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An Examination of Television Consumption By Racial and Ethnic Audiences in the U.S.

Tyrha M. Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., is a marketing scholar, business executive, artist and entrepreneur. 
 
As a consumer behavior scholar, Dr. Lindsey-Warren’s research is rooted in narrative transportation theory (i.e., storytelling) that exudes the emotion of empowerment and its impact on consumer attitudes, behaviors, purchase intention and message recall. She also studies health edutainment, multicultural media and advertising, as well as movies and entertainment.

Dr. Lindsey-Warren is an expert in effective communications strategies for leaders, multicultural communications and marketing. She speaks nationally on these topics for Americans for the Arts, The Junior League, Public Relations Society of America, Black Data Processing Associates, and in her undergraduate/MBA classes at Rutgers Business School, Baruch College and Baylor University.

She received her B.S. in radio/TV/film from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and her M.B.A. with a concentration in marketing from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. She received her Ph.D., with a concentration in marketing and minor in international business, from Rutgers University.

As managing director of L.A.I. Communications (Lindsey & Associates International Communications), she has over 15 years of experience working in marketing and public relations, the arts, entertainment and non-profit arenas. L.A.I. clients include Bishop T.D. Jakes’ International Faith and Family Film festival at MegaFest, CURLS, Fairweather Faces, National Leadership Commission on AIDS, The Domestic Violence Hotline, UMADAOP, and Nepperhan Community Center. 

Dr. Lindsey-Warren started her career working in Hollywood for the likes of Quincy Jones*David Salzman Entertainment, NBC, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and Edmonds Entertainment, both in the development of television and film ideas and properties. Most recently, she served as Director of Public Relations for UniWorld Group, the longest-standing multicultural advertising and communications agency in the United States. 

Dr. Lindsey–Warren volunteers as a board member for Iris House in Harlem, New York, which is an agency dedicated to helping women of color with AIDS; and Jazz Forum Arts, which presents nationally renowned jazz artists in the Greater New York City area. 

Dr. Lindsey-Warren is an accomplished jazz singer who has performed around the world. She is married to Sidney Warren.

Multicultural Advertising

Storytelling & Consumer Attitudes

Film, Media, and Television Development

Flourishing in Family & Faith: Waco film fest marks 4th year

Dr. Tyrha Lindsey-Warren Of Baylor University Receives The 2022 "ATHENA Leadership Award®" Presented By The Greater Waco Chamber Of Commerce

The Marketing Ethnic Faculty Association Hosts Its 14th Annual Conference, "Reuniting Agents of Change"

Edgy ad campaign for Christian TV series gets mixed reviews

Business Review: Valuing Audiences of Color

Baylor advertising students get hands-on experience with local non-profits and businesses

Waco Family & Faith Film Festival celebrates third year in new home

Waco's stages bring Shakespeare, Billie Holiday, Tennessee Williams to life with weekend productions

Waco Family and Faith International Film Festival Celebrates Storytellers from Around the World

Waco Family & Faith Film Fest goes drive-in on return

California begins curfew to curb COVID-19

The Marketing Ethnic Faculty Association Announces Its New Leadership

Apple, Dove and Walmart Lead Top-10 List of Brands That Master “Empowered Storytelling” During Pandemic, Baylor Ad Expert Says

Meet Dr. Tyrha M. Lindsey-Warren of Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival in Waco

Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival Announces Its First Cinematic Award Winners

Morning Buzz: Waco Family & Faith Int. Festival

Reel Values: Waco Family & Faith Film Fest debuts at Hippodrome

Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival Launches with the Goals to Empower the Creative Spirit and Celebrate All

Conversations with Creative Waco - Dr. Tyrha Lindsey-Warren

Business Review - Valuing Audiences of Color

Waco, texas (oct. 16, 2017) – the new film “marshall” – a legal thriller about thurgood marshall, an american civil rights leader and the u.s. supreme court’s first african-american justice – didn’t break the box office’s top 10 during its opening weekend. but don’t count it out just yet, says a baylor university movie marketing expert.

