Black British Audience Insights
Introduction
We're GottaBe! Ethnic, an award-winning multicultural agency that's been connecting global brands with the nearly 15 million people from ethnic minority backgrounds in the UK for over 16 years.
The Black community is the fastest-growing ethnic group in the UK, yet despite their dynamic presence and contributions, there's a significant gap in how brands engage with and represent these audiences.
Our mission is to bridge this gap, which we do by providing brands with insights and strategies on how to engage Black British communities authentically and effectively. Check out some of our tools and resources below.
Instant Insights
To help brands effectively engage with Black audiences, we've developed 'Instant Insight Cards' that provide quick, accessible insights into the Black community.
However, these insights are general and should be used as a starting point. The Black community is diverse, with varied experiences and cultural nuances. For a deeper understanding, please explore the rest of this page and our resources.
Black African vs Black Caribbean vs Mixed Heritage
Why you need to know the difference...
The Black British community is diverse, encompassing African, Caribbean, and mixed-heritage individuals, each with unique histories and experiences. Brands must avoid treating them as a single homogenous group and instead recognise their distinct perspectives and traditions.
African Heritage: Black British individuals of African heritage come from countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Somalia, each with distinct languages, customs, and traditions. The rise of Afrobeats, with artists like Burna Boy, Davido, and WizKid, highlights the influence of African culture in the UK.
Caribbean Heritage: Those of Caribbean heritage trace their roots to islands such as Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago. The Caribbean diaspora has a rich history in the UK, notably linked to the Windrush generation. Their culture is celebrated through vibrant music scenes and events like the Notting Hill Carnival.
Mixed Heritage: Individuals of mixed heritage blend multiple backgrounds, offering unique perspectives shaped by diverse cultures.
Effective brand engagement with the Black British community requires understanding these differences and moving beyond stereotypes to create meaningful, authentic connections with each segment.
1st Generation, 2nd Generation, 3rd Generation... and beyond!
How does this impact ‘sense of belonging’?
The terms 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation refer to waves of migration and their descendants, each with unique experiences shaping their identity and sense of belonging.
1st Generation: Born outside the UK and migrated, often including the Windrush generation. They balance native cultural identities with adapting to British society, facing challenges like cultural dissonance and integration.
2nd Generation: Children of the 1st generation, born and raised in the UK. They navigate dual identities, balancing cultural heritage with their British upbringing, often not fully accepted in either culture.
3rd Generation: Grandchildren of migrants, more integrated into British culture but still exploring their ancestral roots. They often have a strong British identity but struggle to preserve cultural traditions.
Each generation's sense of belonging is shaped by its unique experiences. Brands must consider these generational differences to effectively engage with Black British communities, respecting and reflecting their diverse identities.
Why it's GottaBe! us...
By choosing us as your multicultural marketing partner, you benefit from over 16 years of expertise in connecting global brands with diverse audiences in the UK.
Previous work connecting brands with the Black British community
We worked with The University of Chichester on an International Student Recruitment Campaign from January to August 2017, targeting ethnic communities to boost Open Day sign-ups.
Utilising online and offline ethnic marketing, the campaign included merchandising local ethnic shops with leaflets, a radio campaign on Unity 101 FM, and advertorials and banner ads in the Nigerian Watch newspaper.
The outcome was significant: over 12,000 banner ad impressions, 3,000 advertorial views, 2,500 radio listeners, and merchandising in 81 stores across several cities.
The National Trust contacted us to help with its Everyone Welcome Programme, which aims to make its spaces accessible to everyone, forever.
We organised a film screening in London for Black History Month and created a documentary-style film about artist Richmond Barthé. The collaboration aimed to engage audiences authentically and effectively tell Barthé's story. The National Trust's site now features Barthé's story alongside other untold historical Black figures who shaped society today.
As Western Union's multicultural marketing partner of over 16 years, we've connected the brand with various ethnic communities and represented the brand at countless events.
One of the team's favourite events with Western Union was Black on the Square 2023. For this event, we brought together a diverse team of friendly brand ambassadors from various backgrounds, all speaking different languages, and collaborated closely with black-owned businesses and suppliers. Our team also designed engaging games to keep spirits high, such as our “Pin Your Country on the Map” game, encouraging event-goers to get involved. We also introduced an immersive 360 video experience with Western Union branding that could be easily shared on social media.
The results from this event alone were incredible, with our Brand Ambassadors facilitating over 350 app downloads.
Tommy’s aim is to make the UK the safest place to give birth by funding pregnancy research and addressing factors causing pregnancy loss.
The organisation got in touch with us, and we were tasked with raising awareness of Tommy's Miscarriage Support Tool among Black women and birthing people who are at higher risk of miscarriage. The multichannel campaign included programmatic, paid social, and digital marketing, resulting in over 3 million impressions and 570 submissions.
We’ve worked with Jumbo, an African food brand known for its traditional seasoning recipes, on a couple of in-store activation campaigns to increase awareness and loyalty for its products, including those from the Gino line.
For both campaigns, we had a team of friendly Brand Ambassadors in various stockist locations across the UK engaging customers. Our Brand Ambassadors answered questions, distributed promotional materials, and provided gifts to customers purchasing Jumbo products. This initiative aimed to encourage repeat purchases and enhance customer loyalty.
Both campaigns were successful in increasing brand awareness and sales, and our brand ambassadors were also able to collect valuable consumer feedback regarding the brand.
Resources
Because education is the key to understanding
Following on from our first in the series "Exploring Experiences: British Muslim Voices", our team is working on the next report which will focus exclusively on the Black British experience.
Use the button below to join the waitlist to be among the first to receive a copy when it's out.
Ethnic media is an underutilised channel for reaching Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic audiences. Many brands overlook the numerous ethnic media channels available, missing the chance to engage directly with these audiences.
Check out our whitepaper for insights into ethnic media's opportunities and advantages over traditional mainstream media.
Every year, we hold our Everyone Doing It Together event to empower and encourage more people in the marcomms industry to drive change within their organisations regarding Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI).
We invited Zee Goba, the Met Police's outreach lead, to join our 2023 event to share his knowledge and insights. During his panel, he discussed how the Met Police have been trying to bridge the gap between people of colour and the organisation. He also highlighted his personal experiences with the force as a Black man.
If you'd like to join us at our next event, please put yourself on the waiting list via the button below.
Get in touch
Fill out the form below and a member of our team will be in touch.