What's Black About It? Insights to Increase Your Share of a Changing African-American Market [Hardcover]

Pepper Miller (Author), Herb Kemp (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 30, 2005

At last––in-depth, qualitative insights paint an eye-opening picture of Black culture and the Black lifestyle and how to connect your products and services with Black consumers. What's Black About It?presents historical, psychological and cultural influences that delve far deeper into the Black experience than the demographics which are at the heart of other ethnic marketing books and market research reports. Now you will be able to break through stereotypes to better understand and relate to African-American consumers. Numerous sidebars give examples of successful marketing campaigns that speak directly to African-Americans, a market representing more than $700 billion in purchasing power. You will learn why race is important in marketing, how African-Americans view their place in the U.S., and why all-Black casts in advertisements appeal to both Blacks and whites. Learn more about the influence of Blacks in the U.S. market and the importance of getting your product adopted by Black trendsetters. Other ethnic marketing books may include a general chapter or two about Blacks. What's Black About It?, written by two veteran researchers focuses on African-American consumers and engages you with frank talk, pop-culture sidebars, and case studies. Included is an extensive listing of experts, advertising agencies, pr companies, and media that specialize in the African-American market as well as a listing of important websites for African-Americans.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...a first rate book that will no doubt change the way corporate America views and markets to African-American consumers. -- William J. Mitchell, Managing Director of Customer Research for American Airlines, Inc.

A great read for any marketer seriously interested in succeeding with the fast-growing, economically powerful African-American demographic. -- Jay Forbes, VP Customer Development for Drug Store News & Retailing Today

This book illustrates the power of reaching out...shows the importance of marketing and communicating with the African-American community... -- Kevin Giglinto, Vice President of Marketing for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

About the Author

Pepper Miller and Herb Kemp are passionate advocates of helping 21st century marketers understand the absolute and relative value of the African-American consumer market as a major growth opportunity in a global society. Pepper Miller is the founder of The Hunter-Miller Group, a Chicago-based consumer research, trend analysis, and marketing strategy company. She has been researching African-American consumers for more than 25 years and has helped many Fortune 500 companies get it right in their appeals to this important consumer group. Her clients include American Airlines, Allstate, General Motors, GlaxoSmithKline, Hallmark, Neutrogena, State Farms, Wells Fargo, Denny's, and Texaco as well as not-for-profit organizations such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Housing Authority. Herb Kemp has more than 20 years of experience targeting African-American consumers for some of America's best-known companies including Burger King, General Motors, Kodak, the U.S.Army,Denny's, Texaco, Anheuser-Busch, Seagram's, Toys 'R' Us, and AT&T. He has worked on the client side in decision-making general marketing positions at Pfizer, General Foods, and Chesebrough-Ponds, transitioning to senior-level general market advertising-agency responsibility at J. Walter Thompson and Ogilvy and Mather. More recently, he served as President and Executive VP at two of the largest African-American agencies, The Uniworld Group, andd the Chisholm Mingo Group, respectively. Herb is the founder of What's Black About It?, a Westport, Connecticut-based marketing consultancy dedicated to providing the cultural insights and strategic planning tools essential to building business with Black consumers.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 123 pages
• Publisher: Paramount Market Publishing, Inc. (August 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972529098
• ISBN-13: 978-0972529099
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #802,422 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What's Excellent About It!, September 21, 2005

By 

Sporty King (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: What's Black About It? Insights to Increase Your Share of a Changing African-American Market (Hardcover)

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 premise 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.

- Sporty King

R. King & Associates

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What's Balck About It?, November 12, 2005

By 

Lisa G. McDonald - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What's Black About It? Insights to Increase Your Share of a Changing African-American Market (Hardcover)

DNA for Cultural Cues to Effectively Reach Blacks

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 DNA map of insights to help you capture your share of a changing African-American market.

Lisa Gaines McDonald

President, Research Explorers

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What's Black About It?, September 30, 2005

By 

A. J. Sikes - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What's Black About It? Insights to Increase Your Share of a Changing African-American Market (Hardcover)

This is an absolute must-read for those in the advertising/marketing profession but especially those whose focus is specifically African American advertising. I especially encourage those new to the field to grab a copy "What's Black About It?" because in spite of all of the research, time and preparation it takes to produce a client presentation, at the end some clients still ask the proverbial question - "What's Black About It?"

This is handy tool that brings to the forefront new insights and dispells stereotypes. For those in this industry, you'll find that you spend more time educating clients about who African Americans really are and how much they impact EVERYTHING; "What's Black About It?" is filled with statistics and facts that make the ride much smoother. I give this book two thumbs up and encourage all to purchase. Thanks Pepper and Herb for a job well done.

A. Sikes

Strategic Planner