The upcoming 2010 US Census is bound to bring new demographic insights that marketers anticipate could have significant implications for marketing strategy. Notably, the rise in Hispanic population, which is expected to have grown disproportionately quickly since the last Census, could inspire firms to more heavily research the lifestyles and purchasing patterns of this demographic in an attempt to better target Hispanic audiences.

But there are other demographics that may be equally important to marketers. African Americans are one example. A recent BET study claims that the African American population is expected to have risen 13.4% since the 2000 Census. This population growth has corresponded with sharp increases in African American buying power, which was up 55% to $913 billion from 2000-2008. By 2013, that number is expected to rise to $1.24 trillion.

Meanwhile, AdWeek ran an article last week indicating that the tastes of some African American are changing as well. AdWeek specifically points out one sector of African American consumers: Affluent African Americans, or AAAs. According to AdWeek, this group has massive untapped purchasing potential since marketers have not figured out how to communicate their messages effectively to AAAs. Marketers must recognize that individuals in this demographic have new interests, refined tastes, and larger pocketbooks.

That brings up another point: the BET study divided participants into seven categories, which were meant to control for factors such as socioeconomic background and media consumption. But it seems as though the best demographic insights cannot be generalized to fit a diverse population. Umbrella terms (“Hispanics,” and “African Americans”) may be far less meaningful than more nuanced demographic categorizations.

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