In the last three years, it has become more critical than ever to exalt the contributions of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community and give voice to its members. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes by up to 189% according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. In addition, AANHPI communities have been victims of different aggressions, from verbal violence to physical attacks.
According to the 2022 AANHPI Consumer Fact Pack from My Code’s Intelligence Center, 77% of AANHPI adults strongly feel that online racial hate is a serious problem, and they are 37% more likely to feel this way compared to non-multicultural adults. This situation has led to movements and campaigns to stop violence and racism against Asian communities, such as stopaapihate.org and the hashtag #StopAsianHate on social networks.
Today, consumers expect advertisers to take an active position on the most critical social issues. Nearly 4-in-10 AANHPI adults want brands to illustrate a clear stance on issues they care about and 7-in-10 say they trust brands or companies more when they feel understood, based on research from My Code’s Intelligence Center. Therefore, now is the time to answer the call to take action and celebrate the many achievements of the AANHPI audience.
How to Take Action to Support the AANHPI Community
To show a genuine commitment to the AANHPI population and generate systemic progress to a positive change, marketers must maintain activities throughout the year.
Spotlight AANHPI voices in your field
A great way to show support for the AANHPI community is to spotlight talented members who have made significant contributions in their field. To carry out this type of initiative, think about prominent Asian figures in your industry and sector and how you can amplify their voice and turn the spotlight on their contributions.
Organize an internal team
Organize an internal employee resource group to generate and lead initiatives that raise the voices of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders inside and outside the company. Brands can raise awareness of the increase in anti-Asian hate, highlight Asian American history, and offer ideas for supporting the community.
Make sure to include everyone
Asia is made up of more than 40 countries. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that your efforts to celebrate the AANHPI population correctly represent the full spectrum of cultures and nationalities. Show diversity in your campaigns and focus on the richness of Asian cultures without being stereotypical or just concentrating on one nationality. Educate yourself through online resources like the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month website, which provides information about the history of Asian/Pacific heritage.
Create a newsletter
Through a newsletter, you can show AANHPI employee profiles and cultural resources to educate your entire organization about the importance and contributions of this population. A newsletter is an excellent corporate effort to be more inclusive and deliver messages that add value to internal and external audiences.
Harness the power of video
A video can be very inspiring and also convey complex messages easily. You can create audiovisual material to give AANHPI people a voice within your organization and provide them with a platform to show their identity, roots, challenges, and achievements within the organization.
Showing diversity in marketing activities and supporting social and cultural movements is essential for brands that want to build a positive image. But you must do it correctly using resources like those that My Code has available to understand the nuances of the different cultures that make up our great social fabric. Contact us to find out more ways your brand can connect authentically with the AANHPI community.
