Why target ethnic consumers with free product samples and promotions?
• Brand loyalty among ethnic consumers is high once these consumers enter a brand franchise, they remain there. • The ethnic, urban segment of the population is the fastest growing consumer group. In many urban areas, the minority is the majority (Miami, 72 percent of the population, and New York City, 52 percent). • Because ethnic consumers tend to get very few samples, the ones they do receive have a great impact because they are viewed as gifts. • The marketing opportunities are worth it. Ethnic consumers have high consumption in many important categories when compared with the general market: health and beauty care, beverages, analgesics, household cleaners, dry groceries, and snacks, and a host of others. The SMSi family of networks For optimal results, many traditional, general-market sampling approaches are ineffective because their programs fail to reach consumers in a “culturally appropriate” manner. Since 1978, SMSi has developed community-based, grassroots networks that reac
