As the nation climbs out of the era of the coronavirus, a new age is dawning in the US and Asian Americans will be at the leading edge, according to a new report by Nielsen.
"The Asian American community is at an inflection point, which has created a ripe opportunity for marketers to drive business growth," stated Mariko Carpenter, Nielsen's Vice President of Strategic Community Alliances.
The report released during Asian Pacific Americans Heritage Month explores Asian American consumer behaviors that are setting the pace for two important industry trends:
First, the media platforms that are winning among Asian Americans amid the streaming wars and the content that is capturing their attention.
Second is the gaming industry that is breaking boundaries as entertainment, and how Asian Americans are integral to its ecosystem as gamers, spectators, and content creators.
As the streaming wars continue, the battle for audiences will only intensify. As early adopters of technology, Asian Americans are more digitally connected and trying new platforms and services, making them a valuable audience segment to content creators and distributors alike.
Nielsen also found Asian influence is particularly strong in the US gaming industry, which is experiencing exponential growth as so many Americans are sheltered in place, hungry for sports and entertainment. The US saw a 45% increase in time spent playing video games over a week in late March 2020 when most of the country was shut down. With uncertainty about spectator sports, esports presents an opportunity for sports leagues to engage with their fans, opening up new opportunities for advertising sponsors.
Historically, the complex diversity of the community and the lack of wide-reaching pan-Asian media have created barriers for US brands and marketers. However, the mass adoption of new digital platforms and the popularity of inclusive content have helped attract and galvanize a national Asian American audience.
The report sees that now, more than ever before, Asian Americans are a galvanized group (the fastest-growing multicultural group in the USA with a buying power of $1.2 trillion), presenting more opportunities for brands to build trust and an emotional connection with them.
Asian Americans have always led the way with digital adoption. According to Nielsen's latest Total Audience Report, 90% of all Asian American households own internet-connected TV devices, compared with 76% of the total U.S. population. While this trend is not new, the sheer amount of streamed content and the use of internet-connected devices among Asian American homes continues to grow.
Today, more than ever, marketers are relying on digital platforms to sell their products. As early digital adopters, Asian American consumers can help deliver an immediate sales boost for those digitally savvy brands who make the effort to target them where they are.
Key insights featured in the report include:
But simply owning an internet-connected device doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s being used to stream content. Within Asian American households, however, subscription video on-demand (SVOD) services are almost essential, as 84% subscribe to at least one streaming service, 10 percentage points higher than the total population.
Marketers that include content marketing in their marketing mix stand to gain an advantage in reaching Asian Americans. And given the rising consumption of streaming content across all demographics, content creators are ensuring there’s something for everyone.
Asian American households are often multigenerational, and they’re the most likely to include family members who stream content with another person.
Given co-viewing trends across Asian American households, it’s no surprise to see a wide range of popular programs with these audiences in mind, such as Parasite, Kim’s Convenience and Alan Yang's tale of immigration Tigertail and rom-coms like Crazy Rich Asians and Always Be My Maybe and Mindy Kaling's coming-of-age sitcom Never Have I Ever.
For years, the stats on Asian American consumers have captivated marketers. With a buying power projected to reach $1.6 trillion by 2024, the average Asian American household income ($94,889) is 41% higher than the national average. As a result, Asian-American households spend more annually in several key categories including: housing (+24%), food (+29%), education (+128%), apparel (+67%) and new cars (+$37%).
Marketers that include content marketing in their marketing mix stand to gain an advantage in reaching Asian Americans. And given the rising consumption of streaming content across all demographics, content creators are ensuring there’s something for everyone.
Asian American households are often multigenerational, and they’re the most likely to include family members who stream content with another person.
Given co-viewing trends across Asian American households, it’s no surprise to see a wide range of popular programs with these audiences in mind, such as Parasite, Kim’s Convenience and Alan Yang's tale of immigration Tigertail and rom-coms like Crazy Rich Asians and Always Be My Maybe and Mindy Kaling's coming-of-age sitcom Never Have I Ever.
For years, the stats on Asian American consumers have captivated marketers. With a buying power projected to reach $1.6 trillion by 2024, the average Asian American household income ($94,889) is 41% higher than the national average. As a result, Asian-American households spend more annually in several key categories including: housing (+24%), food (+29%), education (+128%), apparel (+67%) and new cars (+$37%).
Asian Americans are more likely to be cord-cutters
- Asian Americans are cutting the cord at a rate that is almost twice that of the total population and are relying more on broadband-only
- Accessing live television through internet-based services like Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and AT&T TV Now
- Engaging more on TV-connected devices that require internet connection (i.e. Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku) at 49% versus 44% of the total U.S. population
Asian Americans are finding more Asian American-led content on streaming platforms
- 82% of Asian Americans subscribe to at least one streaming service compared to 72% of the total population
- Popular Netflix content among Asian Americans include comedy specials featuring Ronny Chieng, Jo Koy and Ken Jeong, and series with Asian American leads including Ugly Delicious, Wu Assassins and Patriot Act.
