diversityinbusiness.com
by Matthew Jones
If you were to sit down with some of the top ad clients in the industry and ask them about their multicultural activities, chances are you would hear details about an upcoming campaign targeting the African-American, or "urban" market. Then, you might hear about their efforts to tap into the ever-increasing influence of the Hispanic market.
Ask those same clients about their efforts to reach the Asian-American marketplace, and you might just get a blank stare.
Rita Cheng wants to chance that. As a group account director for InterTrend, she's a major name at one of the most prestigious Asian-owned agencies in the country - an agency that changing the way clients view the Asian market.
Given her senior rank, Cheng has a hand in practically all of the agency's client business. That's no small task, since the agency boasts more than $50 million in annual billings, and a client list that includes blue chip accounts like Toyota Motor Sales, State Farm Insurance, JC Penney, Western Union and many more.
"With the globalization of the marketplace, Asian contributions are getting bigger and bigger," said Cheng of the need for marketers to pay more attention to the growing segment. "It seems like marketing to Asians fall behind marketing to Hispanics and African-Americans. We have to make sure people understand the importance of the Asian market."
Still, reaching the Asian-American segment has not been the top priority of many top marketers, because they still operate on two outdated and inaccurate viewpoints - one, that the Asian market is not large enough to justify the spending; and two, the Asian population is completely acculturated into the general market, so no additional effort is required.
"It's still an obstacle," explained Cheng, who believes that relying on general market advertising missed the boat in building a relationship with the Asian-American market. "You have to understand the mindset - you have to understand the lifestyle. They may watch general market TV, they may speak perfect English, but there are differences. How do you reach them to understand what drives them? What are going to be the best communication vehicles in the future?"
While Cheng's clients have been educated on the importance of this market, the industry at large is running the risk of missing the boat. "The marketing environment is changing," said Cheng. "But, some people still think the answer is just to switch out the talent (in general market work) and put some Asian faces on it."
Cheng also notes that there is a powerful resurgence of Asian pride among today's young population - a movement that may determine whether companies sink or swim when trying to earn their dollars.
"There are a lot of young, Asian kids who are regretting not knowing their native languages," said Cheng. "The Asian population in the U.S. is growing - we're more comfortable with their Asian culture. It's good to be Asian again."
In addition to keeping clients educated on the nuances of the marketplace, Cheng also has to make sure that the work actually makes it out the door, as well. In her tireless efforts to keep the marketing machine running, Cheng is fueled by her undying curiosity about life, and her deeply engrained work ethic.
"I guess it's my curiosity about life (that's driven my career)," explained Cheng. "It's the challenge of figuring out what makes people tick - what makes people respond to stimuli."
Curiosity alone won't move you ahead in the marketing game. As any successful professional knows, you also have to be willing to put in the hours. "I think you have to be dedicated, strategic and solution-driven," continued Cheng. "But there's no set skill set (that determines success) - the challenges are different every day, and every time (you start a new project). You have to figure out how to make a campaign stronger."
Cheng also credits her team with helping to solidify her success, as well as the growth and success of her clients. "I have a great team," she said. "I'm very proud of the team we have. That's why it's possible (to put out great work)."
Finding Footing in a Changing Culture
Cheng's main objective is to guide her clients through an ever-changing culture, and that's not a challenge she's not familiar with on a very personal level.
"I was born in Hong Kong. I came to the U.S. when I was 11 years old," she explained. "It was challenging - everything was very different. I lived in Orange County. There aren't that many Chinese people there. I had to adapt to a whole new culture. It was like learning from scratch."
Cheng's curious mind and passion for understanding the cultures around her helped ensure that the barriers of language and ethnicity did not slow her down.
"It made me stronger," she said. You don't back down from challenges. You have to keep trying. You live by trial and error. That relates to marketing, too. You have to be more creative."
Whether directly or indirectly, Cheng did not walk the path alone. She looked to her role models for inspiration. One such role model is the founder and CEO of her agency, Julia Huang (see " A Link to the Invisible Minority," February, 2005 ).
"(Huang) started InterTrend in 1991 with a vision to service the Asian market," continued Cheng, who also credits longtime advertising visionary Bill Yamada for providing an example of what she wanted to do with her career. "(Huang and Yamada) are the pioneers who started the Asian marketing industry. For those of us working in the industry, they're known as the ones who made it all happen. Also, all of my clients are my role models."
While Cheng gets her motivation from her esteemed role models, she gets much of her emotional support from her family. In a culture that doesn't always see marketing as a traditional career choice, they have been behind her every step of the way.
"They're pretty liberal," Cheng said of her parents. "They respect the choices (my siblings and I) make. They know I'm not a doctor or lawyer, or working in an industry (where Asians typically pursue careers)."
So far, her choices have all seemed to be the right ones. She's working with the industry's most visible clients, she has an outstanding team behind her, and she's making a name for herself, and her agency, in the process.
"(I'm proud of) the friendships and partnerships I've formed with my clients," said Cheng. "I'm proud of the growth of the individuals on our team, and the growth of the clients. It's all about the teamwork."
Looking ahead, Rita Cheng is confident - and with good reason. Educating the masses on the importance of the Asian-American market is no easy task, but Cheng is more than up to the challenge.
"I will stick with Asian market - either in the U.S. or globally," said Cheng of her passion for the segment. "I'm Asian. That's where I can contribute, and help bring the market to the next level."
