Collage Group in the Press

A collection of Collage Group's most recent news and press mentions

For all media inquiries, please email Quintin Simmons, our Public Relations and Communications Manager, at the link below.

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March 5, 2024 | HomePage News

Noting U.S. Hispanics are more likely to live in multigenerational households, Sudipti Kumar, director of multicultural insights at market researcher Collage Group, said, “appealing to a Hispanic household means recognizing the many generations all live together or near one another.”

“The value of family transcends each generation’s specific lifestyle nuances, and appealing to this love of the extended family is important when serving the Hispanic market,” she added.

 

March 4, 2024 | AdAge

The Ad Age Gen Z Summit, taking place this Wednesday, March 6 in New York, is sold out, but there’s still time to join the waitlist.

Jenny Wolski, senior analyst of cultural insights, at Collage Group, is one of the many brand marketers, creators, and agency executives taking the stage.

The one-day in-person conference explores the new marketing playbook as brands look to appeal to the newest consumer group – Gen Z. From social media and creator marketing to nostalgia to gaming, industry leaders will discuss how marketers are positioning their brands to this new audience while maintaining relationships with existing consumers. 

March 1, 2024 | WURD Radio

Zekeera Belton is Collage Group’s Vice President of Client Services. She joined Tonya Pendleton to discuss a Collage Group report, which finds that three in four Black Americans commemorate Black History Month. Taking into account all of the racial demographics, 26% of Americans celebrate the month.

February 28th, 2024 | Hispanic Marketing Council

Hispanic consumers are among multicultural Americans who say food connects them to their culture, according to Collage Group data. This demographic also leads the way in turning to digital platforms for recipes and other cooking inspiration.

February 27, 2024 | Italianfood.net

Situating global products next to familiar favorites on store shelves while promoting the selections during pertinent multicultural holidays and events, such as Hispanic Heritage Month, Asian American Pacific Islander Month, and Black History Month, may further spur less adventurous eaters to explore global cuisines, according to Victor Paredes, executive director of cultural strategy at Collage Group. Signage in the shoppers’ native language also can help garner the attention of unacculturated Hispanic consumers, he said, adding that Hispanic and Asian food experts may inspire shoppers in those segments to use global soups and sauces in their meals.

February 22, 2024 | MediaPost

Diverse representation in ads is an essential ingredient in connecting with Black viewers, according to new research from the Collage Group. But so is cultural fluency.

“When we talk about culture, we’re looking at how people reconnect with themselves and one another in ways that are true to their identity and true to how they’ve been brought up,” says Sudipti Kumar, director of multicultural insights at Collage Group.

February 21, 2024 | AdAge

Sophie Williams, cultural strategy analyst at Collage Group, will discuss what inclusivity means to Gen Z.

February 21, 2024 | The Hill

A new study is shining a light on how Black Americans celebrate Black History Month. The report by Collage Group found that while 26 percent of Americans celebrate Black History Month, 76 percent of Black Americans celebrate the month.

Jack Mackinnon, senior director of cultural insights at Collage Group, said it’s important to note the specifics of how many Black Americans want brands to engage in celebrating the Month.

February 21, 2024 | Inside Radio

A report on Black consumers quotes Sudipti Kumar, director of multicultural Insights at Collage Group. “The growth in Multicultural populations in the U.S. means these segments wield immense influence,” Kumar says.

“Their desire for diverse perspectives and a deep understanding of their cultural identity by brands and organizations will be even more critical in the future.”

February 20, 2024 | Adweek

Nationwide, 8.9 million individuals identify as Black and belong to Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012). Black Gen Z Americans form a significant and influential consumer segment, and their cultural and economic influences continue to grow as they progress into adulthood.

Effective engagement requires a nuanced understanding of this multifaceted consumer group, encompassing their diverse needs and brand preferences. Research conducted by our team at Collage Group reveals distinctive insights into the Black Gen Z consumer segment.

February 20, 2024 | Katz Multicultural

“The growth in Multicultural populations in the U.S. means these segments wield immense influence,” said Sudipti Kumar, Director of Multicultural Insights at Collage Group.

February 19, 2024 | Progressive Grocer

This article presents Collage Group’s consumer research data to unveil the dynamic demands of this growing multicultural market. The goal is to provide actionable insights for players in the food industry, empowering them to effectively cater to the diverse needs of the American population.

February 15, 2024 | Supermarket News

Collage Group research reveals that Hispanic and Asian Americans are less likely to purchase canned soup monthly and use it as an ingredient in their meals. In addition, 40% of consumers in each segment indicate that they are eating fewer packaged selections because they are trying to limit salt and processed foods in their diets.

A strong focus on global foods by a multitude of demographic groups is indeed resulting in ripe sales opportunities for soups and sauces, said Victor Paredes, executive director of cultural strategy at Collage Group, a Bethesda, Md.-based consumer research firm.

February 9, 2024 | Ad Age

Super Bowl advertisers are once again lacking in bringing authentic, diverse storytelling to the big stage, despite continuing to make diversity, equity and inclusion commitments.

For the third consecutive year, Ad Age asked every Super Bowl advertiser with plans to air national, in-game commercials about how they prioritized diversity and inclusion in the creation and production of their ads. This includes how they approached casting, diversity within the agencies they worked with and the makeup of those working on the production.

Pringles said “from the onset of strategy and creative development we consulted our internal Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs), including the Kellanova African American Resource Group (KAARG), Hispanic Resource Group HOLA, Collage Group and multicultural agency Cien+, who contributed to insights used in the development of our ad spot to ensure inclusivity across cohorts.”

February 6, 2024 | Path to Purchase Institute

A report from Collage Group titled “Deliver Resonant and Relevant LGBTQ Ads” takes a close look at LGBTQ+ advertising and how that community (as well as non-LGBTQ+ people) in America feel about recent ads representing them.

Consumer response to advertising and marketing that addresses transgender and non-binary issues is more muted than LGB issues, though there is room for growth as 50% of Americans think brands should speak up about transgender and non-binary issues.

January 27, 2024 | We the People

A new report from Collage Group, a leading provider of cultural intelligence, takes a close look at LGBTQ+ marketing and advertising.

The study examines how LGBTQ+ Americans feel about recent ads aimed toward their community. It also provides the perspectives of non LGBTQ+ people, as well as the perceptions of liberals and conservatives.

January 25, 2024 | The Latin Times

The 2024 Multicultural Demographics study by Collage Group provided insights into the major trends concerning how people with Latin American heritage feel about the various terms used to identify them.

“Multiple terms are used for Americans from the Latin-American diaspora,” though there is a clear winner in the Hispanic vs. Latino discussion, the study says.

According to the survey, conducted exclusively with people of Spanish-speaking Latin American origin for this portion, the preferred term was ‘Hispanic.’

January 24, 2024 | The Latin Times

Hispanics and Latinos are the fastest growing minority in the United States, a new report by Collage Group reveals. The company found that the multicultural population in the United States is growing fast in size and diversity, with people of this demographic being major players in this trend.

“Hispanics have always been such an influential segment across fashion, sports, and really every category that you can think of,” Sudipti Kumar, Director of Multicultural Insights at Collage Group said in an interview with The Latin Times. “That is going to continue, they drive culture in this country and as they grow in size and purchasing power, you cannot ignore their power and influence in the U.S.”

January 22, 2024 | The Latin Times

The latest data shows Biden faces a steep hill in regaining Latino support. A recent study by Collage Group showed that 30% of the demographic identified themselves as conservative, the second largest group only behind Whites.

January 22, 2024 | In the News Feed

According to a study by Collage Group, the demographic landscape of the United States is set to undergo a major shift by 2050. The Hispanic American demographic is projected to experience the most substantial growth, increasing by about six percent by then.

January 19, 2024 | Natural News

A new study conducted by Collage Group has predicted that minority and Multicultural Americans will constitute the majority of the U.S. population by 2050.

January 19, 2024 | MediaPost

While various ethnic groups have been growing fast for some time, the shifts are more extensive than many marketers realize. New research from Collage Group indicates that Hispanic, Black, Asian and Native American people will make up the majority of the U.S. by 2050.

Collage Group also unearthed definitive political differences among various groups. Black people are most likely to identify themselves as liberal, at 37%. Asian Americans come next, at 35%, followed by Hispanics, at 34%. That is significantly more than the total population for all three groups.

January 19, 2024 | The Latin Times

The 2024 Multicultural Demographics study by Collage Group shed light on some of the biggest trends involving multicultural Americans, a demographic that has increased by nearly 4 million people since 2021. Findings touch upon an array of topics including access to education, representation in the labor force and purchasing power.

The study by Collage Group also showed that most of the population is concentrated in the Southwestern United States which includes places such as Arizona (1.3 million eligible Latino voters), a heavily disputed state during the 2020 elections.

January 18, 2024 | The Stock Dork

Sudipti Kumar, Director of Multicultural insights from Collage Group emphasizes the growing influence of multicultural populations in the U.S. She notes the increasing importance of diverse perspectives and cultural understanding for brands and organizations.

January 17, 2024 | CFO Brew

Fewer students are majoring in accounting and taking the CPA exam, which is contributing to the accountant shortage. To get more perspective on why students might not find accounting careers as attractive—and what employers can do to attract young accounting and finance talent—we spoke with Natalie Griffith, director of generations insights, and Jack Mackinnon, senior director of cultural insights, of consumer research firm Collage Group.

January 17, 2024 | BNN Breaking

Since 2021, the Multicultural population in the United States has surged by nearly 4 million.

Presently, the White population constitutes approximately 58% of the nation, while the remaining 42% includes Black, Hispanic, Asian, and other races, accounting for around 141.1 million people. The report by Collage Group forecasts the most significant growth among Hispanic Americans, predicting a 6% rise in their numbers.

