Rudy Ruiz from Interlex Communications: Brands Can Do More Than Target by Culture, They Can Actually Shape Culture

Rudy Ruiz, Interlex Communications CEO-multicultural advocacy marketing agency- wrote a post in his company website titled: Like Budweiser’s Super Bowl Ad, Great Multicultural Marketing also “Born The Hard Way”, where he challenges multicultural marketers “to differentiate themselves by going high as others go low.” Ruiz analyses the controversial Super Bowl Budweiser ad (for Anheuser-Busch). The new spot commemorates the immigrant journey of the brewing company founder, Adolphus Busch, via a campaign based on the perseverance and triumph of the mid-1800’s German immigrant who was bullied by xenophobes exhorting him to “go back home.” The reaction to the ad across social media, has been to praised and criticized Budweiser. The CEO asks what should marketers do in this era of Trump, nationalism and anti-immigrant fervor? For Ruiz, they should go deeper and further than highlighting the All-American nature of the immigrant experience. “They must take a clear stand rather than paint in strokes so broad they can claim to be apolitical. Branded programmatic content and concrete long-term initiatives can engage, educate and empower multicultural, immigrant individuals, and communities to fully maximize their American experience” he wrote. “Brands as corporate citizens, can do more than target by culture, they can actually shape culture. Backed by earnest action, companies can make not just an ambiguous impression but a defining difference” he stressed. For Ruiz, there exist a multitude of opportunities for marketers to step up to the plate at this time of crisis. “If major brands in categories like technology, fashion, healthcare and financial services rise to the challenge, they will tap this window of opportunity to define their brands as innately multicultural while also rooting their promises in sincere action” he concluded.