual/bicultural U.S. Latinos, featuring programming in both English and Spanish. It’s not the first of its type. In fact, NBC Universal’s Telemundo already offers mun2. But the fact that MTV is evolving its MTV En Español channel to a bilingual format confirms that multiculturalism is going mainstream.

Marketers are beginning to realize three imperatives for marketing to Latino youth:
(1) Marketing to Latinos is not about deciding between English or Español.
(2) Future generations of Latinos have a more multicultural and bicultural vision of the world.
(3) Even as they assimilate into the U.S. mainstream, young Latinos embrace the fusion between Latino and American cultures.

There are also the facts and figures that need to be considered:
• 70% of U.S. Latinos under the age of 35
• By 2030 Latinos will represent 26% of the under 18 population
• Latinos under 35 spend $400+ billion annually
• Latino teens will grow 62% between 2001 - 2020

What MTV and other marketers have identified is not simply a bilingual/bicultural sub-segment of the Latino population. They are tapping into an emerging new lifestyle category that will influence mainstream American youth culture in very possible way – fashion, food, music, customs, etc. The future of marketing to Latinos will go beyond language and will necessarily have to embrace a broader definition of what it means to be Latino in the U.S.

The New Generation Latino Consortium (NGLC) announced today the launch of a quantitative study that sets out to explore the motivations of one of the fastest growing sub segments of the population – New Generation Latinos (NGLs).

NGLs are defined as young bilingual/bicultural Latinos between the ages of 13 and 34, with a preference for the English-language. For some marketers, NGLs are considered the greatest untapped segment of the population. While the numbers exist in terms of demographics, there is very little information on how to communicate to this group.

For most companies and brands, marketing to Latinos is still very much conducted as a niche marketing effort, predominately in Spanish. And that will certainly not go away. Nonetheless, the growth of the NGL market calls for an evaluation and understanding on how to best market to bilingual/bicultural Latinos.

As a NGL, I have my personal opinion of what works and what doesn't work when marketers communicate to me. Because I live between two languages and two cultures, for me language is not a factor. But on the flip-side, relevance is a huge factor.

What this actually means for us as communicators is still to be determined. As a communicator, I’m anxious to learn more about what motivates NGLs and what's relevant to them. A study like the one proposed by NGLC can certainly serve as the beginnings of a roadmap for the future of marketing to Latinos. ¡Enhorabuena!

India celebrates its independence today. As everyone looks to the future potential of India and its booming economy, let’s consider the future potential of the 2.4 million Asian Indians living in the U.S.

When we talk about minority groups and the marketing potential in the U.S., we naturally focus on the notable ethnic groups – Hispanic, African-American and Asian. Nonetheless there is a growing sub-segment of our minority community that merits analysis and specific consideration -- Asian Indians.

While Asian Indians are not a sizeable group in terms of population, they are making some important inroads. Because Asian Indians for the most part speak English, assimilate faster, and have a different immigrant experience as compared to other ethnic groups, they hold a unique set of characteristics that make for an even more interesting marketing potential. Consider these U.S. stats:

- Asian Indians are the fastest growing Asian group, with a 106% growth rate between 1990 and 2000.
- Asian Indians have a median income of $67,424 (top among all minorities)
- 66.7 % of Asian Indians over 25 have a bachelor’s degree (national average is 27%)
- 34% of Asian Indians hold at least a master’s degree
- 230,000 businesses are owned and operated by Asian Indians
- 72.3% of Asian Indians participate in the U.S. workforce
- 57.7% of Asian Indians are employed in managerial and professional specialties
- 200,000 Asian Indians are millionaires (comprising 10% of U.S. millionaires)

If this is the profile of Asian Indians today, imagine the potential in the next 10, 25 or 50 years. And these are just the statistics. There are underlying values, motivations and aspirations that add to the richness of this market.

Asian Indians are poised to rapidly become one of the most influential consumer groups in the U.S. Today, there are certainly professionals and agencies that specialize in targeting the Asian consumer. Nonetheless, given the continued growth and prominence of Asian Indians, all communicators will need to gain a better understanding of this unique group of consumers, and play a larger role in helping companies and brands identify the opportunities, the media and the messages that can unleash this enormous potential.