January 17, 2024 | The Hill

Using data from the American Community Survey, Collage Group found that since 2021, America’s multicultural population has increased by nearly 4 million.

“The growth in Multicultural populations in the U.S. means these segments wield immense influence. Their desire for diverse perspectives and a deep understanding of their cultural identity by brands and organizations will be ever more critical in the future,” Sudipti Kumar, director of multicultural Insights at Collage Group, told The Hill.

The growth is spurring a cultural transformation faster than originally projected, and brands will now need to speak to cultural diversity at “an even more granular and nuanced level,” said Jenny Wolski, Senior Analyst of Cultural Insights at Collage Group.

January 17, 2024 | The Hill

A Collage Group analysis found that Multicultural Americans will  make up a majority of the U.S. population by 2050.

January 8, 2024 | Work US

Do you know how to reach Latin consumers in the United States? This is a very valuable group for retail. According to an analysis of GDP cited in Forbes magazine, it is the one that is contributing the most to the country’s economic growth.

To earn the loyalty of this market, you must commit to genuinely serving them, like leading companies do. Do you want to get an idea of ​​how they behave? We show you the ten favorite brands of Hispanic consumers, according to Collage Group.

January 3, 2024 | Quad 

Where Millennials or Baby Boomers primarily focus on cleaning as a matter of safety, Gen Z sees it as a relaxing activity, per a spring 2023 survey by Collage Group. 

January 3, 2024 | MediaPost

Finally, coming in at No. 10 is “Why Walmart, YouTube, Sprite Are Black Americans’ Top Brands,” based on an analysis from the Collage Group. As brands try harder to connect with Black consumers, this offered a closer look at ways companies can ratchet up relevance, trust, and advocacy in meaningful ways to win with these 39 million Americans.  

December 19, 2023 | Convenience Store News

Most LGBTQ+ consumers support advertising that represents them, but they doubt the sincerity of brands’ efforts to market to them.

A recent report by the Collage Group found that 71% of LGBTQ+ consumers feel positive when they see members of their demographic represented in advertising or retail displays. However, that doesn’t mean they consider the brands making them to be authentic.

December 7, 2023 | MediaPost

In a recent report from consumer research group Collage Group, 55% of LGBTQ+ consumers said they felt brands’ efforts to appeal to LGBTQ+ people came across as insincere — a proportion that rose to 65% among Gen Z LGBTQ+ respondents.

December 6, 2023 | Path to Purchase Institute

Recent research from Collage Group shows that most LGBTQ+ consumers think brands’ efforts to woo their demographic come across as insincere.

A report from Collage Group titled “Deliver Resonant and Relevant LGBTQ Ads” takes a close look at LGBTQ+ marketing and advertising and explores how that community in America feels about recent ads representing them. 

December 5, 2023 | Constellation Brands

Hispanic consumers firmly believe in maintaining their cultural heritage. They feel responsible to act as cultural stewards by preserving their ancestors’ cultural traditions and practices, and they often feel a sense of patriotism toward a country besides America.

This focus on culture manifests in a variety of ways, with 67% reporting they still take part in traditions and culture from their family’s heritage, according to Collage Group.

November 30, 2023 | Autoproyecto

A recent study of more than 250 companies identified the top ten brands for the Hispanic consumer.

According to Collage Group, these brands demonstrate a strong commitment to the Hispanic community and excellence in marketing executions that positively impact the cultural traits and needs of Hispanic consumers.

November 29, 2023 | Hispanic Marketing Council SmartBrief

Cultural intelligence firm Collage Group rated brands with its proprietary Brand-Cultural Fluency Quotient and named the top 10 brands for Hispanic consumers. Walmart, Netflix, and McDonald’s reigned under the metric’s six dimensions: fit, relevance, recall, values, trust, and advocacy.

November 28, 2023 | Abasto

A recent study of over 250 iconic brands identified the top ten brands for Hispanic consumers. The analysis, conducted by cultural intelligence firm Collage Group, examined brand performance as part of the firm’s monthly CultureRate survey, which evaluates cultural resonance for each significant demographic segment.

“Successful brands truly excel at creating positive past experiences for consumers, earning their deep trust, or driving positive word-of-mouth,” explains Xue Bai, Collage Group’s director of advertising and brand health measurement. “Each of the 10 brands named have taken these actions within the Hispanic community.”

November 23, 2023 | The Latin Times

According to research from Collage Group in 2019, more than three quarters of Hispanic consumers celebrate Thanksgiving, but they do so less than Black and White consumers. That year, 76 percent of respondents said they would celebrate the holiday, the same amount as Asian Americans but considerably lower than Black Americans (87 percent) and White Americans (90 percent).

November 19, 2023 | The Daily Upside

“I think what’s really interesting is when you start fusing (generative AI) with the other components or pieces of AI technology that have existed for a long time, then you get to a world where we start seeing predictions coming out of these prompts,” said Greg Cypes, chief product and technology officer at Collage Group.

“That’s where I think marketers have a really interesting opportunity.”

November 19, 2023 | TribLIVE

Friendsgiving usually takes place during the weekend before or after Thanksgiving, and sometimes it includes guests bringing their favorite foods, sometimes it’s in a restaurant, other times it’s mostly alcohol with a few snacks.

There was a surge in popularity for the bonus holiday in 2013. Ten years later, it has become a tradition for many, with Gen Z and millennials leading the charge. According to a 2021 Collage Group report, about 40% of Gen Z and Millennials celebrate the holiday.

November 16, 2023 | Issuu

Per a September 2021 survey by Collage Group, consumers have mixed views on brands taking public stances on social and political issues, known as “brandstanding.”

Younger consumers are more likely to support brand activism, but 42% of U.S. adults believe brands should avoid weighing in on these topics.

November 15, 2023 | The Post and Courier

“It’s important to understand different winter holidays besides Christmas because of the growing multicultural population in the United States and the rise in celebration rates of many culturally specific holidays,” says Sudipti Kumar, director of multicultural insights at Collage Group. “By 2050, the majority of the U.S. will be multicultural, and each major racial and ethnic group – Hispanic, Black, Asian – is growing in size.”

November 13, 2023 | Quirk’s

In the second quarter of 2023, Target experienced its first sales decline in six years, with a notable 5.4% and 10.9% drop in in-store and online sales, respectively; a decline attributed to significant backlash.

At Collage Group, we’ve worked to uncover the cultural dynamics that led to this backlash, examining how Target’s response alienated its long-standing supporters, the LGBTQ+ community.

November 9, 2023 | Health IT Answers

Cultural intelligence powerhouse Collage Group unveiled a new, AI-powered software solution, fluen.ci, providing instant access to culture-centric, brand-specific insights for marketing and insights leaders at America’s iconic brands.

November 6, 2023 | Quirk’s

Consumer research company Collage Group has launched fluen.ci, a software solution offering access to brand-specific cultural insights.

November 2, 2023 | Adweek

Jack Mackinnon is the senior director of cultural insights for consumer research firm Collage Group. To his mind, while it’s easy to deprecate millennials (and now, Gen-Z) as hipsters, the fact is that they’ve demonstrated that authenticity sells.

Younger consumers, he said, have shown a “love of heritage brands going back to a time when things were made for a purpose, built to last, and there was a story behind the craft of it. Tab falls right in the heart of that.”

October 30, 2023 | MR Web

Cultural intelligence specialist Collage Group has launched an AI-based solution called fluen.ci which it says gives clients ‘instant access to culture-centric, brand-specific insights’.

Collage Group says the tool is grounded in its more than twelve years of in-depth experience of cultural research and has ‘no equivalent in the marketplace’. Users of the fluen.ci application can connect their brand data to actionable, diverse consumer psychographics, values, beliefs, habits and attitudes.

October 26, 2023 | The Washington Times

The Collage Group, a consumer research company based in Bethesda, Maryland, reported this week that just 55% of Blacks and 56% of boomers responding to a survey said they observe the Oct. 31 holiday in any way, compared to more than 7 in 10 adults overall.

“There have been issues with the way Halloween is celebrated in America that can make Black Americans less inclined to want to participate, including racist Halloween costumes and decorations,” Sudipti Kumar, Collage Group’s director of multicultural insights, told The Washington Times.

Jack Mackinnon, Collage Group’s senior director of cultural insights, said participation in activities such as trick-or-treating, house decorations and pumpkin-carving tends to be highest — not surprisingly — among young adults and parents with small children.

October 25, 2023 | Brand Innovators

Different races and age groups celebrate Halloween differently, according to new research from The Collage Group, which revealed that 75% of white Americans, 71% of Hispanic Americans and 55% of Black Americans participate in the holiday.

Handing out candy to trick-or-treaters is the most popular way to celebrate with 66% of consumers doing so. Other popular ways to mark the spooky day is to watch Halloween movies, which 62% of White Americans do, and decorating homes, which 58% of Hispanic Americans do.

October 23, 2023 | Prof Speak

In the U.S., the Disney film industry’s Coco from 2017 has yielded $807 million and 20th Century Fox Animation’s Book of Life from 2014 has grossed $100 million. Target and Walmart have also embraced this cultural tradition by offering many Day of the Dead products such as t-shirts, banners, skulls, balloons, papel picado, lanterns, candles, table runners, among other themed products.

While these movies and some companies have been highly criticized for monetizing or exploiting the cultural tradition, they have also increased awareness of the cultural holiday to the masses. To find out the perception of Hispanic consumers about this issue, a survey from Collage Group indicated that 32% of Hispanics believe that all brands and companies should celebrate the Day of the Dead and 26% indicate that only certain brands and companies should do it.