Hollywood leaves ‘great deal of money on the table’ regarding movies featuring actors of color, baylor expert says

Movies like “Marshall” that are built around actors of color (Chadwick Boseman plays the iconic attorney) and have appeal to consumers of color historically see a significant surge in ticket sales in weeks five through eight – if producers are willing to keep them in theaters that long and allow for word-of-mouth advertising to build, said Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of marketing in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business. She studies consumer behavior, multicultural media, movies and entertainment.

“I believe that Hollywood often pulls movies starring women and actors of color out of the theaters way too soon and before word-of-mouth has time to fully spread,” Lindsey-Warren said. “In my opinion, and according to our studies, Hollywood is leaving a great deal of money on the table.”

Movies built around actors of color typically make money – in many cases as much or more than five times the budget, she said. For example, the 2017 comedy “Girls Trip,” which was built around four African-American female leads, was made for $19 million and has grossed more than $100 million at the box office.

A challenge, Lindsey-Warren said, is that Hollywood expects to make its money back in the opening weekend. That strategy often doesn’t translate well to consumers of color.

She cited a Nielsen study that showed African-Americans make an average 6.3 trips every year to see movies, and they tend to strongly support movies where there are characters like themselves and to whom they can relate. But they don’t rush to theaters for premier weekends.

“Historically, African-American consumers have not been such early adopters of seeing movies on opening weekend and have typically waited to hear from trusted sources, by way of word-of-mouth, if the movie is worth seeing,” she said. “I call this behavior giving word-of-mouth time to spread. These are insights that Hollywood has not fully embraced regarding consumers of color and for movies built around actors of color.”


Baylor Expert Re: Movies Featuring Actors of Color: Hollywood Leaves "Great Deal of Money on the Table"

Waco, Texas (Oct. 16, 2017) – the new film “Marshall” – a legal thriller about Thurgood Marshall, an american civil rights leader and the u.s. supreme court’s first African-American justice – didn’t break the box office’s top 10 during its opening weekend. but don’t count it out just yet, says a Baylor university movie marketing expert.

Hollywood leaves ‘great deal of money on the table’ regarding movies featuring actors of color, Baylor expert says

Movies like “Marshall” that are built around actors of color (Chadwick Boseman plays the iconic attorney) and have appeal to consumers of color historically see a significant surge in ticket sales in weeks five through eight – if producers are willing to keep them in theaters that long and allow for word-of-mouth advertising to build, said Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of marketing in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business. She studies consumer behavior, multicultural media, movies and entertainment.

“I believe that Hollywood often pulls movies starring women and actors of color out of the theaters way too soon and before word-of-mouth has time to fully spread,” Lindsey-Warren said. “In my opinion, and according to our studies, Hollywood is leaving a great deal of money on the table.”

Movies built around actors of color typically make money – in many cases as much or more than five times the budget, she said. For example, the 2017 comedy “Girls Trip,” which was built around four African-American female leads, was made for $19 million and has grossed more than $100 million at the box office.

A challenge, Lindsey-Warren said, is that Hollywood expects to make its money back in the opening weekend. That strategy often doesn’t translate well to consumers of color.

She cited a Nielsen study that showed African-Americans make an average 6.3 trips every year to see movies, and they tend to strongly support movies where there are characters like themselves and to whom they can relate. But they don’t rush to theaters for premier weekends.

“Historically, African-American consumers have not been such early adopters of seeing movies on opening weekend and have typically waited to hear from trusted sources, by way of word-of-mouth, if the movie is worth seeing,” she said. “I call this behavior giving word-of-mouth time to spread. These are insights that Hollywood has not fully embraced regarding consumers of color and for movies built around actors of color.”

