“We have entered a new era whereby technology has become a great equalizer,” said Cheryl Grace, Senior Vice President, U.S. Strategic Community Alliances and Consumer Engagement. “Black millennials are leading the way in their use of technology to impact change and get their voices heard.”
Grace is speaking of a recently released Nielsen report, that shows black millennials (the 18-34 set) as being tech-savvy, socially and civically engaged, and growing in population (46.3 million or 14 percent of the U.S. population) and buying power (nearly $1.2 trillion in 2015), and are optimistic about the future. The report, called Young, Connected and Black, “paints a picture of a Black diaspora that is tech-savvy; socially and civically engaged; growing in population (46.3 million or 14% of the U.S. population) and buying power (nearly $1.2 trillion in 2015); and optimistic about the future.”
Said researchers for the report, “African-American Millennials are forging ahead in their use of technology and social media to raise awareness and evoke a national discussion on civic and political issues. African-American Millennials are expanding the use of mobile devices (particularly smartphones with a 91% penetration rate for all African-Americans), expanding their shopping carts with fresh foods and contributing to the diversification of mainstream primetime television viewership—forging a significant increase in advertising dollars focused on African-American audiences…”
Because of this they said, companies are making great efforts to reach the “culture-rich” group.
“This annual report is an essential tool for organizations looking to develop a deeper contextual understanding of the influence and economic power of Black consumers,” said Deborah Gray-Young, managing partner, D. Gray-Young Inc., a multicultural marketing consulting firm and Nielsen External Advisory Council member.
Five significant findings highlighted in Young, Connected and Black were:
African-Americans are Closing the Digital Divide
A Viral Vanguard: Social media engagement
Voracious Content Consumers
Education advancements of Black Millennials
African-American incomes and spending power
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