October 23, 2023 | WURD Radio

Zekeera Belton is the Vice President of Client Services at Collage Group. She joined Tonya Pendleton to discuss a new report from Collage Group examining a specific fragment of Gen Z: Gen Zers who identity as Black.

This subdivision personifies various interesting traits and is quite diverse and unique in its own right.

October 23, 2023 | MediaPost

Thirty-one percent of Gen-Xers say improving their mental health/emotional well-being is an area of their focus, according to a recent study by the Collage Group, which ranked 480 brands. Gen X’s top brands are Crayola, YouTube, Netflix, Band-Aid, YouTube, Dawn, Amazon, Clorox, Netflix and Snickers.

October 17, 2023 | Specialty Retailer

The Hispanic segment has seen its purchasing power soar over the span of a decade. During 2020 alone, rising incomes and the growth in the size of the Hispanic population in the U.S. contributed to 1.9 trillion in buying power, higher than both the Black and Asian segments, according to a Collage Group report.

October 12, 2023 | Ad Age

Black Gen Zers are dissatisfied with how brands are portraying them in advertising, according to a new study from Collage Group.

According to the consumer research firm’s findings, 65% of Black Gen Zers believe that too many brands have not done enough research on including racial and ethnic diversity in their advertising, and 31% have been dissatisfied with the portrayals of their race and ethnicity in advertising.

October 8, 2023 | Medium

Sudipti Kumar, Director of Multicultural Insights at Collage Group observes that “Seeing the way that Barbie has diversified its product line through the movie really does resonate and makes the movie feel more powerful for Multicultural women. This taps into people’s desire to see themselves naturally represented, skin color, etc.”

The Director of Cultural Insights at Collage Group, Natalie Griffith notes that “following the pandemic, where everyone was so siloed and content felt more fractured, there [has been growing] consumer desire for a singular event or monoculture.”

Additionally, the Generations team at Collage Group finds that consumers want connective and collective experiences as they emerge from the pandemic.

October 6, 2023 | Home News Now

Commenting on how strongly Hispanics favor IKEA, Sudipti Kumar, Collage Group’s director of multicultural insights, explained “Hispanics not only like the enjoyment of home improvement and home décor, but they also shop for value.” She added that younger Hispanics also have a stronger preference to shop online, which is why retailers like Target and Walmart rank high with these consumers.

Messaging, Kumar explains, also plays into the picture. Since the notion of family is important to Hispanic consumers, she believes the print and TV spots from both Walmart and Target purposely feature family settings.

October 2, 2023 | Merca 2

Following a report from the Collage Group, Target and Walmart are among the brands with the best results for Hispanic consumers. Some companies were cited for offering value and for their understanding of consumers in that sector. Target’s focus on representing the bicultural Hispanic experience also makes it a trustworthy brand, according to the report.

September 27, 2023 | Hispanic Marketing Council SmartBrief

Walmart, Netflix and Target offer value and understand Hispanic consumers, which has landed them at the top of a list of brands for the audience, according to a Collage Group report on more than 500 companies. Other brands in the top 10 include Nike, Ross, Google and Amazon.

September 25, 2023 | Digiday

For Hispanic Heritage Month, Collage Group looked at some of the traditions, brands and cultural influences of the growing community. In 2020, it found that the Hispanic population in the U.S., combined with rising incomes, amounted to $1.9 trillion in buying power for this cohort — higher than Black and Asian segments.

The top performing brands that offer familiarity, value and unique understanding are: Walmart, Netflix, Target, Crayola, and Nike. There were a total of 20 that ranked highest in the full study.

September 25, 2023 | América Retail

Walmart, Netflix and Target are positioned among the best brands for Hispanic consumers.

Brands that performed best among Hispanic consumers, according to a Collage Group report, include Walmart, Target, and Netflix. These companies were praised for their ability to provide value and for their understanding of consumer needs in this segment.

September 22, 2023 | Resort Trades

Little wonder that Gen Zers are a little more cautious than previous generations and view with skepticism the promises of prospective employers. “Driven by anxiety, Gen Z mostly seeks a stable 9-to-5 job that pays the bills,” said Natalie Griffith of Collage Group.

“This point was recently corroborated by survey data from Handshake, an employment site for Generation Z, which asked 1,800 new graduates what they wanted most from their future employers. The overwhelming majority—85%—answered ‘stability.’ Pay and benefits also ranked high, but both of them in my estimation are proxies for the same thing. The desire for ‘a fast-growing company,’ on the other hand, garnered only 29% of the vote.”

September 22, 2023 | Inside.com

Collage Group reports that Hispanic consumers are the fastest-growing multicultural group in the U.S., projected to nearly double in size over the next 40 years, signaling that brands must develop strategies to appeal to this demographic.

September 22, 2023 | Scripps News

Walmart, Netflix and Target rank among the top brands with Hispanic consumers, according to the Collage Group, a certified Minority Business Enterprise consumer research firm.

The top brands show both a strong commitment to the Hispanic community and marketing executions that resonate with the needs of Hispanic consumers, the Collage Group said.

September 21, 2023 | Independent Women’s Forum

Retailers already note a pullback in spending and anticipate that will continue into the final quarter of 2023, which is the most pivotal for an industry that makes a third or more of annual revenue during the last few months of the year. Jack Mackinnon, senior director of cultural insights at Collage Group, said younger Americans — among those to be impacted by student loans — are more likely to buy less apparel, beauty and skin care products and alcohol.

September 21, 2023 | AdAge

Walmart, Target and Netflix are among the top-performing brands for Hispanic consumers, according to a new report from Collage Group. The marketers were cited for offering value and for their understanding of Hispanic consumers.

The Hispanic segment contributed $1.9 trillion in buying power in the U.S. in 2020, higher than both the Black and Asian segments, which contributed $1.6 trillion and $1.3 trillion, respectively, Collage Group found.

September 19, 2023 | Washington Business Journal

As part of our Influence with Inclusion program this year, the Washington Business Journal assembled 10 CEOs and presidents of color to discuss progress — and challenges — in creating more diverse C-suites. The CEOs spoke frankly at a private dinner at Ris in August. The discussion was the third in the program, a four-part series dedicated to examining the barriers of entry women and leaders of color face in the C-suite and corporate boardrooms.

David Wellisch, co-founder and CEO of Collage Group: As a Hispanic immigrant, originally from Ecuador, I was privileged to be in the uber-educated class. What has become so clear to me is that America has a way to communicate in the executive world. Learning English is one thing, but there’s a way to speak. America has a way of speaking, and it’s very structured. And if you don’t speak in that way, you lose points in the context of investment, in the context of executives, in the context of the corporate ladder.

September 18, 2023 | Axios

“Younger Americans — those more likely to be impacted by student loans — are more likely to buy less apparel, beauty and skin care products and alcohol,” when they have to make spending cuts, said Jack Mackinnon, senior director of cultural insights at consumer research firm Collage Group.

September 13, 2023 | The Culture Lane

Being able to predict consumer buying behavior in automotive to any degree can be hugely beneficial to those in the business. Episode nine of The Culture Lane delves into two studies by the research company Collage Group, unearthing some interesting findings pertaining to vehicle preferences among some key demographic groups. The featured guest is Jack Mackinnon, who serves as senior director of Cultural Insights at Collage Group.

September 8, 2023 | WIRe Women in Research

Women in Research (WIRe), a global non-profit organization that champions diversity in the marketing research industry, has announced a shortlist of nominees for this year’s MRX Diversity Champion award—presented in partnership with the Insights Association and FUEL + The Focus Room. The award recognizes those making a positive difference in others’ lives and our industry through their significant contributions in the arena of diversity. This year Women in Research received more than 50 entries nominating a total of 30 market research and insights professionals.

Zekeera Belton, Vice President of Client Services, was nominated for Collage Group.

August 31, 2023 | Supermarket Perimeter

The influence of Latin American cuisine provides the potential to drive new growth revenue and capture long-term loyalty for retailers, according to Collage Group. There are several opportunities for retailers to take advantage, such as by ensuring protein offerings reflect core assortment used in Latin American cuisine, and by partnering with chefs and influencers to share authentic culinary dishes.

August 25, 2023 | GOBankingRates

Historical data has shown that during times of financial strain, consumers, especially younger ones, often opt for cost-saving measures. This could mean choosing cheaper grocery brands, cutting back on non-essential items like beauty products, or even opting for more affordable home care products. Jack Mackinnon, from the consumer research firm Collage Group, shared insights indicating a similar pattern.

August 17, 2023 | Viva!

Sixty percent of Gen Z have a strong urge to travel the world – nearly 15% more than Gen X and Boomers, according to Collage Group.

As the cost of living crisis continues, brands can help people feel like they’re getting their money’s worth of leisure spending by making content that lengthens the experience – like pre-holiday or post-gifting moments.

August 5, 2023 | Vision Christian Media

A Collage Group survey of around 5,000 people found faith-based charities to be the first choice of one in five of all Americans. That applied to every generation except Gen-Z which preferred to give to issue-based causes, such as the environment and human rights.

The survey revealed baby boomers were most likely to make monetary donations, while Gen-Z was most likely to volunteer their time. Donating items such as food, clothing and used cars is the most popular means of charitable support. The respondents’ top reasons for giving were: making a difference; looking after people they care about; and personal knowledge about an issue.

August 2, 2023 | Hispanic Marketing Council

A hunger for Mexican and Asian foods from multicultural consumers led the way in a 13.1% year-over-year increase in ethnic foods for the year ending June 18, reports market research firm Circana. A Collage Group survey found that 87% of Hispanic consumers said one way to maintain tradition is by preparing culture-focused meals, and 30% of Hispanics said they like shopping in grocery stores with Spanish language signs.