Baylor Expert Says Hollywood Leaves "Great Deal of Money on the Table" Re: Movies Featuring Actors of Color

Guillermo del Toro’s fantasy led with 13 nominations, including one for best picture. “Dunkirk” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” also emerged as strong contenders.

2018 Oscar Nominations: ‘The Shape of Water’ Leads the Pack

Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of marketing in Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, studies consumer behavior, multicultural media, movies and entertainment. She is an expert on Hollywood and movies featuring actors of color. 

She said Tuesday's Oscar nominations reveal "positive strides" for recognition of minorities in the film industry, but she also noted missed opportunities for noteworthy films. 

“With today’s Oscar nominations, we see positive strides in the categories of Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Director regarding the nominations of persons of color. Even for not-so-well publicized categories like Best Screenplay, Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay and Best Cinematography, there are some wonderful artists of color and women that have been nominated. One that truly makes me happy is the nomination of ‘Coco’ for Best Animated Feature. It was an outstanding tribute to Mexican culture and was truly well done," Lindsey-Warren said. 

"However, I am saddened that Patty Jenkins, the director of ‘Wonder Woman’ did not get any acknowledgement from The Academy. She did an excellent job with ‘Wonder Woman,’ from both a cinematic perspective as well as from the worldwide box office revenues. I am also saddened that director Reginald Hudlin’s ‘Marshall’ is missing this awards season. The story of American hero Thurgood Marshall is one that should have been more celebrated.”

Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., is a marketing scholar, business executive, artist and entrepreneur. As a consumer behavior scholar, her research is rooted in narrative transportation theory (i.e., storytelling) that exudes the emotion of empowerment and its impact on consumer attitudes, behaviors, purchase intention and message recall. She also studies health edutainment, multicultural media and advertising, as well as movies and entertainment. Lindsey-Warren is an expert in effective communications strategies for leaders, multicultural communications and marketing.

For more information, or for an interview with Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, contact Baylor Media Communications. 

Oscar Nominations: "Positive Strides" and Missed Opportunities, Says Baylor Entertainment Marketing Expert

Clinical Assistant Professor of Marketing, Faculty Director of Industry Relations and Experiential Learning

countdown-to-the-big-game-dr-tyrhas-top-five-super-bowl-commercials-for-the-past-five-years

Clinical Associate Professor of Marketing

 Advertising executive and multicultural media expert Tyrha M. Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of marketing at Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business, , is a sought-after media commentator on the brands who win big during the game's commercial breaks.  Commercials always are the most anticipated and talked-about aspect of the Super Bowl, but the expanding digital landscape requires advertisers to use more authentic and nuanced strategies to reach consumers. Advertising executive and multicultural media expert Tyrha M. Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of marketing at Baylor University’s Hankamer School  of Business, is a sought-after media commentator on the brands who win big during the game’s commercial breaks.

How do companies break through the noise and make a lasting impression on viewers? Lindsey-Warren – or Dr. Tyrha, as she is known – says the key is empowered storytelling. As a consumer behavior scholar, Dr. Lindsey-Warren’s research is rooted in narrative transportation theory – in other words, storytelling – that exudes the emotion of empowerment and its impact on consumer attitudes, behaviors, purchase intention and message recall.

“There is a growing space for cleverly crafted and positive storytelling that can break through the clutter and competition and get the attention of Millennials, Gen Z and Alpha generations in an authentic and meaningful manner,” Lindsey-Warren said.

At the top of every year, Dr. Tyrha always enjoys exposing the juniors and seniors in her advertising class to the joys of storytelling in advertising by way of the Super Bowl commercials. By leveraging the Super Bowl as an “edutaining” entry point for student learning, Dr. Lindsey-Warren finds it to be a fun and wonderful way to bring many advertising lessons to life for her students, including branding, consumer targeting and segmentation, social media campaign analysis, and more. To that end, here are Dr. Tyrha Lindsey-Warren’s top picks for the best Super Bowl commercials over the past five years.

