The Right Shade: GlobalHue’s Marketing

“The drive for increased market share and business success has created a demand for agencies that can address consumers on their terms,â€? says Allen Pugh, GlobalHue’s Executive Vice President and Director of Client Services

The Entrepreneurs Series

 
Here’s a fact that might surprise you.

According to a report issued by the University of Georgia’s Selig
Center for Economic Growth, Black buying power in this country will
rise to $1.1 trillion by 2011, from $799 billion last year, making
African Americans the largest “minority” market in the nation.

Retailers, merchandisers, service providers and other companies who are
eyeing this growing segment of the population—as well as the increase
of other “minority” groups—have come to realize that with marketing and
advertising, it’s not one size fits all.  Strategies to
communicate effectively must be specific to the various populations.
GlobalHue, an African American owned advertising agency has made this
communications task it’s mission; the company understands the
individual needs of “minority” consumers.

With over $550 million in billings for 2006, GlobalHue was recently
named the top grossing advertising agency in Black Enterprise
magazine’s annual list of the top 100 Black-owned companies. 

Founder of GlobalHue, Don Coleman, a former NFL linebacker, started his
own ad agency in 1988. Then in 2002, he united his firm, Don Coleman
Advertising, with Hispanic agency Montemayor y Asociados and Asian
agency Innovasia Communications to form GlobalHue.

Headquartered in Detroit (Southfield), Michigan, with offices in New
York and Los Angeles the agency’s services include urban market
research, strategic planning, advertising, promotions, public
relations, media and special events all geared toward the
African-American, Hispanic and Asian consumer. With 220 employees,
GlobalHue is the nation’s largest minority-owned, full-service
marketing communications agency.

“The drive for increased market share and business success has created
a demand for agencies that can address consumers on their terms,” says
Allen Pugh, GlobalHue’s Executive Vice President and Director of Client
Services. “It’s obvious that when we help our clients do well, so do
we.”

Pugh also notes the growing influence of minority groups on popular
culture as part of the incentive for companies to hire firms that have
keen multicultural insights. Current GlobalHue clients include American
Airlines, Bermuda Department of Tourism, DaimlerChrysler, Internal
Revenue Service, U.S. Navy, Verizon Communications and Wal-Mart.

In terms of Black buying power, according to the Selig Center report, a
rise in employment has played an important role in the noticeable
increase. “Compared to 1990, employment opportunities have improved for
everyone, including African Americans,” the report states.  “The
increasing number of black business owners also contributes to the gain
in buying power.”
Black Enterprise has been documenting the rise of leading black
businesses since the publication first compiled it’s top 100 list 35
years ago. According BE, in 1973 combined sales for listed 100
companies totaled $473 million combined. “Today, the top 100 African
American industrial and service companies and 100 leading auto
dealers-the core of the BE 100s report-collectively grossed more than
$27 billion,” the magazine reported.

The detailed list is featured in BE’s June 2007 issue.


Black Star news writer Mullen can be reached at [email protected]




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