August 2, 2023 | The Chronicle of Philanthropy

About 20 percent of people surveyed in May said they had given to a faith-based group in the previous year. Older Americans were more likely to favor religious charities, while members of Gen Z, born from 1997 to 2012, gave more to “human rights, animal-related, children’s health causes, and environmental causes.”

“Black Americans prioritized human rights and social-justice causes, while white Americans were unique for preferring animal-related and military charities.” The survey of about 5,000 people was conducted by the Collage Group research and marketing agency.

August 1, 2023 | Worthy News

A new survey shows that the rising cost of living over the last three years has caused many Americans to either give less to charity or to cease giving altogether, the Washington Times reports. Polling 4,928 US adults in May, the survey was conducted by the consumer research company Collage Group.

August 1, 2023 | Catholic Culture

Religious charities are most likely to receive support from American donors, but younger donors are more inclined toward environmental and human-rights causes, a new study has shown.

The Collage Group found that 19% of Americans gave money to religious charities. But the percentage giving to religious causes declined with younger donors. Religious charities won support from 27% of the “Baby Boom” generation, but only 11% of “Gen X.”

August 1, 2023 | National Catholic Register

Collage Group produced two reports based on May survey responses from 4,928 Americans aged 18–77, weighted to be nationally representative. One report focuses on generational aspects of charitable giving; another report focuses on racial and ethnic aspects among white, Hispanic, Black, and Asian Americans.

“Religious organizations are the dominant charity of choice for older generations, but younger gens are more fragmented in their charitable giving,” the Collage Group said in its reports. “Human rights and environmental causes in particular pop for Gen Z, who tend to have an inclusive and future-oriented mindset.”

August 1, 2023 | Catholic News Agency

Among Americans who donate to charity, religious charities and nonprofits are the most popular, with about 1 in 5 Americans giving to these groups over the last year, a consumer research firm reported. While some Americans say they never give to charity, many say they can’t donate because they don’t have money.

Overall, 19% of Americans said they gave to religious charities in the last year, according to a survey sponsored by the Bethesda, Maryland-based Collage Group.

July 31, 2023 | The Catholic Association

Rising living costs are hurting charitable donations as Americans find their pockets emptier after three years of persistently high inflation, according to a new poll.

July 28, 2023 | Washington Times

The Collage Group, a consumer research company, released a survey that found just 32% of Americans said they never give to charity. But 68% of respondents agreed with the statement “I don’t think I’ll have any money to donate.”

“Inflation is the large factor as to why many consumers have stopped or cut back on charitable giving,” David Evans, chief insights officer at Collage Group, told The Washington Times. “People are feeling the impact of the higher costs, even though it’s eased up a bit.”

July 27, 2023 | CFO Brew

Around 62% of borrowers are 39 or younger. It’s likely these consumers will spend less in categories such as clothing, beauty, and alcohol, and make fewer big-ticket purchases, Jack Mackinnon, senior director at Collage Group, a firm which researches consumer trends, told CFO Brew. They’ll also spend less on groceries and home-care products, switching from pricey brands to less expensive ones like private label store brands.

Retailers can expect Gen Z to be price-sensitive, Mackinnon said. They’re accustomed to doing internet research before making decisions, and they’ve paid close attention to the financial struggles of their predecessors, the millennials. Some of the top 10 brands that resonate with them the most, he said, citing Collage Group research, are lower-cost options like Walmart, Ross, and Dollar Tree.

July 27, 2023 | Supermarket News

“The explosive growth of multicultural populations is continuously transforming food culture and the American taste palate,” said Victor Paredes, executive director of cultural strategy at the Collage Group, a Bethesda, Md.-based consumer research firm. “Global foods are expanding in the center aisles of supermarkets and pushing out beyond the ethnic food aisle.”

The increase in revenues is partly due to an increase in multicultural consumers seeking out foods and brands that help connect and preserve their cultures, as well as a greater expectation for supermarkets to carry their preferred selections, he said. Eighty-seven percent of Hispanic Americans in a Collage Group survey, for instance, indicated that preparing meals from their culture is an important way to maintain traditions, compared to 61% of non-Hispanics.

July 24, 2023 | Bloomberg Línea

People’s race and ethnicity are increasingly important to them and how they view their own ethnicity, according to a study by Collage Group, which analyzes audiences and their behavior with brands. So much so that 60% of Americans surveyed agree with that statement, and Black Americans even more so: three-quarters of that group say their color has never been more important to them.

“When you think about proper terminology and the connections it has to identity, you can see very quickly how complex it becomes and how important it is,” explained Jack Mackinnon, Senior Director of Cultural Insights at Collage Group.

July 23, 2023 | Florists’ Review

Natalie Griffith, Director of Cultural Insights at Collage Group in Bethesda, Md., points out that the most visible change is racial and ethnic diversity, which is also apparent in the nation’s customer pool. “Businesses must understand the massive demographic shift toward multiculturalism that Gen Zers represent,” she instructs. “This is the first American generation in which multicultural groups make up more than half the population, and that diversity is here to stay.”

This new diverse workforce is also demanding that employers take a stand on larger social and environmental issues. Collage Group found that Gen Zers are likely to support companies that offer support to women, Blacks and people with disabilities. Wise employers will create a sense of larger purpose for their business activities and then emphasize how employee actions contribute to that initiative.

July 19, 2023 | Insider Intelligence

FAST services offer large content libraries that include popular older movies and TV shows, niche content, and original programming, thus drawing diverse audiences.

A May 2022 Collage Group survey found Tubi ranked fourth in terms of usage among black audiences, behind only Netflix, Hulu and Prime Video. In 2022, 21% of Tubi’s total audience was Black.

July 18, 2023 | Ad Age

For Gen Z specifically, creators still have sway over what they buy. One in three Gen Z participants pointed to recommendations from an influencer or celebrity as a potential motivator in convincing them to purchase clothing from a brand they hadn’t previously shopped at, according to a survey by Collage Group. Gen Z also wants to see a brand’s product sizing being inclusive of different body shapes and sizes, the brand’s models resembling them, and in-depth reviews by creators.

July 12, 2023 | ModernRetail

Early data shows that young shoppers especially may tap out on spending once they get back to paying higher monthly bills, said Jack Mackinnon, senior director of cultural insights at consumer research firm Collage Group. At the height of inflation fears in July 2022, Mackinnon said Collage Group’s survey of 4,149 respondents found people were taking various approaches to cutting spending.

“When we looked at generational approaches to financial downturns, we found that younger Americans — those more likely to be impacted by student loans — are more likely to buy less apparel, beauty and skin care products and alcohol,” Mackinnon said. “They also plan to shift to cheaper brands for groceries and home care like cleaning and laundry.”

July 10, 2023 | Consumer Geniuses

According to a recent study by the Collage Group, Gen X consumers are seeking brands to help alleviate their stress due to their multiple responsibilities. Brands like Crayola, YouTube, and Netflix are being repositioned as relaxation tools. The study ranked 480 brands and found that 31% of Gen-Xers prioritize improving their mental health and emotional well-being. Additionally, 54% of the segment wishes mental health was more normalized and discussed in society.

The top 10 brands for Gen X include Band-Aid, YouTube, Dawn, Amazon, Clorox, Netflix, and Snickers. Lego, ranked 45th, has successfully marketed to both Gen Xers and their children. Gen Xers, currently aged 44 to 58, are balancing homeownership, parenthood, and caretaking responsibilities. The study also reveals that 69% of Gen Xers are pet owners, and 58% consider climate change a serious problem. Gen X is the first generation in which women outperformed men in higher education.

July 1, 2023 | Pallet Enterprise

It’s no wonder that Gen Zers are a little more cautious than previous generations and can look with skepticism at the promises of prospective employers. “Driven by anxiety, Gen Z mostly seeks a stable 9-to-5 job that pays the bills,” said Natalie Griffith, director of product and content at Collage Group. “This point was recently corroborated by survey data from Handshake, an employment site for Generation Z, which asked 1,800 new graduates what they wanted most from their future employers. The overwhelming majority—85%—answered ‘stability.’ Pay and benefits also ranked high, but both of them, in my estimation, are proxies for the same thing. The desire for ‘a fast-growing company,’ on the other hand, garnered only 29% of the vote.”

June 29, 2023 | MediaPost

Gen X consumers are juggling multiple responsibilities, and are looking to brands for help in relieving stress. Enter Crayola, YouTube, Netflix and other brands that are being reframed as a relaxation tool.

Thirty-one percent of Gen-Xers say improving their mental health/emotional wellbeing is an area of their focus; and 54% of the segment wishes the topic of mental health was more normalized and discussed more in society, according to a recent study by the Collage Group, which ranked 480 brands.

June 26, 2023 | Digiday

Among the top 10 culturally fluent brands in 2022 were Crayola, Lysol, Dove, Band-Aid and YouTube. Clorox and Lego seemed to uniquely resonate with Gen X, according to Collage Group.

Lego has remained relevant throughout Gen X’s lifespan by tapping into nostalgic memories and reframing products as a de-stresser: 54% of Gen X wished mental health was more talked about in society.

June 23, 2023 | GreenBook

Supporting the LGBTQ+ community benefits your brand’s bottom line. 59% of consumers are more likely to buy from companies that support the LGBTQ+ community, according to Collage Group.

June 23, 2023 | Focusonics

Research from Jack Mackinnon, Senior Director of Cultural Insights at Collage Group, found that 30% of Hispanic consumers prefer to shop in stores with Spanish signage. With The 2020 Census revealing 62.1 million Hispanics are currently living in the United States, this represents a significant potential target audience for retailers looking to extend into a new market demographic.