COUNTDOWN TO THE SUPER BOWL: DR. TYRHA’S TOP 5 SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS #5: Company/Brand: AMAZON Title of the commercial: “#BeforeAlexa” (With Ellen Degeneres and Portia de Rossi)
Year it ran in the Super Bowl: 2020
Link to the commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLUwmnPJIGk
Ad Agency that produced the commercial: Droga5

Dr. Tyrha’s rationale as to why this ad is so good: In my opinion, this was a wonderfully creative and clever introduction of the Alexa product by Amazon. The nostalgic storytelling in the spot humorously does make you wonder and realize how “did” we all live “before Alexa?” The commercial is multigenerational, incorporates women extremely well, and is so funny!

#4. Company/Brand: NFL Title of the commercial: “Bring Down the House!”
Year it ran in the Super Bowl: 2022
Link to the commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PhfMtZce1k
Ad Agency that produced the commercial: Co-directed by Peter Berg of Film 47 and Arthur Mintz of Swaybox Studios

Dr. Tyrha’s rationale as to why this ad is so good: In 2022, the NFL creatively leveraged the power of animation to get our attention with this wonderfully told story with children as the lead Talent and set in a situation that all families can relate to! The spot is so much fun and keeps you guessing as well as laughing with Grandma saving the day in the end. The commercial is multigenerational, multicultural, and incorporates women and girls extremely well.

#3. Company/Brand: MOUNTAIN DEW & DORITOS (OWNED BY PEPSICO) Title of the commercial: “Doritos Blaze vs. Mountain Dew Ice” (with Morgan Freeman and Peter Dinklage)
Year it ran in the Super Bowl: 2018
Link to the commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2tyVjEuqcY
Ad Agency that produced the commercial: Goodby, Silverstein & Partners

Dr. Tyrha’s rationale as to why this ad is so good: The “in your face” storytelling of this commercial – performed exquisitely by acclaimed actors, Peter Dinklage and Morgan Freeman, and accompanied by the perfect voiceover narrators in Rappers Missy Elliot and Busta Rhymes – is so much fun and truly unforgettable! The commercial also cleverly makes you pay attention to the presentation of the products being promoted as well as compels you to wonder as to “when did you last have a Mountain Dew and some Doritos?” This commercial is multicultural, multigenerational, multibodied, and incorporates women well and UBER memorable!

#2. Company/Brand: NFL Title of the commercial: “The 100-Year Game”
Year it ran in the Super Bowl: 2020
Link to the commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJjiIuH1VnY
Ad Agency that produced the commercial: 72 and Sunny

Dr. Tyrha’s rationale as to why this ad is so good: If you love the game of football, you have to love this ad that celebrates the fun and contagious spirit of the game. Truly, this commercial has something for everyone who loves the game of football! The unassuming opening of the ad’s storytelling set at an awards banquet and led by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell quickly evolves into a fun and rambunctious game of football with NFL players of all ages in their tuxedos destroying the ballroom with their play. The musical hip-hop soundtrack alone for the spot is amazing, current, and supports the action of the storytelling extremely well. This spot is multigenerational, incredibly diverse in age ethnicity and more, as well as weaves women and girls into the spot ever so cleverly. A truly memorable ad and so much fun!

#1. Company/Brand: Mr. Clean (OWNED BY P&G) Title of the commercial: “Cleaner Of Your Dreams”
Year it ran in the Super Bowl: 2018
Link to the commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozuWoZITX3Y
Ad Agency that produced the commercial: Leo Burnett

Dr. Tyrha’s rationale as to why this ad is so good: Every year I show this commercial to my Advertising students at Baylor University and they absolutely LOVE this ad! The storytelling of this commercial leverages the animated Mr. Clean in such a clever manner, while showing the product benefits at the same time, and not being “in your face” with the product’s selling proposition. The music and the dancing accompaniment to the storytelling all help to bring an emotional connection to the viewer, especially the female audience. Plus, the spot is just super funny and so much fun! Every time I see this ad, I want to run and buy Mr. Clean. And, I tell my female students every year that when they get older, they are going to LOVE a man who can clean a house!!!!

