In Germany there are over 2.5 million Turkish native speakers, over 4 million Russian speakers and over a million Serbo-Croatians (from the former Yugoslavia).
Together they make up over 8 million people, or around 10% of the German population. That’s more people than live in the entire Niedersachen region of Germany. More than in the cities of Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt and Essen put together.
These customers can be hugely significant for many companies, who recognise that these clearly defined, homogenous target markets, with their own media – newspapers, magazines, radio and TV – can generate high levels of sales with minimum outlay, far more easily than other sectors of the population.
The different nationalities have specific modes of behaviour (on the telephone, eating and drinking customs etc.) and particular product preferences (for example in toiletries and electrical goods) and are also distinguished socio-demographically (for example in size of household). These characteristics can be successfully exploited by companies to win customers and increase turnover. To do that the offer must be exactly appropriate and cultural differences must be precisely observed.
That’s where ethnomarketing comes in! In the USA it has for some time been a fact of life (thanks to many large ethnic populations), and in recent years ethnomarketing has also gained currency in Germany.
Deutsche Telekom, Deutsche Post, Ford, Mobilcom, Yello Strom, DaimlerChrysler, Henkel, Maggi – those are just a few of the companies who have recognised the opportunities and have practiced active ethnomarketing for several years.
We would be delighted to present examples and results of ethnomarketing activities. |
