What to know

To have cultural fluency is to be able to communicate effectively within a culture, including picking up nonverbal and non-linguistic contexts. One might speak a language well but still not be culturally fluent.

In marketing and advertising, this means being able to tease out the cultural nuances of the segments you are looking to target. Research conducted by Collage Group, a consumer research firm, found that “63% of consumers state brands don’t conduct enough research when integrating diversity into their advertising efforts. Essentially, consumers don’t see brands producing culturally relevant advertisements. 62% of White consumers share this perspective.”

Achieving cultural fluency may involve partnering with cultural consultants, investing in ongoing education, and ensuring diverse representation within your team and throughout the life cycle of a campaign. This is increasingly important in a world where the majority of consumers are supportive of DEI efforts in marketing — 63% of consumers overall, according to Vox Media research.

Additional resources

• What Is Cultural Fluency and Why Is It Important (NBC News)
• Cultural Fluency Roadmap (Collage Group)
• How cultural fluency helps multicultural marketing success with all Americans (Ad Age)