June 19, 2023 | Sneaker Freaker

As reported by Footwear News, the Collage Group surveyed 3000 people across the four major generation groups, commonly known as Boomers, Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z. The responses indicated that big-box retailers and shoe stores were the top preferred locations for all generations to purchase footwear. The latter two age groups showed the strongest interest in shopping at physical locations, while the older clusters seemed to spread their shoe shopping between physical and online methods.

However, all four groups said their preferred retail experience wasn’t absolute, with most happy to utilize both mediums. In fact, 55 per cent of Millennial respondents shopped both online and in-store, representing the highest proportion of this combined method. They were also most likely to browse items in person before purchasing online, plus sign up for rewards programs. On the other hand, Boomers were least likely to window shop IRL before copping online, and they also had the least intake for loyalty sign-ups.

June 18, 2023 | The Hill

The United States tends to commercialize its holidays, and Juneteenth has been no exception.

Though 50 percent of Black Americans like brands to include cultural holidays in their advertising, according to a study by Collage Group, 30 percent of Black Americans also tend to be suspicious of brands’ motivations for doing so.

June 18, 2023 | MediaPost

While 51% of the Black consumers surveyed say they want brands to participate in Juneteenth observances and include these occasions in advertising, 30% of the Black cohort is suspicious of the motivations of brands when there is such inclusion, per the Collage Group.

Across segments, only 8% of Americans say brands should never activate on Juneteenth, says Jenny Wolski, an analyst with Collage Group. Americans celebrate Juneteenth in a variety of ways and learning more about Black history and culture tops the list, she says. “Black Americans are particularly likely to celebrate this holiday by supporting Black-owned businesses and attending events celebrating Black culture, like a parade or festival,” Wolski says.

June 16, 2023 | Technology.org

Catering to individual tastes and preferences while still maintaining a consistent brand experience is invaluable to retailers in the 21st century.

This is especially true for retail outlets with multicultural customers, many of whom appreciate signage and product descriptions in their own chosen language. In an interview with Focusonics®, the Senior Director of Cultural Insights of Collage Group Jack Mackinnon revealed that 30% of Hispanic consumers prefer to shop in stores with Spanish signage.

June 16, 2023 | Ad Age

Black Americans support brands celebrating Juneteenth, but many also view marketers’ efforts to include cultural holidays in their advertising as performative.

This is according to a study from Collage Group, which surveyed more than 3,800 Americans in March. Of the over 500 Black Americans surveyed, 30% said they were suspicious of brands’ motivations when including cultural holidays in their marketing.

June 16, 2023 | MediaPost

Collage Group, a market research company, ranks Sprite as one of the most popular among African American audiences. Many brands try to do that and fail. What’s Sprite’s secret?

June 15, 2023 | Progressive Grocer

According to a study from the Bethesda, Md.-based Collage Group, 60% of Black Americans celebrate Juneteenth, while 20% of Americans overall celebrate that occasion. When asked how they mark the day, 46% of Black respondents said they support Black-owned businesses, 45% educate themselves about Black history and culture, 37% have special foods or drinks and 29% attend events celebrating Black culture, like parades or festivals, among other responses.

Collage Group also queried Black consumers about their views on how Juneteenth is marketed. The study revealed that 84% either want brands to celebrate the holiday or are indifferent about how brands treat the occasion, opening up potential new avenues for merchandising and promotions.

June 14, 2023 | Ad Age

Influencer endorsements and sustainable production are two of the biggest factors shaping the clothing brands that Gen Z consumers shop from, according to a new study from consumer research platform Collage Group.

One in three Gen Z participants pointed to recommendations from an influencer or celebrity as a potential motivator in convincing them to purchase clothing from a brand they hadn’t previously shopped at, according to Collage Group’s survey of roughly 3,900 U.S. consumers between ages 18 and 77.

June 12, 2023 | Footwear News

When it comes to shoe shopping, Gen Z and millennials still prefer to shop at retail stores. That’s according to a new study from Collage Group, which surveyed the shopping habits of more than 3,000 consumers across multiple generations.

The Collage Group survey also found that nearly half of consumers (46 percent) have or would enroll in a footwear or apparel rewards program, with millennials, at 51 percent, being the most likely to enroll. Boomers, on the other hand, were the generation with the least interest in rewards, at 37 percent.

June 7, 2023 | Washington Blade

Collage Group’s Jack Mackinnon said consumer research indicates that young people, especially, are inclined to research individual companies to assess the extent to which their support for inclusivity is sincere and baked into their corporate governance, rather than performative and motivated entirely by profit chasing.  

“Brands should be thinking about not [just] what should my campaign be for this June, but where do we want to be in terms of building trust six months from now, a year from now, five years from now,” Mackinnon said.

June 6, 2023 | Ragan PR Daily

According to a Collage Group survey, 41% of Black Americans think that brands should recognize the federal holiday in their marketing or advertising – but 9% said brands shouldn’t. Another 19% say that only “certain” brands and companies should celebrate the holiday while 24% don’t care if they celebrate it or not.

June 5, 2023 | Brand Innovators

According to a recent study from Collage Group, a majority (61%) of LGBTQ+ consumers believe either all or select brands should be involved in celebrating Pride Month. Another 29% are indifferent to brands’ involvement. Comparatively, 88% of non-LGBTQ+ consumers are either in support of brands’ Pride Month involvement or are indifferent to it, according to the study. The implication: acknowledging Pride Month through marketing is not likely to result in a large backlash.

June 5, 2023 | Quirk’s

The Asian American community is a growing and affluent segment of the American population, with 19 million individuals identifying as Asian or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. Although there are economic disparities within the segment to be mindful of, this demographic boasts the highest average income among racial and ethnic groups in the United States. And their purchasing power has significantly grown over the past decade.

Despite their economic influence, only 43% of Asians are satisfied with how they are portrayed in advertisements, the lowest of any racial and ethnic segment, according to Collage Group.

June 1, 2023 | Insider Intelligence

To the LGBTQ+ consumer, messages matter more than ever. LGBTQ+ Gen Z consumers are much more likely to buy products or services with advertising messages that challenge gender stereotypes, per a survey of teens and adults by Collage Group. In the Collage Group survey, just 38% of LGBTQ+ teens and adults said they’re satisfied with how they’re portrayed in advertising, compared with 55% of respondents who don’t identify as LGBTQ+.

May 31, 2023 | Fox News

Target’s decision to move some of its LGBT pride apparel in some of its locations made national headlines, and it may have lost control of its own narrative in the process, a top consumer researcher says.

David Evans is the Chief Insights Officer for Collage Group, a consumer research firm that helps major U.S. brands like Target reach and cultivate relationships with groups that may have been ignored or passed over in prior times. He said most Americans, particularly younger ones, want to see companies “represent people in diverse ways.” 

May 22, 2023 | Board Converting News

“Brands must understand the massive demographic shift toward multicultural America that Gen Zers represent,” said Natalie Griffith, Director of Product & Content at Collage Group. She noted that Gen Z is the first American generation where multicultural groups make up more than half the population.

“While it may be obvious that focusing on this cohort will attract Gen Z dollars now, it also future proofs a business as the nation’s shift toward diversity is here to stay.”

May 11, 2023 | AdWeek

Consumer research firm Collage Group recently completed a study that found that Gen Z and millennials celebrate Mother’s Day at higher rates (89% and 88%, respectively) than Gen X and boomers. These statistics don’t surprise Jack Mackinnon, senior director of cultural insights at consumer intelligence firm Collage Group, who points out that younger Americans—searching for opportunities to start their careers—have little choice but to move to large metro areas that are farther away from their mothers.

May 4, 2023 | Insights Association

Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) has announced that David Wellisch, CEO and Co-Founder of Collage Group has been named an Entrepreneur of The Year® 2023 Mid-Atlantic Award finalist. Now in its 37th year, Entrepreneur of The Year is a preeminent competitive business award for transformative entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies who are building a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous world for all.

Wellisch was selected by an independent panel of judges. Entrepreneurs were evaluated based on their demonstration of building long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth, and impact, among other core contributions and attributes.

“It is truly humbling to be considered for such a prestigious honor,” Wellisch said. “This recognition – which I share with my talented leadership, staff, and members – is further acknowledgement that Collage Group is indeed successfully supporting brands’ journey to more authentically understand, serve, and engage diverse America.”

May 3, 2023 | Hispanic Marketing Council

Pamela Danziger, founder of Unity Marketing, looks at how marketers should go beyond Cinco de Mayo to reach the growing Hispanic segment with authentic messaging. Jack Mackinnon of Collage Group notes, “Being nuanced and culturally sensitive will have a halo effect that consumers, both in and out of the community, will understand. It makes the ad a lot more interesting for everybody because the brand is inclusive.

May 2, 2023 | Queer Forty

The LGBTQ+ community represents a diverse market of between 20 and 35 million Americans who spend billions of dollars each year. The segment is projected to continue growing in both size and cultural influence as society becomes more accepting of differing and fluid gender and sexual identities. According to research from Collage Group, a leading provider of cultural intelligence, the LGBTQ+ community is likely to grow the fastest among Gen Z consumers, who feel more comfortable and self-assured to explore their gender and sexual identity and self-identify as LGBTQ+.

May 1, 2023 | Forbes

“The American Dream is alive and well, especially among Hispanic-Americans and Asian-Americans, the segments with the closest ties to recent immigration,” Jack Mackinnon, senior director of cultural insights at Collage Group, and co-author of “America Now 2022” and accompanying “Drive Brand Relevance with 21+ Hispanic Consumer Essentials” reports.

