WHY HUNTER MILLER
We know the African-American Market.
 Since 1985 we've been talking with thousands of African Americans. We have explored their beliefs, feelings and thoughts about, and usage of, hundreds of products and services. Here's some of what we know about African Americans' attitudes and behavior:
- African Americans possess a Protective Radar© mindset that is driven by the desire to conduct themselves in such a way as to publicly avoid reinforcing negative stereotypes. [1]
This predisposition shapes their responses during market research testing, but we know how to get at what the African-American consumer is really thinking about your product, service or message. For instance, we know that:
- African Americans wear a "Black face" and a "White face." When talking to Whites, many African Americans believe that, in order to counteract any negative or erroneous stereotypes, they should use language and accents that seem and sound "less Black" - i.e., more White. [2]
We call this "The Mask." It represents the "double consciousness" that is probably the most ubiquitous - but also one of the most misunderstood - aspects of the Black Experience. [3] We know how to uncover The Mask and how it relates to your brand.
[1] P. 21, What's Black About It?
[2] P. 21, What's Black About It?
[3] P. 21, What's Black About It?
It's these insights that have helped earn us a seat at the marketing table of some of America's largest corporations. Our clients describe Hunter-Miller as the company that "… speaks with the highest credibility; there are few other sources as great … they are a goldmine of information." Clients also cite our firm as having the "…ability to connect with the audience" - one more reason for preferring our services.
We also keep abreast of trends related to African-American consumer behavior and report them in our Market Snapshots. Some Snapshot topics include the Black Church and its importance to marketers influence, the power of the African-American Female Consumer, Black Organizations and what they can mean for your marketing efforts and promotional opportunities for your brand at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).
HOW HUNTER-MILLER CAN HELP YOUR BRAND
When we conduct African-American market research, we apply what we call the Filter – an approach that we developed over time. During our early research assignments with African-American consumers, we noticed certain similarities among their responses regardless of the product or service we were presenting. Upon further consideration of these similarities, we identified a 13 dimension psychological construct that we labeled the Filter – a perspective through which many African Americans view themselves in relation to a brand – a type of cultural litmus test. The use of the Filter© is unique to Hunter-Miller
The Filter© is the nucleus of the Black experience and Black culture. It forms the basis for a common bond among most African Americans that has had an astounding impact on how African Americans see themselves in every aspect of their lives and on how they think others see them.
The Filter© predisposes many African Americans to become overly sensitive about feeling stereotyped and not feeling valued, respected, included or welcomed. [1] We place your brand against this mindset to determine how it stacks up.
Our research and customized Filter Workshops educate clients by revealing how The Filter© influences African-American responses to your product, service or message.
WE DELIVER
Before we commit to your project we ask you several questions so we understand precisely what you want to learn from the African-American consumer. For example, during the research process our professional moderators use relevant exercises and probe focus group respondents to get at what they are really thinking versus what they are saying. When the focus groups are complete our expert team writes outstanding insightful reports that marketing managers and advertisers are able to use to create their campaigns and test their products.
Our reports are said to have "the highest credibility." They include such insightful results that they are labeled "frank and practical" by our clients. In addition, we have been told we deliver what African-American consumers "are thinking and how they react in a consumer situation."
At the Hunter-Miller Group we take the next step and ask "Now what?" to relate our insights into purchase and use actions that can benefit your brand.
CALL US TODAY
When you want to know what would effectively bond Black consumers to your brand, product, service or idea, give us a call. We co-authored the book on the African American consumer market - What's Black About It? Insights to increase Your Share of a Changing African-American Market.
We can help make your product marketing relevant to African-American consumers. Contact us at (773) 363-7420 or email Pepper Miller at pmiller@huntermillergroup.com. We'll be happy to share what we know to help you know the African-American consumer better.
[1] P. 19, What's Black About It?
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