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The African-American Cable Viewer: Reaching the Viewers That Count

African Ame rican cable viewers are more upscale than broadcast viewers. This difference is visible in their education, occupation, income and spending habits. These consumers represent the prime prospects that advertisers seek. Outlined below are key comparisons of the two groups:

HIGHER LEVELS OF EDUCATION ATTAINMENT:

• 78% of African-American High School Graduates have Cable
• 86% of African-American College Graduates have Cable
• 85% of African-Americans with Graduate Degrees have Cable

OCCUPATIONAL ADVANCEMENT:
	Index (Norm=100)
	Cable	Non-Cable
Professional/Technical Professions	101	66
Mgmt./Business/Financial Professions	107	81
Employees of Fortune 500 Companies	110	69

MORE AFRICAN AMERICAN DOLLARS:
	Index (Norm=100)
	Cable	Non-Cable
Household Income of $75,000 or more	105	76
Household Income of $40,000-$50,000	112	50

INCOME LEVELS:
	Cable	Non-Cable
	$46,807	$35,735

AFRICAN AMERICAN CABLE HOUSEHOLDS REPRESENT A $488.5 BILLION MARKETPLACE:

• 82% of African-American cable HHs have homes valued over $200,000
• 70% of African-American cable HHs are 2003 New Car Buyers
• 82 % of African-American cable HHs are Computer owners
• 86 % of African-American cable HHs spend more than $1,000 per vacation
• 85% of African-American cable HHs are Timeshare Owners
• 81% of African-American cable HHs are Credit card users
• 80% of African-American cable HHs are Cell phone users
• 78% of African-American cable HHs are Life insurance owners
• 77% of African-American cable HHs are Brokerage account holders
• 84% of African-American cable HHs are Camcorder owners

Source: Simmons, Full Year Study 2003, base AA 18+

ATTITUDES AND OPINIONS:
African-Americans Are...
Committed to Television	Cable	Non-Cable
Without cable, I wouldn’t watch TV	115	52
I rely on TV to keep me informed	109	75
TV is my main source of entertainment	108	69
I like the idea of a large selection of TV channels	107	80
Ads help me learn about products available	104	90
Fashion Conscious Trendsetters
Everything I wear is the highest quality	106	78
I no longer wear clothes I wore a year ago	106	78
I like to keep up with the latest fashions	104	83
I spend more than I can afford for clothes	109	68
My budget allows me to buy designer clothes	107	81
I am first among my friends to try new styles	102	89
Recognize Automobiles as a Reflection of Style...
I prefer driving a luxury vehicle	109	83
My car should express my personality	108	66
My car should catch people's attention	107	79
You can tell about someone by the car driven	105	73
I like a new car eve ry two or three years	104	91
People always ask my advice on cars to buy	106	66
I normally buy cars brand new	103	91
Brand Loyal and Like to Shop....
My kids have significant impact on brands	107	89
I always look for brand names	105	92
I always look for favorite brands first	101	91
I ask advice before buying new things	107	86
I keep up with changes-styles/fashion	105	91
I plan ahead for expensive purchases	104	86

Source: Simmons Full Year Study, 2003, base AA18+

REASONS WHY AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE EFFECTIVELY REACHED BY CABLE:

• The Viewer – More upscale, more brand loyal, more likely to be prime targets for marketers seeking to reach desirable consumers.
• Programming Environments – Cable offers prog ramming environments that allow viewers to be come emotionally involved with the channel and its offerings.
• Creativity – Cable is flexible and provides a wealth of oppo rtunities for creative campaigns that tie into the programs or relevant genres.
• Consistency – Programming that is "all black, all the time." Viewers are always able to find programming that "speaks to them and their interests."
• Frequency – Because of cable's economic base, advertisers are able to increase their frequency allowing heightened visibility.
• Commitment to Quality – The cable industry is committed to acquiring or creating original programming that is relevant, cutting edge and of the highest quality.
• Connectivity – African American Cable networks know their audiences and the needs of the communities that they serve. As a result, they are able to create informational programs and campaigns that connect with their viewers.

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Content © 2005 by Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau (www.onetvworld.org). Reprinted with Permission.