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Break Past the Binary to Fully Celebrate the Identities and Cultures of Audio Audiences

Marketers have long relied on binary methods to identify and target consumers—from gender, focusing on men and women, or market segments, such as general market or multicultural.

But today’s consumer demands a refined approach, one that considers the fluidity of their gender and cultural identities. This fluidity is evident in audio, a hyper-personalized space reflecting people’s emotions and experiences in real time. 

SXM Media’s Culture Trends Report highlights “Fluidity and Pride” as one of the five trends making waves across audio and culture. As genres blend, languages merge and sounds evolve, so must the understanding of identity and its impact on the future.

Go with the flow

Despite what long-established systems have declared, consumers are not a monolith. Instead, they are fluid individuals interacting with other cultures, responding to constant pressures and experiencing life as it unfolds. They share and borrow from each other’s experiences to create an image that is authentically their own and join micro-communities that reflect the same.

Gone are the days of warping one’s identity to fit the ‘mainstream’—leading with pride is the way.

Podcasts like “Vibe Check” reflect the ever-evolving cultural landscape. Saeed Jones, Sam Sanders and Zach Stafford make sense of what’s going on in news and culture—and how it all feels. While they offer a Black and queer perspective on hot-button topics, they attract a predominantly non-Black audience eager to hear voices and perspectives they rarely see in mainstream media.

Advertisers can benefit from checking in on consumers, understanding what matters to them and going with the flow. It takes listening—really listening—to find that audiences share more in common than sets them apart. It also takes elevating underrepresented voices and being fearless in taking risks.

Break the mold

It’s easy to follow what’s been done before—to subscribe to tried and true methods that guarantee results. But nothing stifles creativity like conformity. That’s why breaking the mold and starting with a new and fresh approach is essential to keep a brand’s image alive.

Artists like Bad Bunny leverage their fluidity to inspire their creative process and output. He challenges outdated notions of gender expression, elevates issues affecting his beloved Puerto Rico and promotes forgotten genres—all while subtly pushing boundaries and never apologizing. His incredible talent has earned him the favor of millions of fans across the globe, all while being his authentic self.

While a brand can’t be all things to all people, it can be all it can be for itself and the values it upholds. It can follow explored territories or carve its own path while remaining authentic and relevant to consumers.

Lead with pride

Nothing brings people together better than pride. And for underrepresented groups, the satisfaction of seeing their own take the spotlight knows no bounds. Pride has never been more present than in the last few years. Gone are the days of warping one’s identity to fit the “mainstream”—leading with pride is the way.

Festivals are leveraging pride to attract audiences to their shows. Frank Ocean, BLACKPINK and Bad Bunny took all three Coachella headlining spots attracting Black, Asian and Latino listeners in droves and signaling a new era of festival experiences.

Brands can celebrate the pride shared across diverse communities, but they must do it consistently. Don’t just reach them during heritage months; instead, show up during unexpected moments when pride is on display.

A refined marketing approach follows audio’s lead: It leads with culture yet is flexible in how it manifests itself, pays attention to audience segments without restricting them and aligns with contextual spaces that are constantly evolving.