April 27, 2023 | Insider Intelligence

Jenny Pearson of Insider Intelligence points to some September research from the Collage Group showing 55% of Americans said their content with their representation in ads. But when split by race, 59% of white adults were satisfied with how ads portrayed them versus 53 for Hispanic, 49 for Black adults, and 53% for Asian people.

April 27, 2023 | EY

Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced the finalists for the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 Mid-Atlantic Award. The Mid-Atlantic program celebrates entrepreneurs from Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Now in its 37th year, Entrepreneur Of The Year is one of the preeminent competitive business awards for transformative entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies who are building a more equitable, sustainable and prosperous world for all.

April 27, 2023 | The Black Wall Street Times

Only 41% of Black Americans surveyed want all brands and companies to celebrate Juneteenth, according to the Collage Group, a research firm.

“We conducted this study on Juneteenth as part of our holidays and occasions research because it is an important day for the Black segment,” Sudipti Kumar, Director of Multicultural Insights, told The Black Wall Street Times. “We wanted to help brands understand overall celebration rates of Juneteenth as well as what matters to the Black segment when they celebrate and what they want brands to do in their support of Juneteenth.”

April 26, 2023 | WorldatWork.org

Research by Collage Group, a cultural intelligence company, found many companies, when faced with economic uncertainties, choose to eliminate their DEI positions first.

“This is a shortsighted approach,” said Zekeera Belton, vice president of client services at Collage Group. “These companies may see the move as a money-saving tactic, but in the long term, it will only cost them.”

In addition, she said, the urgency and desire that emerged in the summer of 2020 to “put the work in” on DEI issues seems to have dissipated across many industries.

April 11, 2023 | BevNet

A new study highlights preferences and motivations for drinking alcoholic beverages across race and ethnicity. The study comes from Collage Group, a cultural intelligence agency that offers consumer insights across race, ethnicity, generation, sexual identity, and gender with a focus on high-growth consumer segments. The top spirit-related insights and findings point to how a sample of consumers representing different races and ethnicities make choices around non-alcoholic beverages, ready-to-drink cocktails, and liquor.

April 10, 2023 | Insider Intelligence

U.S. Black, Asian, and Hispanic adults are less satisfied with their portrayal in advertising than White Americans, new research shows.

55% of US adults overall expressed content with their representation in ads, but differences arose along racial lines, with just 43% of Asian and 49% of Black adults saying the same, according to a September 2022 Collage Group survey of 4,029 adults.

April 10, 2023 | Quirk’s

According to research conducted by Collage Group, only about half of women say they feel well represented and understood by brands, causing brands to miss out on authentically engaging with over 70 million Americans.

April 9, 2023 | Path to Purchase Institute

A 2023 study from cultural intelligence and consumer research partner Collage Group examined how Black Americans feel about top culturally fluent brands and companies, and how and where they are engaging most.

In assessing the top brands, Collage Group leveraged its Brand Cultural Fluency Quotient (B-CFQ) score to determine brand resonance across six different cultural factors: fit, relevance, memories, values, trust and advocacy.

April 8, 2023 | Hunker

Collage Group released a report discussing the cleaning habits across generations, comparing findings from baby boomers (anyone born between 1955 and 1964), Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980), millennials (born between 1981 and 1996), and Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012). Spoiler alert: They are not the same.

The report also dives into brand loyalty and shopping habits. It found that boomers are most likely to have a preferred brand of cleaning products that they almost always buy, while younger generations tend to switch things up often. And nearly half of Gen Z and millennials use the same cleaning products as their parents — they do tend to know best, after all.

April 7, 2023 | Andscape

Jack McKinnon, senior director of cultural insights at Collage Group, a consumer research firm, said the Ivy Park pieces may have been too avant-garde for the average consumer. “My guess would be that it hit the wrong blend of too ‘out there’ and not affordable enough.”

April 6, 2023 | Insider Intelligence

Almost 30% of Hispanic adults ages 21 to 76 follow video game influencers, per a 2022 survey from Collage Group. Spanish-language livestreams on Twitch now rank second in the language category, behind English-language livestreams.

April 5, 2023 | The Washington Times

Some are skeptical about the long-term prospects of potatoes displacing eggs in Easter baskets.

“While a potato sounds like an interesting and cost-saving life hack, I’m not sure how many people will go this route,” said Bryan Miller, senior director of the Collage Group, a Bethesda, Maryland-based consumer research firm. Collage Group, in a recent survey, found that 79% of adults plan to celebrate Easter this weekend regardless of religious affiliation.

March 31, 2023 | Skift

Despite the LGBTQ+ community’s growing clout in the travel industry, many travelers in the rapidly growing segment still face enormous challenges.

March 30, 2023 | Al Día News

Collage Group, a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certified firm by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), shared some key findings from one of its latest surveys aimed at providing brands with more information about Latinos and how they can better connect. with this growing demographic.

The firm stresses the importance of keeping these types of studies in mind, especially now that proposals to change the federal government’s race and ethnicity categories are being considered.

March 25, 2023 | MediaPost

LGBTQ+ people are more worried about their financial situations than others who do not identify as part of the community, according to a report from Collage Group.

March 22, 2023 | QRCA Views

When studying the demographics of the country, you see that all the growth is being driven by diverse America. When you then go into these segments, what you learn is that they think about the world differently. Their values are different, their passion points are different, and their memories are different.

Applying this to marketing and response rates – 1% of a response rate in these marketplaces is worth a ton of money. So, it ends up that there’s nothing more powerful from a marketing perspective. The more you help corporate America and brands truly understand diverse America, the better they will serve and amplify diverse American voices. It’s a win-win.

March 17, 2023 | Queer Forty

A new study from Collage Group examines the relationship between LGBTQ+ consumers and alcoholic beverages.

March 16, 2023 | Ad Age

Studies show that more than 70% of Black consumers—greater than any segment—think that too many brands haven’t done their research when incorporating diversity (race, ethnicity and sexual identity) in their advertising.

Indeed, more than 50% of almost every major demographic group feels this way. This means billions of dollars in advertising are going to waste, in effect translating to marketers paying to be ignored—or even canceled. Hiring more marketers from diverse backgrounds, especially Black people, is a first step in rectifying this problem. Marketing teams need those who have the lived experience of being Black in America. The result would be more authentic marketing that should lead to an increase in business performance.

March 10, 2023 | MediaPost

Women don’t like what they see. New research from the Collage Group reports that only 56% of the women in its latest survey say they’re satisfied with how they are portrayed in advertising.

The United Nations Secretary-General said gender equality is “vanishing before our very eyes” and is likely 300 years away.

February 28, 2023 | Insights Association

Inc. Magazine revealed that cultural intelligence leader Collage Group is featured on the latest Inc. 5000 Regionals List. The annual list, now in its fourth year, represents the fastest-growing private companies in America. The recognition signifies a unique look at the nation’s most flourishing private businesses and is a significant benchmark for entrepreneurial success.

February 14, 2023 | MediaPost

Walmart, YouTube and Lysol are the top brands among Black Americans, according to new research from Collage Group. Sprite, Visa and McCormick ranked next highest, with Dove, Febreze, Netflix, and Google rounding out the top 10.

“What we’re looking at with this research is cultural fluency,” says Victor Paredes, Collage’s executive director of multicultural strategy.

February 13, 2023 | AdWeek

A recent survey found that Gen Z consumers prefer to support brands that exhibit inclusivity overall, whether those consumers personally belong to that group or not. For example, 55% of respondents in Collage Group’s study said they’d be more likely to buy from brands whose marketing includes Black Americans, even though U.S. Census data shows that African Americans are 13.6% of the population.

When it came to LGBTQ+ inclusivity, Collage Group’s research found that nearly half—46%—of respondents said they’d be more likely to buy from brands that embrace that community openly.

February 13, 2023 | Digiday

As we enter the middle of Black History Month, cultural intelligence firm Collage Group investigated which brands resonate most with Black American consumers, distilling a top 10 out of its research. Using a Brand Cultural Fluency Quotient (B-CFQ) score to determine brand resonance across six different cultural factors (fit, relevance, memories, values, trust and advocacy), the top 10 from top to bottom are: Walmart, YouTube, Lysol, Sprite, Visa, McCormick, Dove, Febreze, Netflix and Google (Alphabet companies got a two-fer in YouTube and Google).

February 13, 2023 | Progressive Grocer

Some legacy brands are resonating particularly strongly with Black customers. Cultural intelligence firm Collage Group recently measured how brands have effectively used culture to connect across the Black segment and found that Lysol, Sprite, McCormick, Dove and Febreze are making strong inroads.

February 10, 2023 | EURweb

February is Black History month and Collage Group is releasing new consumer research throughout the month in celebration of Black American culture. Here’s some of the fascinating findings.

February 3, 2023 | Mitú

According to research from the Collage Group, Latinos are more likely to use newer platforms like TikTok and social media to find community. They welcome it to their home through their screens, but somehow it’s another story when their child is creating it themselves.

January 24, 2023 | Medical Marketing and Media

Women often struggle to put their health needs first when faced with sociopolitical conditions, social expectations and household responsibilities, according to a study released by the Collage Group this week.

Only 43% of surveyed women reported feeling satisfied with their physical health, and less than one-third said they were happy with their current financial situation. In addition, the report found that women tend to get less regular exercise and sleep than men, with 35% of women saying they exercised regularly compared to 46% of men.

January 24, 2023 | Technical.ly

Bethesda, Maryland-based Collage Group has named Pat McGlynn as its chief revenue officer. McGlynn will be heading up commercial functions and growth acceleration in the new role.

