A Direct Marketing Agency - Helping Brands Acquire and Retain Customers

Okay, I will admit first and foremost that I intentionally avoided using a particular word in the headline of this blog. That word is diversity. Had I used that word, chances are very good that you wouldn't have made it this far in the blog. The word diversity strikes some media producers right below the patella. This causes a knee-jerk reaction that - if the latest AAAA Media Conference is any indication - propels them out of the room for a cream cheese Danish.

The reason for this is two-fold. First, many media producers have heard the word diversity so many times, it is has lost its meaning. It is on the same level of mental awareness as phrases such as "low-hanging fruit", "customer-centric", "paradigm shift", and "low cholesterol". They simply don’t react to it with anything more meaningful than a stomach growl.

The second reason is that many media producers believe they have already taken diversity into account. They understand that diversity often means "cultural diversity", and they take steps to make sure their advertising crosses cultural boundaries. Many media producers think this is a no-brainer.

What producers often fail to realize is that diversity is a key element to reaching an audience that extends well beyond the normal reach of the message. It also involves more than adding the occasional non-Caucasian to the photo shoot.

It is well and good to speak to the greatest common denominator, but in a long-tail world, this simply isn't as effective a technique as it used to be. There are more diverse elements out there than the sum of the common elements. In this way, diversity is not only important to your media efforts, it is vital.

For example, what about targeting your messaging toward folks who have more than three children, or those that enjoy computer surfing and watching television simultaneously, or are left handed? This sounds like odd demographics to consider, but if you are marketing a mini-van, a wireless receiving device, or a new pair of scissors (respectively), these may indeed be considerations beyond the usual middle-aged, middle-class consumer. Tailoring your messaging to include these diverse groups can really pay off in the messaging.

Let's consider the meaning of diversity. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines diversity as "1. a. The condition or quality of being divers, different, or varied; difference, unlikeness." Notice the lack of cultural denotations in this definition. Obviously, diversity transcends cultural references. It simply means something different or varied. It makes sense that strategies that touch on a variety of demographics, customer interests, as well as cultural sectors are more effective.

The OED also shows us the following definition for the word diversity. This definition comes from the world of radio, circa 1930, but has relevance when approached from our context; "Applied attrib. to a system of reception in which , in order to reduce the effects of fading, a signal is received simultaneously by several channels, the signal or combination of signals of best quality being automatically selected."

With this definition in mind, imagine that your message is sent out in a variety of formats, tailored to particular diverse elements in your audience/customer base. The "signals" which have the most relevance will be perceived to the customer as being of the best quality.