Additionally, this was an incredibly smart move by P&G to put this ad in the Super Bowl. This is due to the fact that the “current and future market power of women – as a whole and by segments – is undeniable and truly cannot be ignored by marketers, especially the NFL.” Today, women influence more than 80% of all consumer spending; 89% of the financial decisions are made by women; and globally, women control more than $20 trillion in worldwide spending. In addition, nearly 24.3 million African American women are brand loyalists and cultural trendsetters who have influence over the $1.2 trillion in Black spending power. And, Forbes reported in 2018 that “women constituted about 49 % of the 108 million-plus people who watched” that year’s Super Bowl – and they paid closer attention to the ads!


Countdown To the Big Game: Dr. Tyrha’s Top Five Super Bowl Commercials for the Past Five Years


multicultural-millennials-respond-positively-to-health-edutainment-baylor-marketing-research-says

One-on-one interviews reveal which health issues concern millennials and their longing for optimal health  Storytelling that educates and entertains – aka “edutainment” – is a powerful communications tool that can lead to positive health-related changes among multicultural millennials, according to a new marketing study from Baylor University. 

Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of marketing in Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, led the study, “Making multicultural millennials healthy: The influence of health ‘edutainment’ and other drivers on health-oriented diet change,” which is published in the Journal of Cultural Marketing Strategy. Charlene A. Dadzie, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing at the University of South Alabama, coauthored the research.

The research sought to determine which health issues most concerned multicultural millennials and to gauge how effective media can be as a tool to address those issues and drive change.

“This study finds that by bolstering self-identity and employing health ‘edutainment,’ it is possible to have a positive impact on the health intentions and behaviors of the millennial generation,” the researchers wrote.

There are more than 92 million millennials (ages 20-34) in the United States today, the researchers observed. More than 9 million of those are identified as being overweight, and much of that can be attributed to a sedentary lifestyle and media consumption. White Americans watch an average of 140 hours of television per month (35 hours per week); African Americans watch 213 hours of television per month; and Latino Americans watch 33 hours of television per week and stream more than six hours of video per month. 

“Millennials are tech-savvy, they love social media, they’re actually more health conscious than previous generations, and they have significant economic power,” Lindsey-Warren said. “With so many millennials – in the scope of this study, multicultural millennials – watching so many screens, there is great opportunity to generate information and increase products and services geared towards health-oriented behavior.”

But to take advantage of this opportunity, public and private organizations need to understand what drives millennials’ health choices and communicate accordingly, the researchers wrote. A total of 265 people participated in two components of the study – a health survey of 245 undergraduate students and one-on-one, in-depth interviews of 20 multicultural millennials. 

‘I’m old-young and it’s getting real.’ For the second part of the study, the researchers interviewed 20 people – 10 women and 10 men – from two organizations, a large northeastern U.S. university and a mid-sized nonprofit organization in Harlem, New York. The subjects represented cultural, socioeconomic and educational diversity. 

The interviews were used to better understand the health status of these millennials as well as their relation to storytelling in the media, the researchers said. Participants answered health and wellness questions regarding their own health and personal network (example: “What is your ideal health?”) and questions about their personal media usage (example: “What are the top five health and wellness issues you see regularly portrayed in the media?”).

One of the strongest themes to emerge from those interviews was that multicultural millennials “long to be healthy in mind, body and spirit” and are open to “seeing authentic and relevant storytelling regarding health issues in the media that is meaningful.”

“They would definitely respond to health messages when they truly see themselves in storytelling that meets them where they are in life,” the researchers wrote. 

Some of the health-related topics addressed by those being interviewed included healthy eating, asthma, sexual health, mental health and fitness. 