January 18, 2023 | Insights Association

Cultural intelligence leader, Collage Group, has welcomed Pat McGlynn as its new Chief Revenue Officer to oversee company-wide commercial functions and accelerate growth. With 20 years of leadership experience in high-growth Research & Advisory Services firms, as well as SaaS/ Enterprise Software businesses, McGlynn is a unique fit for this stage of growth at Collage.  

“Pat has held a successful career in leading high-performing teams and has chalked up achievement after achievement at prestigious growth organizations,” said Collage Group CEO and Co-Founder, David Wellisch. “We are honored to bring him aboard, and confident his expertise and excellence will help accelerate our growth as we support America’s leading brands in their path to Cultural Fluency – the organizational ability to use culture to efficiently and effectively connect across consumer segments.” 

January 18, 2023 | MR Web

In the US, cultural intelligence company Collage Group has hired Pat McGlynn for the role of Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), tasked with overseeing company-wide commercial functions and accelerating growth.

Collage Group offers consumer insights across race / ethnicity, generation, sexual identity and gender with a focus on high-growth consumer segments. Last summer, the firm raised $25m in an inaugural round of growth capital, which it is using for investments in sales and marketing, and for continued development of its data science and technology platform.

2022 News Archive

November 11, 2022 | MediaPost

Marketers Should Consider These Social Issues Before Reaching Out To Consumers

Despite the negativity that has been expressed in political ads and in discussions over the issues that most affect Americans, a Collage Group study on multicultural Americans that delves into social and political issues found 65% of overall American believe the United States is the best country in the world. Their reasons for this believing it is the best country differ based on age and ethnicity.


 
November 8, 2022 | Al Día News

Collage Group: “The American Dream is Still Attainable”

According to a recently released annual report, 78% of black, Asian and Hispanic American consumers say they have achieved or believe they can achieve the American dream, compared to 69% of white consumers.

“America Now 2022: Harnessing American Identity to Navigate Social Issues,” is the name of this study produced by the cultural intelligence company Collage Group.



October 18, 2022 | Healthline

12 Ways to Create Holiday Community When You’re a Family of One

A “Friendsgiving” is a Thanksgiving dinner celebrated with friends rather than family.

The idea has steadily gained traction in Millennial and Gen Z culture. According to a survey by Collage Group, 43 percent of Millennials, 39 percent of Gen Z-ers, and 31 percent of the overall population participate in a Friendsgiving event.

Your social circle will probably be only too delighted if you decide to host a Turkey Day feast without the family drama.



October 13, 2022 | Radio + Television Business Report

The Brands ‘Most Effective at Winning Hispanic Consumers’

A recent study of over 300 iconic brands identified the top 10 brands for Hispanic consumers. The analysis, conducted by cultural intelligence firm Collage Group, examined brand performance as part of the firm’s monthly CultureRate survey, which assesses cultural resonance for each major demographic segment.



October 12, 2022 | MrWeb

Collage Hires for New Chief Product and Tech Officer Role

US-based cultural intelligence provider Collage Group has hired Gregory Cypes for its newly created role of Chief Product and Technology Officer, with a remit to ‘reimagine’ the firm’s platform with a new focus on the intersection between software, data science, and insights generation.



September 29, 2022 | Insights Association

New Study Finds Black Consumers Deeply Passionate About Cooking, Traveling

New insights delving into the Passion Points of Black Consumers reveal that the Black segment is deeply enthusiastic about cooking and baking.

This is according to cultural intelligence firm, Collage Group which says the majority of Black Americans feel at home and have a sense of comfort when they are in the kitchen.



September 13, 2022 | AdAge

How Cultural Fluency Helps Multicultural Marketing Succeed With All Americans

Multicultural representation is essential for any marketing strategy that hopes to connect with a broad spectrum of consumers, and with Hispanic Heritage Month beginning on September 15, the purchasing power of Hispanic Americans may be top-of-mind for many marketers.



September 19, 2022 | Brewing Industry Guide

Drinkers Decoded: What Market Research Says about Today’s Consumers

“We make the beer we like to drink.” That’s the dream of every brewer, right? But if that brewer likes only, say, grodziskies and ESBs, the sales team may want to have a few words. The reality is that consumer preferences rule the day, especially as competition heats up for drinkers’ dollars. This applies not only to what’s on tap, but to the food menu, décor, music, and more.



August 31, 2022 | Airspeed

Collage Group’s CEO David Wellisch on Navigating the Balancing Act That is Remote Work

Remote work has become the new normal for many companies. While many thought it seemed like a simple shift to make, not every company was originally on board with the switch to remote work.

Collage Group, a consumer research and advisory company, is a company that never planned to go remote. The leaders at Collage Group were under the impression that in order to retain talent and build a strong culture, employees needed in-office perks and group lunches every day. But then something shifted within their mindset.



August 30, 2022 | Forbes

Leveraging Cultural Insights Can Help Brands Weather Rocky Economy

Inflation is at a 40-year high, the stock market has entered the bear market territory and predictions of a recession are growing. Beyond Wall Street and media outlets, most chief marketing officers view inflation negatively, with some considering plans to retrench in the upcoming months.



August 18, 2022 | MediaPost

Marketers Should Avoid Politically Framing Messages In Ads, Collage Group Says

Nearly everyone has felt the impact of inflation, but White and Hispanic Americans are the most concerned about the U.S. economy, while Black Americans are much less concerned, according to a recent study from research company Collage Group.



August 16, 2022 | Luxus +

Generation Z Wants to Travel Abroad and Have Exciting Experiences, According to Collage Group

The study by Collage Group, entitled “Gen Z Passion Points” a cultural intelligence firm operating in the United States, notes that this generation has been widely exposed to the world via the web and social networks, likely contributing to their desire to travel. The generation, having been born with the web, images and social networks, was able to digitally discover remote regions of the globe at an early age.



August 11, 2022 | MRWeb

Collage Group Names Cultural Strategy Leader

US-based Collage Group, which provides cultural intelligence about diverse consumers, has appointed Victor Paredes as Executive Director of Cultural Strategy.

In addition to race and ethnicity, Collage Group develops consumer insights across generation, sexual identity and gender, with a focus on high-growth consumer segments. In March, the firm launched a syndicated Parents & Kids Cultural Intelligence Program, to provide brands with the insights they need to engage with parents and kids across race and ethnicity.



August 9, 2022 | Franchising.com

Consumer Identity: Preparing for Tomorrow’s Multicultural Customers Today

A new study from the Collage Group, “Understanding & Embracing Consumer Identity,” tackles the increasing importance of recognizing the connection of ethnicity, race, sexuality, and gender to consumer identity. It also suggests the preferred terms for each segment.

The 8-page study begins with a look at diversity: “Diversity is the future – and the present –of the United States. By the late 2040s, multicultural segments are expected to represent the majority of the U.S. population. For brands, this means that multicultural consumers already make up a significant portion of their audience.”



August 9, 2022 | Travel Agent Central

Stats: Gen Z Wants to Travel Internationally, Have “Exciting” Experiences

The desire to travel is a key interest among the majority of Generation Z consumers, with 60 percent stating they have a strong urge to travel the world, according to new research from the cultural intelligence firm Collage Group. This generation’s urgency for travel exceeds that desire of the older Gen X and Boomer generations by nearly 15 percent.



July 26, 2022 | Customer Think

Research Reveals Some of the Nuances of Purpose Marketing

In January of this year, I published a lengthy article here discussing the topic of purpose marketing, which can be defined as the use of content in external communications that emphasizes a company’s core mission and values, i.e. its brand purpose.

A company’s brand purpose describes its “reason for being” beyond the basic business functions of offering products or services and earning a profit. The brand purpose encompasses how the company is making a positive contribution to society and where the company stands on important social issues.



July 12, 2022 | Forbes

16 Ways To Balance Growth With Your Social Responsibility Goals

As businesses grow, they tend to hire more employees, expand their digital and physical footprint and have to make higher-level decisions. However, the greatest impact on the business’s future success is how well it stays true to its original values, especially when it comes to social responsibility.



July 1, 2022 | MRWeb

Funding First for Cultural Intell Firm Collage Group

In the US, cultural intelligence company Collage Group has raised $25m in an inaugural round of growth capital, which it will use for investments in sales and marketing, and for continued development of its data science and technology platform.

Collage Group offers consumer insights across race / ethnicity, generation, sexual identity and gender with a focus on high-growth consumer segments. Members of the firm’s cultural intelligence platforms – Multicultural, Generations and LGBTQ+ & Gender – have access to more than ten years’ worth of consumer insights and over 300 studies, with new data unveiled weekly.



July 1, 2022 | Washington Business Journal

On Heels of $25M Raise, Consumer Research Firm Collage Group is Planning for a More Competitive Future

The Bethesda firm is investing in tech and marketing.



June 30, 2022 | Venture Capital Journal

Diverse Consumers Insights Firm Collage Group Inks $25m

Collage Group, a Bethesda, Maryland-based provider of cultural intelligence about diverse consumers, has raised $25 million in funding.



June 30, 2022 | Technical.ly

Maryland’s Collage Group Raised $25M for its Data Intelligence SaaS Product

Maryland SaaS company Collage Group just raised $25 million in growth capital, the company announced Wednesday.

The round was led by Wavecrest Growth Partners, based in Boston, Massachusetts, with additional participation from Dennis Ainge. A statement from the company said that the funds would be used for marketing and sales, as well as a renewed focus on its data science and tech platform.



June 29, 2022 | Business Insider

This Platform Just Raised $25 Million to Help Marketers Like Procter & Gamble and Meta Reach Diverse Consumers

Collage Group, a cultural intelligence platform that helps companies like Procter & Gamble, Facebook parent Meta, and McDonald’s market to diverse consumers, raised $25 million in growth capital as it seeks to attract more blue-chip marketers as clients.

