The Old “general market” is Now Only Part of the Real General Market

Generation Z is the most diverse demographic in U.S. history. It’s also the largest and most valuable consumer base for marketers. Although the latest census data still projects America becoming a majority minority country by 2044, the truth is we are already a multicultural society. And after the social justice movement brought about a moment of reckoning for the ad industry in 2020, today’s American consumer has forced brands to wear their values on their sleeves, or risk consequences.

In an era when some brands and agencies have increasingly de-emphasized multicultural marketing efforts in favor a “total marketing” approach, many diverse voices in the industry are claiming the shift ignores BIPOC consumers in favor of “general market” consumers, a euphemism for a majority white population that ignores what America looks like today.