Martha Kruse, Sr. Mgr., Multicultural and 50+, Home Depot (Oct. 2006)

 “Your presentation was great. I am getting so much positive feedback and wanted to share that with you. It was very insightful.”

Rosy Riggins, Latino Segment Project Manager, Diverse Growth Segments, Wells Fargo (Oct. 2006)

“Thank you for such a wonderful and inspirational presentation. All of the presentations were great but yours was exceptional.

At last -- in-depth, qualitative insights paint an eye-opening picture of Black culture and lifestyle and how to connect your products and services with Black consumers.

ISBN 0-9725290-9-0     REVIEWS 

Book Reviews

WHAT’S BLACK ABOUT IT?

An Executive Book Review,  by Amy Batiste, Ph.D.

Let’s face it. We African Americans (A.K.A. Black folks) are interesting people. From Hollywood to Madison Avenue, scores of corporate and creative people are trying to figure out how to reach out to and capture the attention (and the buying power) of Black folks. For all of their efforts to “crack the code,” there’s (finally) an increasing understanding that being Black is more than skin deep.

I first discovered What’s Black About It? during my tenure at the Institute for Diversity Education & Leadership (IDEAL) at UW-Milwaukee. A part of our mission was to scan the literary landscape for thought leaders of all stripes and to communicate their knowledge and practices to the Milwaukee masses. We were intrigued with the idea of educating corporate Milwaukee about the myths and realities of marketing to people of color.

KEY THEMES FROM THE BOOK…

• The book examines the myths and realities of the African-American market as authors Pepper Miller and Herb Kemp unpack some of the reasons why we think and behave the way we do.

• We hold tremendous power as a market segment. “African Americans possess the extraordinary added value of influencing the consumer purchasing decisions of the rest of America and the world.”

• What distinguishes us from all other races/cultural groups is what the authors refer to as The Filter – “ the nucleus of the Black experience and Black culture…,”  which is “the psychological baggage from slavery, post slavery, and discrimination.”

• “The Great Divide” in African-American culture today is characterized as two “mindset” segments. One mindset is held by Baby Boomers (pre- and post- Civil Rights Era) and the other mindset is held by GenXers (born between 1965 and 1984).

We owe a great deal to Pepper Miller and Herb Kemp for facilitating the “aha” moments being experienced across corporate American today. Pepper literally tells the world that we are an economically powerful demographic. And when it comes to understanding the mindset of Black folks, her message is clear. It pays to learn some lessons.

William J. Mitchell, Managing Director of Customer Research, American Airlines, Inc.
(September 2005)

What’s Black About It? is a first-rate book that will no doubt change the way corporate America views and markets to African-American consumers. Drawing on their many years of research and marketing among this segment, Miller and Kemp not only warn that those who ignore or fail to fully understand this segment risk losing market share, they also provide relevant insights and invite us to better understand and better market to African-American consumers. Throughout, they offer concrete and proven strategies for research among and marketing to African Americans. This is a must-read for every marketing executive.

Kevin Giglinto, Vice President of Marketing, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
(September 2005)

This book illustrates the power of reaching out. It not only shows the importance of marketing to and communicating with the African-American community, it also defines who rewarding those efforts can be.

Jay Forbes, VP Customer Development, Drug Store News & Retailing Today
(September 2005)

Target marketing has finally transcended “trend-speak” to become a dominant part of virtually every supplier’s marketing plan and gain implementation in every retailer’s floor plan. It’s only natural that Pepper Miller, one of this movement’s earliest advocates and brightest researchers, sums it all up. Pepper knows her stuff. In this book, she tells you where it began, how it evolved, where it’s going and how to get on board. A great read for any marketer seriously interested in succeeding with the fast-growing, economically powerful African-American demographic.

Linda Brennan
(December 21, 2006)

A great primer for Marketing execs who think they know how to talk to African Americans. I discovered from What’s Black About It? that I fall into the apparently prevalent category of Marketing execs who think that just putting one black face into an ad will make the campaign acceptable to African Americans. This is a top-notch read with some great insights. Given the huge Census/PR buzz around Hispanic growth figures we are so caught up in allocating monies to Latino targets that we have done ourselves an injustice by virtually ignoring this all-important segment of America.

Lisa G. McDonald, President, Research Explorers                             
(November 12, 2005)

As a black moderator, I am often asked how black perspectives differ from other ethnic groups. Pepper Miller and Herb Kemp in What’s Black About It? both affirm and enlighten me on key cultural cues. They illuminate the black experience while highlighting the best practices needed to succeed in marketing to African Americans. From the importance of brands to blacks’ relationship with time (which has been elevated from “CP Time” to Kairos Time) they provide a DNNA map of insights to help you capture your share of a changing African-American market.

