Shell Oil Products US Reaches Out to Minority Audiences.

HOUSTON -- Everyone with a car needs gas, so gasoline-marketing campaigns can simply target the entire driving population in the US, right? Shell Oil Products US, marketer of the No. 1-selling gasoline brand in the United States, thinks otherwise. The company realizes that "one size does not fit all" when it comes to reaching American consumers. "We recognize that our own diverse workforce is a microcosm of the general population," said John Jefferson, director of Diversity for Shell. "Shell knows its employees appreciate our commitment to Diversity so why should our customers feel any differently?"

Shell uses specific marketing approaches, segmented marketing budgets, and measurable goals to reach the three largest ethnic groups in the US: White/Anglo (70 percent of US population with 199.3 million residents)(a), Latino/Hispanic (13 percent of US population with 37 million residents)(a) and Black/African American (12 percent of US population with 36.1 million residents)(a).

Since a car is one of the most expensive purchases many people will make, Shell believes car owners recognize that the quality and brand of the gasoline they purchase is an important decision as well. The company recognizes that Latino/Hispanics and Black/African Americans have tremendous buying power and purchase significant amounts of gasoline, lubricants and other consumer items sold under the Shell brand.

To ensure the company's message reaches all targeted audiences, Shell's general-market advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson, coordinates its approach with the company's specialized marketing agencies, Lopez Negrete Communications which targets the U.S. Hispanic community and SWG&M which reaches out to African Americans. Although marketing campaigns like the recent Shell V-Power premium fuel are developed for global audiences with the intention of easy linguistic and cultural translation, both Lopez Negrete and SWG&M further tailor the campaigns to resonate more effectively with the respective audiences.

To date, Shell has increased their spending to reach the Hispanic community by more than 200% from the previous year. Shell and Lopez Negrete have focused on four primary communication channels: TV shows and networks with high Hispanic viewership, Spanish-language radio, magazines and in-language point-of-purchase materials. The companies ensure their materials resonate and are relevant across the diverse Hispanic population, which is made up of Mexican, Cuban, Dominican and other Latin American nationalities by using Neutral Spanish, which is similar to the accentless English used by TV news anchors across the US.

Shell also has been very pleased with the success of its African American outreach. SWG&M has developed a customized program that includes print, television and radio. For the recent launch of Shell V-Power, radio commercials were created specifically for an urban radio format.

According to Karen Wildman, Shell Oil Products US advertising manager, "When we enter a market, we look at various factors, including the ethnic composition of the market and often utilize media based on that composite." Shell has done that with print advertisements in African American magazines, custom radio commercials and television ad placements on shows with high African American viewership.

Wildman also stated that Shell is always looking at new opportunities and ways to reach different audiences and ethnicities. Shell and its affiliate Motiva accomplished just that with their MSO (Multi-Site Operator) program. The company hosted a nine-city road show of informational sessions intended to recruit candidates to manage clusters of 10 to 20 company-owned retail sites. The cities were selected by the diversity of their consumer base and the companies partnered with local business groups such as Hispanic and African American organizations and Chambers of Commerce to specifically reach minority candidates. As a result, about 27 percent of the MSOs today are minority or women-operated.

Shell realizes that the marketplace is constantly changing and one of the best ways to maintain its leadership as the marketer of the No. 1-selling gasoline brand in the United States is by recognizing and speaking to the diversity of its customer base.

(a) Figures provided by PR Newswire 

Shell Oil Products US operates refineries and a pipeline and terminal system, and has a network of nearly 7,000 branded gasoline stations in the Western United States. Shell Oil Company is a 50 percent owner of Motiva Enterprises LLC, along with Saudi Refining Inc., which refines and markets branded products through more than 11,000 stations in the Eastern and Southern United States. Shell Oil Products US is a subsidiary of Shell Oil Company. Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies (NYSE:RD/SC). For more information, please visit www.shell.com