Black and Hispanics Culture Comparison

CULTURAL COMPARISON IN BLACKS AND HISPANICS

Introduction

There has been a rapid increase in the amount and spending power of African-Americans

and Hispanics in the United States (Wellner, 2002). As the consequence, these two ethnic groups have become very important to the U.S. economy,therefore advertisers must take them into consideration. However, African-Americans and Hispanics have long been ignored and stereotyped in negative ways (Chinyelu, 1991). That is why these ethnic groups have developed a feeling of discrimination as a result of this under-representation and negative portrayal in U.S. advertisements. Further , these minority groups not only feel discriminated against, also they believe that Caucasians feel superior and reflect much of this superiority through the media (Chinyelu, 1991). According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2002), Hispanics and African-Americans are the top two minority groups in the United States. African-Americans have become the largest minority group in the U.S. with over 40 million people, followed by Hispanics with over 38 million, who have become the fastest growing minority group. Blacks, or African-Americans, are defined “as people who have origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa including people who identify their race as black or African-American” (“What do we mean,” 2002). Hispanics are generally defined as “a person of any race who either speaks Spanish or has a Spanish speaking ancestor” (Braus,1993).

Culture

“Culture plays a powerful, defining role for how ethnic consumers behave and purchase

goods and services” (Gardyn, 2001). For example, the African-American culture is both part of, and distinct from, American culture and society. From their earliest presence in North America, Africans and African-Americans have contributed in literature, art, agricultural skills, foods, clothing styles, music, and language to American culture. Nevertheless, the African-American culture is a mixture of influences...