Now that I have captured the attention of most of the hip and happening women (and maybe a few men), you probably have an idea that I am going to pontificate about one of the most entertaining, sexy and perhaps best written shows on television since Sex and The City and The West Wing.

Yes, I am talking about ABC's hit show Grey's Anatomy. It is so much more than just a show about frustrated surgical interns, uber sexy doctors (thus the mention of the show's "McDreamy" character), and hot trysts in the hospital. This show FINALLY--due to the brilliant creation, writing and directing of Shonda Rhimes--captures some of the most authentic and relevant story lines about successful African-Americans on television today. It's such a refreshing change of pace and reflects the professional excellence of so many African-Americans in our country and the correlation to America's economic bottom line.

To that end, a recent study from the Boston College Center on Wealth and Philanthropy estimates that between $1.1 trillion and $3.4 trillion of wealth will be transferred from estates to African-American households by 2055. This creates a great opportunity for successful integrated marketing campaigns to reach these valuable consumers.

Grey's Anatomy features the Chief of Surgery, Chief Resident and Chief Attending Surgeon as African-Americans and are played by well-respected African-American actors. These characters aren't poor, unsuccessful or drug addicts as the mainstream media, unfortunately, continues much too often to portray African-Americans today.

It's obvious why this show is award-winning (across many multicultural segments) and is one of the top-rated shows on television today. I truly believe the show's success is due to the proverbial "melting pot" approach that the show's writing and casting represents. Grey's Anatomy is a blend of all kinds of people, religions and walks of life. Many consumers want to see this in television and the show's ratings reflect that attitude.

From a multicultural perspective that is where America is headed in the next fifty years (plus). Our cultures, bloodlines and almost every way that we approach our lives will one day be more closely aligned with much less controversy and boundaries. Our children and their grandchildren will reap the benefits of that kind of existence. Personally, as a blend of so many different cultures and bloodlines, I couldn't be happier at that thought. That type of America will change the way that we do PR, integrated communications and do business across the board.

Thanks again Shonda Rhimes, ABC and Grey's Anatomy for finally getting it SO RIGHT. More companies, new mediums and media-types should take notice and strive for a more fair representation of African-Americans in mainstream communications.

Crossover sensation, crossover sound, crossover star, etc, etc. Almost every week there is an article or a news segment on how pop culture from one country is “crossing over” to influence pop culture in another country. But quite frankly we live in an era where the cultural exchange is never-ending and thus the term “crossover” is no longer relevant in our marketing vernacular.

As communicators we need to make a conscious effort to better convey the “cultural fusion” that is taking place all over the world. Globalization and increased multiculturalism is creating a greater inclusiveness, especially when it comes to entertainment. An inclusiveness that we need to start considering in our strategies, initiatives and messaging ... that’s if we want to be relevant to the future multicultural mainstream!

Take a look at some recent examples of cultural fusion:

Colombia’s Shakira Gets Fans Dancing on her U.S. Tour
India’s Aishwarya Rai is a huge sensation in Dubai
Korean Male Celebrities are the Most Popular for Women throughout Asia
Argentine Cable Network Adapts U.S. TV Hit Desperate Housewives
US TV Network Debuts Telenovela Format from Latin America
India’s Bollywood Films Are More Popular in the U.K. Than British-Made Films
Puerto Rico’s Reggeaton Sounds Take Over the U.S., Europe and Japan

The Christian Science Monitor reported yesterday that since 1999 the U.S. Latino Muslim population has increased by 30% to an estimated 200,000. According to the article, many of the new converts are attracted to Islam because of curiosity, marriage or a common interest such as immigration.

What we know as "typical" Muslim and "typical" Latino is evolving. Given the heightened “cultural fusion” in our society nothing is "typical" anymore. People are becoming more open to experiencing new cultures, and in this case new religious beliefs.

The article is a cue to how we label and categorize consumers and target audiences. The “please select a box” approach to defining people will soon be a thing of the past. People are living “out of the box” and experiencing new cultures, new religions, new lifestyles. As communicators we need to evolve with the times. Let’s face it, cultural fusion is here to stay and multiculturalism will be the mainstream. Are we ready to communicate "out of the box?"