One interviewee, a 21-year-old woman said she gets “out of breath” when she runs up the stairs and her knees “crack and hurt.”

“I would love to have ideal health again. I really would. I would love it. I’m old-young, and it’s getting real,” she said.

‘More involved in the narrative’ In addition to the one-on-one interviews, each of the 20 interviewees watched media clips from two television programs – ABC’s “Private Practice” and the nationally syndicated health show, “The Doctors.” Each show highlighted the accurate health information concerning attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 

“Private Practice” told its story via fictional characters in an episodic dramatic storytelling format. In this format, health issues were not directly promoted and there was no direct-to-camera discussion of those issues. 

“The Doctors,” on the other hand, utilized the format of real doctors conveying accurate health information in real-life situations, directly to the camera and in front of a studio audience. 

“From the interviews, it was apparent that the storytelling in the health edutainment stimuli worked because the participants enjoyed and were more involved in the narrative conveyed in ‘Private Practice’ versus ‘The Doctors,’” the researchers wrote. “For example, the ‘Private Practice’ segment told the story of a young boy and his parents who desperately asked their doctor to give them a prescription for ADHD medicine for their son, even though the son did not want the medicine and the doctor felt that the prescription might not have been needed.”

The “Private Practice” story resonated better with those watching and scored high across genders, according to the study.

One 21-year-old male university student said he was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and saw himself and his parents in the “Private Practice” clip. He said he took ADHD medicine for a while. 

“I didn’t like it and I stopped taking it, and that was it. My parents were, ‘OK – if you don’t like it, that’s the way it is – you’re going to study harder, though. And, that was it,” he told the interviewers.

A 28-year-old female from the nonprofit program said she saw the “Private Practice” clip and could relate to the situation as a parent.

“I felt I could relate because I felt that my son had ADHD, and I really, I kind of diagnosed him myself, and said that, so I was really interested in this topic,” she told the researchers. 

Marketing and advertising implications Given the constant barrage of media in the lives of millennials, it is only reasonable to question the effect of this environment on their health and well-being, Lindsey-Warren said. 

The findings of the study are useful for practitioners in marketing, advertising, public relations, digital and branded entertainment.

“Ultimately, the key to making a difference in the lives of multicultural millennials and their health, both now and into the future, may be achieving the right balance of educating and entertaining them,” the researchers wrote.

“For millennials, Gen Z and alpha – the newest generation – ‘edutainment’ is and will continue to be a primary way to educate them,” Lindsey-Warren said. “It’s through the stories we tell on digital, on streaming, on gaming – that’s the way those generations are learning.”

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY At Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, integrity stands shoulder-to-shoulder with analytic and strategic strengths. The School’s top-ranked programs combine rigorous classroom learning, hands-on experience in the real world, a solid foundation in Christian values and a global outlook. Making up approximately 25 percent of the University’s total enrollment, undergraduate students choose from 16 major areas of study. Graduate students choose from full-time, executive or online MBA or other specialized master’s programs, and Ph.D. programs in Information Systems, Entrepreneurship or Health Services Research. The Business School also has campuses located in Austin and Dallas, Texas. Visit www.baylor.edu/business and follow on Twitter at twitter.com/Baylor_Business. 


Multicultural Millennials Respond Positively to Health ‘Edutainment,’ Baylor Marketing Research Says

empowered-storytelling-geared-toward-women-is-a-winning-combo-for-super-bowl-ads-baylor-expert-says

Television advertisers who have chosen to appeal to women fans and viewers during this weekend’s Super Bowl have committed their millions of dollars to a wise strategy, according to a Baylor University marketing and advertising expert.

Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of marketing in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business, studies consumer behavior and attitudes, multicultural media and advertising, and movies and entertainment. Each year, she and her students analyze the Super Bowl ads. And each year, she said, she sees more ads geared toward women.

In fact, AdAge reports that brands like Bumble, Toyota and Procter & Gamble's Olay are featuring women in lead roles in their Super Bowl commercials this year.