John H. Hunter
(November 7, 2005)

Excellent format and contents.  What’s Black About It? has excellent format, utilizing sidebars to describe the meanings of the discussions. This book is very easy to read and gives many examples of African-American cultures and habits. This kind of information is certainly important to those promoting marketing in this area. I think that the book could be used as a supplement in schools where Black History is being taught.

A. J. Sikes, Strategic Planner
(September 30, 2005)  

From the subliminal message on the book cover to the rich content within, this book has been an eye-opener to me. The subliminal message? A quick glance at the cover’s white background really helps the red and black stripes stand out… you expect to see a green stripe next, depicting the American embrace of an African flag. Yet there is no green, because the book is not about black people. The book is about marketing…and the green will have little to do with a flag, yet lots to do with the bottom line.
So I thought it might be fact after fact, statistic upon statistic that someone would have to memorize. Instead, I found it to be the “insight” promised on the cover. And just from the Acknowledgements through the Prologue, I found myself being inspired to “want” to memorize anything I needed to in the forthcoming pages. Yet the book goes on with no request for memorization. It portrays respect. 
The language is easy to follow. The analogies and quotes are relevant and sourced to credible, recognizable names. The facts and statistics are borderline obvious, having only needed to be asked. The chronology of the book supports its promise from start to finish, cleverly closing with a chapter title that one would expect to be an opening chapter (“The Importance of Race in Marketing”). It’s a reference book that you’ll enjoy reading.

MULTICULTURAL CLASSICS

Sunday, November 27, 2005 – Essay #253

“What’s Black About It? — Insights to Increase Your Share of a Changing African-American Market” by Pepper Miller and Herb Kemp demonstrates you should never judge a book by its cover. Or its pre-publication hype.

MultiCultClassics first noted the business book last July, prior to its delayed Fall release (See Essay 69). The initial reaction was skepticism. After all, the title question — “What’s Black About It?” — is a persistent thorn for most professionals (particularly creative types) in Black advertising agencies. Clients often ask the question during creative presentations if the concepts don’t depict blatant, stereotypical cultural cues. It’s pretty unlikely that mass market agencies hear clients inquire, “What’s White About It?” when viewing campaign ideas.

Additionally, co-author Pepper Miller heads an independent research firm, consulting with agencies and clients. The early publicity for the book seemed too eager to push qualitative and quantitative data, which is rarely properly conducted for minority segments — and even more rarely leads to breakthrough work.

Any skepticism over “What’s Black About it?” has turned out to be unwarranted. Mea culpa to Miller and Kemp.

“What’s Black About It?” is a slim read at only about 100 pages (excluding notes, source guides, index and more). The size might deter purchase, given the $39.95 cover price. But buyers will ultimately be rewarded by the book’s intellectual depth. On an abstract level, it’s like “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White — extraordinarily succinct yet thorough in its exposition.

The book is comprised of ten chapters that seamlessly build a rock-solid argument for marketing to Black consumers, while providing proven tactics to ensure things get done right. There are no clichéd formulas or silver bullets to be found here. That is, don’t expect to read the book and become an instant expert. Rather, the authors balance how-to instruction with how-come reasoning to form a foundation for positive accomplishments.

Miller and Kemp speak with experience and authority — they’re consummate professionals. But more importantly, they speak with passion, which is the essential ingredient for succeeding with the segment. Anyone seeking to reach Black consumers must be totally committed to the endeavor. Ad people and clients alike must be willing to debunk assumptions, rethink strategies and challenge the status quo. The investment must be financial and emotional. Miller and Kemp don’t pull any punches in stating the realities.

Instead of potentially spoiling the experience by summarizing the chapters or printing excerpts, MultiCultClassics strongly advises readers to discover the provocative content firsthand. “What’s Black About It?” presents a wealth of fresh perspectives and cool stuff that even seasoned veterans will find fascinating.

The book appeals to a broad business audience. For professionals at Black advertising agencies, it’s an advanced refresher course designed to keep you on the cutting edge. If you’re just starting to explore the Black consumer market, the book can be an invaluable introductory resource. For all clients, whether already deeply engaged with the target or simply curious, “What’s Black About It?” will crystallize the case for creating powerful, profitable relationships with a dynamic and unique audience.

To be clear, the book is designed for everyone, regardless of your title, motivations, capabilities, political stance and ethnicity.

The non-business public can benefit from perusing too, since the book may also serve as a handy reference guide — a sort of “Black Culture for Dummies.”

In the end, Miller and Kemp rival popular gurus like Faith Popcorn and Paco Underhill, revealing insights and information in a highly readable and compelling style.