Politicians are already geared-up for the upcoming Presidential elections. Campaigning has begun and communications platforms are in place, and all are vying for the “American Vote.” Today’s voters are drastically changing and a major consideration for all politicians should be vying for the “Immigrant Vote.”

Consider these stats from the Pew Hispanic Center:
-- In 2005, 8.5 million immigrants were eligible for naturalization
-- Naturalization rate increased 59% in 2005, over the past decade
-- 4.4 million naturalized citizens came from Latin America and 4 million came from Asia
-- Naturalized citizens from the Middle East grew 156% from 1995 to 2005
-- Naturalized citizens from Mexico rose 144% between 1995 and 2005

Are our candidates prepared to effectively communicate to these new citizens and go after the “Immigrant Vote?” What will candidates have to say to the emerging naturalized cictizens from Asia, Latin America and the Middle East? How will they encourage voter registration, and furthermore how will they encourage getting their vote? Considering these new numbers what will happen to the immigration debate?

Candidates will have to broaden their messages and realize that there's a new target audience.

The latest social networking traffic and market share list from HitWise maps out the emerging media landscape:

- MySpace has the lion’s share of this market and continues to be a significant referrer to other social networking sites.
- Facebook holds its own in the second spot.
- The rest of the social networking space is pretty fragmented, with iMeem, Bebo and Hoverspot showing remarkable growth since January 2007.

Another factoid we need to take note of in Hitwise’s analysis is that ethnic community sites Black Planet and Mi Gente also make it to the top 20. They are not just offering story, video or music exchange. They are tapping into a common cultural thread among their members, without forgoing diversity of views and backgrounds.

It would be too simplistic and incorrect to say that a given ethnic community site would do well because its members share similar demographic characteristics. Thriving social networking sites allow members to find like-minded people within their sub-cultures, share and shape experiences. The leading ethnic community sites are standing proof of this basic concept.

For those marketers and communicators who have yet to consider the U.S. Latino market as an essential audience for products and services, how about this …Latino buying power will skyrocket to $1.2 trillion in 2012, nearly 500 percent from 1990, the largest increase of any racial/ethnic group.

To read more on this new data go to the Selig Center for Economic Growth.

The U.S. Government has gone bilingual with the recent launch of its Spanish-language site, GobiernoUSA.gov . It’s a very informative and thorough site with sections dedicated to the general public, newcomers to the U.S., visitors, and businesses.

Not only is this a smart way to tap into a growing constituency, but more importantly it’s a way to be relevant. According to a recent Forrester study, 43% of Hispanics in the U.S. are Spanish dominate, another 35% speak more Spanish than English at home or both equally. The same study found that there are 12 million Hispanic adults online of which 4 million are reliant on Spanish. While the number is small, 80% of this group wishes there was more Spanish-language content on the Internet.

As marketers we should take note for future communications strategies. As the Hispanic population continues to grow in the U.S., online Hispanics will also continue to grow. Depending on the product or service, a Hispanic client base can very well be Spanish-reliant, and /or find Spanish-language content more relevant. Evaluating a Spanish-language strategy for Hispanic audiences is a worthwhile exercise.

The notion that multiculturalism will become the mainstream is rapidly moving from a trend to a reality. The U.S. Census Bureau reported today that minorities are now the majority in more than 300 counties. As the Census data suggests, our society is increasingly becoming more multicultural. Projections demonstrate that this momentum will only continue.

But how rapidly are communicators and marketers moving to address this shift?

Not fast enough. There are some savvy marketers that have taken the approach of addressing communications from an inclusive, more multicultural perspective. But for the most part we continue to develop “general market” strategies with separate “multicultural” strategies. Traditionally, “multicultural” strategies have been developed after the “general market” strategy has been set … and not simultaneously.

If we want to be relevant, moving forward communications strategies can no longer be “general market” versus “multicultural.” Given the shifts in our population and the increased diversity, communication teams need to really look at a way of bridging the two.