“That’s smart,” Lindsey-Warren said. “The current and future market power of women – as a whole and by segments – is undeniable and truly cannot be ignored by marketers.”

To make her point, she cited research showing that women influence more than 80 percent of all consumer spending; 89 percent of the financial decisions are made by women; and globally, women control more than $20 trillion in world-wide spending. In addition, nearly 24.3 million African American women are brand loyalists and cultural trendsetters who have influence over the $1.2 trillion dollars in black spending power.

Forbes reported in 2018 that “women constituted about 49 percent of the 108 million-plus people who watched” that year’s Super Bowl – and paid closer attention to the ads.

“Nowadays, whatever brands plan to do during the Super Bowl must be extremely strategic and well planned when commercials go for over $5 million dollars,” Lindsey-Warren said. “With the #metoo and #times up movements as well as the diversity and gender issues in advertising industry and more, I think brands struggle as to how they approach targeting women on such a global stage.”

She said brands that use “empowered storytelling” – storytelling that exudes the emotion of empowerment – make a difference. Good examples, she said, are Always’ “Like a Girl” commercial in 2015 and Audi’s “Daughter” commercial in 2017.
“In my research, especially among Millennials and Gen Z, this approach is a powerful combination for brands who want to increase purchase intentions for their products or services,” Lindsey-Warren said.

“The emotion of empowerment is multidimensional and promotes encouragement and can be extremely motivational,” she said. “When one is empowered, it can be an ‘aha’ moment and very transformational in a positive manner. In addition, empowered storytelling is a proactive approach to storytelling that demands you keep the receiver of the story in mind at every stage of the process because, at the end of the day, you want the receiver of the story to be better in some way for having received the empowered narrative they just viewed or experienced.”

And when consumers are empowered, they tend to tell others. In the digital space, this looks like sharing videos, posts, quotes and more on social media channels.
“Essentially, empowered storytelling gives brands the opportunity to achieve the right balance of entertaining and encouraging and, ultimately, healing by showing that they care for their consumers through the motivational messages and narratives they are producing,” Lindsey-Warren said.

ABOUT TYRHA LINDSEY-WARREN, Ph.D. Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., is a marketing scholar, business executive, artist and entrepreneur. As a consumer behavior scholar, her research is rooted in narrative transportation theory (i.e., storytelling) that exudes the emotion of empowerment and its impact on consumer attitudes, behaviors, purchase intention and message recall. She also studies health edutainment, multicultural media and advertising, as well as movies and entertainment. Lindsey-Warren is an expert in effective communications strategies for leaders, multicultural communications and marketing. Her latest research, “An Examination of Television Consumption By Racial and Ethnic Audiences in the U.S.,” was published in the Journal of Advertising Research. She will be discussing this study during panel discussions in New York City and Los Angeles for the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business provides a rigorous academic experience, consisting of classroom and hands-on learning, guided by Christian commitment and a global perspective. Recognized nationally for several programs, including Entrepreneurship and Accounting, the school offers 24 undergraduate and 13 graduate areas of study. Visit www.baylor.edu/business and follow on Twitter at twitter.com/Baylor_Business. 

Empowered Storytelling Geared Toward Women Is a Winning Combo for Super Bowl Ads, Baylor Expert Says

Marketing to millennials can be an elusive goal for brands - their values, aspirations and emotions are markedly different than previous generations. To researchers, marketing strategies based in  inspirational narratives seem to be doing the trick, appealing to emotional motivations rather than financial ones. Dr. Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Clinical Assistant Professor of Marketing at Baylor University, speaks to NewsPoint360 about what she calls "empowered storytelling," how this strategy is working particularly well with millennial women, and how consumers are connecting morals to their buying habits and aligning themselves with brands who share their values and support of social movements.

Learn more about Tyrha Lindsey-Warren's expertise and media appearances here:
https://expertfile.com/experts/tyrha.lindsey

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