A b o u t

To help marketers and media understand the U.S. Asian consumer opportunity, the Asian American Advertising Federation has been following the growth of the U.S. Asian population for nearly two decades.  Today, Asians are recognized as the fastest-growing U.S. multicultural segment, driven largely by new immigration.  In fact, the Pew Research Center projects that the U.S. Asian population will grow to be 14% of the total U.S. population by 2065, based on U.S. Census data.

That the majority of growth is coming from new immigration, while the buying power of the U.S.-born population quickly rises, is significant and worth exploring.  First-generation Asians represent new potential and can be well reached by specialized media, while more general media may reach later generations.

To understand how to address these opportunities, the 3AF commissioned the Asian American media consumption study.  We want to help understand how cultural and linguistic factors of Asian Americans drive their media consumption choices.  We feel the market needs a depth of analysis that does not look at Asian Americans as one monolithic group, but delves into the diverse Asian sub-segment groups, and the age groups within.

At the same time, how does our fast-changing media landscape, with the proliferation of media channels and technologies that can deliver ever-more-personalized content, contribute to these consumption decisions?  By breaking down the demographics to understand the influence of language and culture, we hope to fill a critical knowledge gap that will help improve how advertisers reach different Asian American consumer groups, and motivate them to action.

Ultimately, our goal at 3AF is to provide powerful and insightful Asian American consumer knowledge to assist your marketing planning process.  We encourage you to also consider the expertise of our members for additional support and best practices.

Ed Chang, President

Iris Yim, Research Committee Chair