Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1962-08-31

thought IT. worth reprinting.
The Negroes Force In Marketplace
(First Of three instaIlments)
Increases In both numbers and
income make Negroes a more
important. sales target. But
companies differ over whether
special approaches are needed to
sell to them.
II am the insoluble piece of fat
in the great American melting pot,
the leopard that can't change its
spots. Not a day goes by but that
I'm reminded I am a nonwhite."
So speaks a Chicago Negro -
well educated, prosperous. He puts
his finger on the one overriding
factor that isolates some 19-mil-
lion us. citizens from the main
stream. President John H. John
son of Johnson Publishing Co. calls
it forced identity"
The isolation carries over into
the marketplace. white people
won't let me be just an Amer
ican," the Chicago man goes on.
''They make me live - and buy
as Negro"
Business will have to reckon in
creasingly with this forced identi-
ty in the days ahead. More COM
panies that will admit it are al
ready actively catering to the Ne
gro or are deep in research. For
in the market, as in the schools,
the restaurants, and the hiring
halls, the Negroes are on the
march.
1. The new force.
Cold data indicates both the
strength and weaknesses of this
advancing group. At last census
time, Negroes represented only
1857 Of the total population. The
nonwhite median family income of
1928 Jagged considerably behind
the white median of $5,S25. Yet
the Negroes outstripped the whites
on two counts during the 1950's.
In numbers, they grew nearly 28%,
against a 1888 gain for whites.
Their median income represented
1915 gain, a shade higher than
the whites gain of 69.4%.
Move to cities. More important
is where the growth occurred. Ne
groes are moving to a vital mar
keting area: the big city. In Wash
ington, DC, they now account
for more than half the population.
Other cities are likely to face this
situation before long.
This concentration makes an i'm
pact greater than numbers alone
would indicate. 'The Negro could
prove downtown's salvation" says
William Capitman, president Of
Center for Research in Marking,
Inc. Some cities are beginning to
agree.
Beyond the figures looms the
intangible: a change in attitude in
the Negroes themselves. Hard
earned gains in this country, plus
the emergence of the African ma
tons as an international force,
have brought a new sense of pride
"a greater willingness to be ident-
flied.
Economic power. They have
brought, too, a new sense of power.
In the past year or so, the Negro
has discovered a brand-new right:
the right not to buy. He is learn
ing to WELD it in a way that will
make him a still more potent force
in the market: to open up wider
employment opportunities.
II. To sell or not.
In recent weeks, Business Week
reporters talked with manufact-
urers, retailers, media, community
leaders in some 20 cities. They
asked: Is this a special market &?
If so, how do you sell it? They
came back with two violently OPP
posed views.
| With some notable exceptions,
you would conclude from the an
swers that indignation is well un-
der way in marketing either in
tentionally or by default. Many
appliance manufacturers, shoe con-
Germs, apparel makers, food pro-
cessors, and retailers shook their
heads and said: I'VE treat all
markets alike"
Some figure 1t as a matter of
straight economics. A big tire
company sums 1t up this view: I'VE
don't feel it Is economic or wise
to carve our effort into pieces"
Marketing quandry. Some are
frankly scared. AS one man puts
1t: IF we use the wrong approach,
we may ALLEVIATE the Negro. II we
use the right approach. we may
ALLEVIATE our white customers"
! More positively, some big stores
feel they get better results by not
making a special appeal. Says the
president Of Jones Store in Kan
sas City: IT think they would re-
sent 1t If they thought we were go
ling after them as Negroes" Car
son Prize Scott & Co. in Chicago
adds: IF they think well Of us,
we think It Is because we treat
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