Make Cultural Authenticity a Priority in Your Audio Ads

Culture is accelerating at the speed of sound, with multicultural creators and audiences setting the pace. Digital audio is the perfect medium for helping brands keep up. From popular dance crazes to number one songs, Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans are the architects of culture, ruling the audio space. 

We’ve got our finger on the pulse, helping brands increase the fluency of their multicultural advertising campaigns. Whether it’s streaming, satellite, or podcasts,  getting the message right is key. And that starts with understanding the communities involved and how to connect with them.

Empowering Black Audiences 

Black audiences want to see and hear themselves in your advertisements—meaning real, authentic voices that accurately represent their culture. For example, 82% of Black podcast listeners say they would consider a brand if they heard their ad on a podcast with a Black host and 78% would purchase a product from the brand.1 But representation isn’t just about the voices you cast. You need to bring Black creatives into the process and lean on cultural insights to connect with Black audiences. 

How advertisers can connect: Leverage the trusted bond that audiences have established with SiriusXM’s talent across all our platforms. Sponsor franchise events like our Hip Hop 50th Anniversary event, create turnkey commercials on Pandora like our Black Music Forever station, and get your brand in listeners ears that are connected with trusted Black creators and voices like the hosts of The Read, and so much more! 

Supporting Asian American Communities

Although Asian American representation in mainstream media has been on the rise, three in five Asian Americans are generally skeptical about how Asians are portrayed in the media.2 That means there’s an opportunity for to make an impact on this audience by designing marketing strategies with Asian American audiences in mind. This audience is dynamic and fluid, 73% of listeners who identified as Asian alone were born U.S. citizens, and they are looking for ways to stay connected to their heritage.3 Authenticity is key, and the right message and tone will reach and resonate emotionally with AAPI audiences. 

How advertisers can connect: Get in on podcasts where hosts are having insightful conversations like Jameela Jamil’s I Weigh or Vivian Mabuni's Someday is Here. Connect with music lovers on Pandora through our K-Pop or Electric Asia stations and sponsor shows on SiriusXM where listeners are tuning-in to stations like Steve Aoki’s Remix Radio—all while highlighting the diverse cultures of AAPI audiences. 

Celebrate Hispanic Audiences and Their Cultures 

We’ve seen digital audio consumption with Hispanic audiences rise to new levels in the past year, with a 22% increase in listening. This audience is spending five hours and 40 minutes with audio daily—that’s 14% higher than the general population.4 Bilingual and non-bilingual audiences look to brands to speak to them in ways that feel inclusive—meaning ad voices that connect them to their heritage, use language intentionally, and celebrate their unique identities. 

How advertisers can connect: Brands can leverage the power of audio to connect with passionate Hispanic listeners at scale—meaning your brand can sponsor stations like El Pulso and RMX, sponsor exclusive franchising events, tap into podcast shows with Hispanic hosts, get in on brand stations where your ad triggers listening experiences featuring artists across Latin America, and so much more—all in the name of inclusivity and celebration of la cultura.

Sonic Diversity Matters

Prioritizing sonic diversity means taking a stand to make diversity and inclusion a priority in voiceovers, breaking down the barriers that reward white voices while marginalizing voices of color. Yes, it’s about casting the right voice for the community an ad message aims to reach. But it also means casting talent across race, gender, and identity in general market ads—even when a script doesn’t explicitly call for it. Brands shouldn’t be afraid to cross the sonic color line when it comes to tone, talent, and fit. No more stereotypes or assumptions about what your listeners want to hear—authenticity, diversity, and inclusion should be a top priority if you want to connect with multicultural audiences in a real way.

Reach Multicultural Audiences Year Round

A lot of brands schedule time to focus on specific cultures based on the month or time of year, but Black, Hispanic, and AAPI audiences are here to stay, listening to digital audio all year long, and ready to hear your messages. And when brands make a genuine effort to connect with multicultural audiences, it makes a difference—like +8pt lifts in brand favorability.5 From voiceovers to culture-specific ad campaigns, we have the tools and the firepower to get you right on track to reach the multicultural audiences. 

Are you ready to connect with trend setters and influencers? Check out what Fluency can do for your brand. Let’s elevate culture together, send us a chat. 

Sources:

1. The Black Podcast Listener Report 2022 from Edison Research

2. Pandora Asian American User Study, March 2020, Nielsen 20213.

3. “Broad Diversity of Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Population,” United States Census Bureau, May 25, 20224.

4. SXM Hispanic User Study 2020

5. Challenging the ‘One & Done’ Approach Connecting Culturally Through Digital Audio, December 2022 study from MAGNA, SXM Media, and Identity