New Studies Examine Digital Consumption Habits of Multicultural and LGBTQ+ Audiences

My Code, the largest multicultural digital media platform in the United States that enables brands, agencies, publishers and storytellers to decode and connect with multifaceted and diverse audiences, today released two annual studies, the Multicultural Consumer Fact Pack and the LGBTQ+ Consumer Fact Pack.

These Fact Packs offer insight into the nuances, attitudes, and digital consumption habits of Hispanic, Black, AAPI and LGBTQ+ consumers. The Fact Packs are valuable new resources for companies that are seeking information on diverse consumer engagement including data on fast-growing channels like video, podcasting and social media. The release of these reports supports My Code’s mission to reshape the future of media so that everyone is authentically and accurately represented, especially as multicultural and LGBTQ+ consumers grow in population and influence.

The Fact Packs were produced by My Code’s Intelligence Center, the company’s proprietary platform dedicated to providing a pulse on the ever-changing sentiments, opinions and habits of multicultural American consumers.

“Accurately depicting and engaging with diverse audiences in advertising and marketing all starts with understanding the nuances and details about what makes each group unique,” says Jennifer White, COO at My Code. “These new Fact Packs better position My Code as the go-to expert for helping brands make data-backed decisions on how to authentically connect with multicultural and LGBTQ+ audiences and establish lasting relationships.”

“We pride ourselves with the fact that My Code’s employee base is 85% multicultural and we work alongside minority-owned and led publishers, creators and producers,” said Ginny Yang, VP of Marketing at My Code. “This gives us a greater purpose to ensure that multicultural audiences are authentically represented and allows us to more clearly relay what diverse audiences want to see in marketing efforts.”

Topline insights from the Multicultural Consumer Fact Pack include:

Internet usage plays a significantly more prominent role in multicultural consumers’ lives compared to non-multicultural adults.

Compared to 67% of non-multicultural U.S. adults, 75% of multicultural U.S. adults use the internet while away from home.
71% of multicultural U.S. adults consume videos one or more times per day vs. 57% of non-multicultural U.S. adults.
70% of multicultural U.S. adults play video games on a monthly basis vs. 66% of non-multicultural U.S. adults, and 50% consider themselves “gamers” compared to 43% of non-multicultural U.S. adults.

Brands must have a playbook in place before connecting with consumers on social media, as social platforms are susceptible to online racial hate and misinformation.

79% of multicultural U.S. adults use social media one or more times per day vs. 75% of non-multicultural adults.
78% of multicultural U.S. adults feel online racial hate is a serious problem and 44% feel platforms’ enforcement of community guidelines is inadequate; 63% of non-multicultural U.S. adults feel online racial hate is a serious problem and 52% feel platforms’ inadequately enforce community guidelines.

- The Multicultural Consumer Fact Pack includes a creative impact test, which found that multicultural consumer growth requires understanding and incorporating multicultural nuances early in campaign planning processes. The most significant findings from the Multicultural Creative Impact Test include:

- - Multicultural U.S. adults are 3.8 times more likely to say the “mainstream” creatives need more diversity.
  - Culturally relevant creatives are 25%-62% more compelling to multicultural audiences.

Topline insights from the LGBTQ+ Consumer Fact Pack include:

Marketers should connect with openly LGBTQ+ consumers online as the internet plays a prominent role in their lives.

75% of openly LGBTQ+ adults use the internet while away from home vs 68% among total U.S. adults.
69% of openly LGBTQ+ adults consume videos one or more times per day vs. 59% among total U.S. adults.
75% of openly LGBTQ+ adults play video games monthly and 51% consider themselves “gamers” vs. 67% and 42%, respectively, among total U.S. adults.

Social media posts and comments pose risks to community building and engagement among openly LGBTQ+ consumers.

82% of openly LGBQ+ adults use social media one or more times per day vs. 76% among total U.S. adults.
79% of openly LGBTQ+ adults feel online racial hate is a serious problem, the third-largest cohort of consumers that feel this way, the largest two cohorts being Black adults and multicultural women, respectively. 70% of the total U.S. adult population feel that online racial hate is a serious problem.

- The LGBTQ+ Consumer Fact Pack also includes a creative impact test which explores the potential impact cultural creative elements play in LGBTQ+ consumer behavior. The most significant findings from the LGBTQ+ Creative Impact Test include:

- - Openly LGBTQ+ adults are 2.7 times more likely than overall U.S. adults to say they want to identify with the people in “mainstream” creatives more.
  - Openly LGBTQ+ adults are 2.0 times more likely to say the “mainstream” creatives need more diversity.

Download the Multicultural Consumer Fact Pack, here.

Download the LGBTQ+ Consumer Fact Pack, here.