- The top episodic Netflix series in 2019 among Asian Americans also reflect a diverse lead cast, such as V Wars, Lost in Space and I Am Not Okay With This.
Asian Americans are big players in the gaming industry
- Asian Americans are 14% more likely to own a gaming console and 37% more likely to own Virtual Reality (VR) headsets that are mainly used for gaming
- Asian American gamers are younger with 69% of Asian American gamers falling between ages 13-34 versus only 44% of U.S. gamers
- Asian Americans are leading the shift to online and mobile gaming as they are 84% more likely to play multi-player online games
- Among Asian-American gamers, over 1 in 4 say they watched an esports tournament livestream in the last three months, and 53% of Asian gamers say they have watched 3 hours or more of esports in a typical week
Asian Americans are going beyond live TV to get their news
When it comes to the media space, Asian Americans are doing more than just watch and game. Many are active content creators and many are established influencers, and marketers should consider partnering with them to create content that builds trust and resonates with the Asian American market. For a long time, Asian American characters were often portrayed as a martial artist or the awkward nerd. When an Asian American was in a role without a speaking role, they would be cast as an owner of a convenient store or a laundromat—and always the foreigner.
The lack of Asian American faces on network television gave rise to online personalities and influencers such as LIlly Singh (who is now hosting Late, Late Night with Lilly Singh) and Awkwafina, who has crossed over to movies (Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell) and her successful sitcom Awkwafina is Nora From Queens.
Times have changed, and Asian Americans have taken the spotlight in an array of roles and programming that highlight their true stories and heritage. In the early 2000s, for example, YouTube came on the scene. Then came blogs, social media and mobile video platforms, which offered Asian American artists the creative freedom to tell their stories, independent of Hollywood’s traditional gatekeepers.
Today, streaming platforms offer a new stage for Asian American voices from beauty consultants, political commentary and entertainment. The age of social distancing has hastened the use of online discussions, and a way to bring together people from across the nation.
No longer content with simply waiting for a role, Asian American actors like Daniel Dae Kim, Mindy Kaling, Ali Wong and Awkwafina are also taking over behind the camera. These authentic voices have helped galvanize the Asian American community. Instead of wondering what the future holds, brands can shape that future alongside the Asian American community.
Nielsen's Carpenter sums up the potential role Asian Americans can play in the US economy's rebound: "Brands hoping to engage with Asian Americans must understand the critical importance of inclusive media representation and the ways Asian Americans are integrating technology for media consumption. Understanding how these forces intersect and intermingle will be the key to unlocking the potential of this market."
- During the first three weeks in March, time spent watching the news grew by 27% for Asian Americans versus 15% for Non-Hispanic Whites
- Relying on digital platforms to access news content; over-indexing the total population for all types of news (i.e. political, sports, tech, business/financial)
- 15% more likely to use social media for their news versus total population
When it comes to the media space, Asian Americans are doing more than just watch and game. Many are active content creators and many are established influencers, and marketers should consider partnering with them to create content that builds trust and resonates with the Asian American market. For a long time, Asian American characters were often portrayed as a martial artist or the awkward nerd. When an Asian American was in a role without a speaking role, they would be cast as an owner of a convenient store or a laundromat—and always the foreigner.
The lack of Asian American faces on network television gave rise to online personalities and influencers such as LIlly Singh (who is now hosting Late, Late Night with Lilly Singh) and Awkwafina, who has crossed over to movies (Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell) and her successful sitcom Awkwafina is Nora From Queens.
Times have changed, and Asian Americans have taken the spotlight in an array of roles and programming that highlight their true stories and heritage. In the early 2000s, for example, YouTube came on the scene. Then came blogs, social media and mobile video platforms, which offered Asian American artists the creative freedom to tell their stories, independent of Hollywood’s traditional gatekeepers.
Today, streaming platforms offer a new stage for Asian American voices from beauty consultants, political commentary and entertainment. The age of social distancing has hastened the use of online discussions, and a way to bring together people from across the nation.
No longer content with simply waiting for a role, Asian American actors like Daniel Dae Kim, Mindy Kaling, Ali Wong and Awkwafina are also taking over behind the camera. These authentic voices have helped galvanize the Asian American community. Instead of wondering what the future holds, brands can shape that future alongside the Asian American community.
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| Two actors who have moved into producing products that reflect the Asian American experience, Mindy Kaling (Never Have I Ever) and Awkwafina (Awkwafina is Nora From Queens). |
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