The funding, its first outside fundraise, was led by Boston-based growth equity firm Wavecrest Growth Partners, which invests in B2B software and tech companies. Dennis Ainge, an industry investor and CEO of the NBA’s Utah Jazz Basketball, also participated.



April 21, 2022 | Washington Business Journal

Washington Business Journal’s 2022 Diversity in Business Award Winners Revealed

For 15 years, the Washington Business Journal has set out to honor outstanding business leaders of color in Greater Washington with our annual Diversity in Business Awards program. Collage Group is pleased to announce that our CEO and Co-Founder David Wellisch has been honored with the 2022 award.

Each year’s class joins an active alumni network of hundreds of previous honorees from across industries. They join a list of admired CEOs, founders, executives and directors including Leslie Hale of RLJ Lodging Trust, Johnny Taylor of SHRM, Sahil Rahman of RASA, Michelle Rice of TV One, Rosie-Allen Herring of United Way NCA, Lonnie Bunch of the Smithsonian, Monica Dalwadi of Baker Tilly, Sheila Johnson of Salamander Hotels, Bo Menkiti of the Menkiti Group, Tim Chi of WeddingWire and more.



January 11, 2022 | Washington Business Journal

2022 Diversity in Business Award Winners Revealed

For 15 years, the Washington Business Journal has set out to honor outstanding business leaders of color in Greater Washington with our annual Diversity in Business Awards program. Collage Group CEO and Co-Founder David Wellisch is announced as an Honoree.

2021 News Archive

October 19, 2021 | eMarketer

While 35% of Hispanic consumers believe that all brands should include Hispanic Heritage Month in their marketing and advertising, a greater amount (39%) don’t care if brands do it or not, per an August 2021 study by Collage Group.



July 19, 2021 | 97.1 WASH FM

iHeartMedia recognizes David Wellisch is CEO & Co-Founder of Collage Group, as a CEO you should know. Since the inception of Collage Group in 2009, David has led the company through growth, now serving more than 200 brands in across 15 industries.



June 18, 2021 | Insider

In a study conducted by the Collage Group, 62% of Black consumers responded that America’s institutions were responsible for both maintaining and reinforcing racial inequalities. And 72% of Black respondents said companies needed to put more pressure on local and state governments.



January 11, 2021 | eMarketer

Looking at the matter in more detail, a January 2020 survey of Hispanics ages 13 to 85 by the Collage Group found about three-quarters saying they speak English either “very well” (53%) or “well” (21%). Even among those classified as “unacculturated” (based on language usage in various contexts and degrees of self-identification as American versus Hispanic), about one-third reported speaking English at least “well.”

2019 News Archive

December 6, 2019 | Cision: PR Web

Second annual event, co-hosted at Univision, will continue to demystify new fact-based approach for deciphering cultural variation.



October 19, 2019 | Medium

Why The Next Critical Step Is Machine Learning & Cultural Fluency.



October 18, 2019 | Cynopsis Media

While multicultural audiences are becoming key drivers of growth, many brands are still struggling with how to  accurately predict what resonates and what doesn’t with people of color.



October 3, 2019 | i95 Business

Using Machine Learning and Facial Tracking to Optimize Content.



October 2, 2019 | Restaurant Hospitality

7 out of 10 pieces of trash found in the ocean are food/beverage-related.



September 12, 2019 | Spirited

Super Bowl LIII could not have faded more quickly from memory, but the investment in advertising by many of America’s greatest brands (and the inevitable handful of newcomers seeking breakthrough) lives on.



July 31, 2019 | Forbes

Collage Group, an insights, analysis and strategy firm founded in 2009, bas been using technology, data and machine learning to help marketers more surefootedly navigate a turbulent marketplace.



July 29, 2019 | Hispanic Engineer and Information Technology

David Wellisch’s newest technology, CultureRate:Ad by Collage Group, is built on data and uses machine learning and facial tracking to predict crucial differences in emotional response to ads in different demographics for marketing leaders.



July 9, 2019 | Forbes

There has been significant coverage of bias problems in the use of machine learning in the analysis of people.



July 8, 2019 | Forbes

Collage Group, an insights, analysis and strategy firm founded in 2009, bas been using technology, data and machine learning to help marketers more surefootedly navigate a turbulent marketplace.

Latest Press Releases

January 26, 2024 | Hispanic Marketing Council

Over the course of three years, the Hispanic Marketing Council (HMC) has experienced explosive year-to-year growth in entries for the HMC Strategic Excellence Awards, the only award competition of its kind recognizing strategic excellence in Hispanic marketing and advertising and cultural fluency. As a testament to this award’s singular position in the marketplace, HMC welcomes cultural intelligence leader Collage Group as an exclusive partner of the awards.

October 31, 2023 | Yahoo! Finance

Cultural intelligence powerhouse Collage Group unveiled a new, AI-powered software solution, fluen.ci, providing instant access to culture-centric, brand-specific insights for marketing and insights leaders at America’s iconic brands. Grounded in more than 12 years of rich, cultural research, fluen.ci promises to unlock the consumer insights needed to provide direction and validation for brand growth and the competitor and industry comparisons necessary to win diverse American consumers, our country’s growth driver. 

May 4, 2023 | GlobalNewswire

Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) has announced that David Wellisch, CEO and Co-Founder of Collage Group has been named an Entrepreneur of The Year® 2023 Mid-Atlantic Award finalist. Now in its 37th year, Entrepreneur of The Year is a preeminent competitive business award for transformative entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies who are building a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous world for all.

January 18, 2023 | Yahoo! Finance

Cultural intelligence leader, Collage Group, today announced that it has welcomed Pat McGlynn as its new Chief Revenue Officer to oversee company-wide commercial functions and accelerate growth. With 20 years of leadership experience in high-growth Research & Advisory Services firms, as well as SaaS/ Enterprise Software businesses, McGlynn is a unique fit for this stage of growth at Collage.

December 13, 2022 | Yahoo! Finance

A recent study examining more than 80 commercials determined which advertisements resonated the best among younger Black consumers aged 18-42.

The analysis, conducted by cultural intelligence leader, Collage Group, assesses ad performance using the Ad Cultural Fluency Quotient (A-CFQ) which measures consumer sentiment across four key dimensions. These include Brand Fit (the ad fits the brand), Relevance (the ad is for people like me), Message (the ad has an important message) and Enjoyment (the ad is enjoyable to watch).

November 17, 2022

In anticipation of the coming holiday season, cultural intelligence company, Collage Group, explored how American consumers prepare for and celebrate the winter holiday season. Calling on findings from its multicultural Holidays & Occasions research, experts examined how culture impacts several end-of-the-year holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Kwanzaa.

November 10, 2022

Findings from a new study reveal that multicultural Americans have strong faith in the “American Dream.” In fact, 78% of Black, Asian, and Hispanic American consumers say they have achieved or believe they can achieve the American Dream, as compared to 69% of White consumers. This is according to the just-released annual report titled “America Now 2022: Harnessing American Identity to Navigate Social Issues,” produced by cultural intelligence company, Collage Group.

October 12, 2022

The leading source of cultural intelligence, Collage Group, announced today that Gregory Cypes has joined the team as Chief Product and Technology Officer, a new leadership role. With more than 20 years of experience in the tech sector, Cypes is expected to shape the future of the company’s cultural intelligence platform, and data & technology offerings, which are currently used to guide over 300 of America’s iconic brands partnered with Collage Group.

October 5, 2022

A recent study of over 300 iconic brands identified the top 10 brands for Hispanic consumers. The analysis, conducted by cultural intelligence firm, Collage Group, examined brand performance as part of the firm’s monthly CultureRate survey, which assesses cultural resonance for each major demographic segment.

August 17, 2022

A whopping 93% of respondents said they have noticed that items they ordinarily purchase are now more expensive, and 78% said they are “a little” to “very worried” about their current financial situation.

August 9, 2022

Collage Group, the leading source of cultural intelligence about diverse consumers to over 300 of America’s iconic brands, announced today that Victor Paredes has joined the team as Executive Director of Cultural Strategy. Paredes is a proven expert in inclusive marketing and advertising and will leverage his expertise in combination with Collage’s proprietary data and insights in support of members’ objectives to unleash the power of culture to drive brand growth.

July 29, 2022

New research compiled by the cultural intelligence firm, Collage Group, shows that Hispanic Americans are trendsetters in terms of using technology. As a segment, they are super users of the internet, social media, and tech tools. Hispanic consumers are more likely to post to social media daily, and use emerging social media platforms, such as TikTok, among other digital trends. While Americans overall are using such instruments to a greater degree compared to previous years, Hispanic Americans surpassed all groups’ usage rates.

June 29, 2022

Collage Group, the leading source of cultural intelligence about diverse consumers announced that it has raised $25 million in growth capital led by Boston-based growth equity firm Wavecrest Growth Partners with participation from industry veteran and investor Dennis Ainge. The new funding will be used to further accelerate growth through additional investments in sales and marketing and through continued focus on its data science and technology platform.

April 4, 2022

Collage Group, the leading source of cultural intelligence about diverse consumers to America’s iconic brands, prepares for continued scaling with the addition of Pinkie Gunderia as Chief Financial Officer. Pinkie oversees the companywide accounting, finance and budgeting functions, and will be leading Collage Group’s forward-looking financial strategy to manage the company’s continued hypergrowth. She is a seasoned financial executive with 20 years of experience spanning finance, audit, tax and consulting across various industries.

February 28, 2022

Collage Group, the leading source of cultural intelligence about diverse consumers to more than 300 of America’s iconic brands, continues its hypergrowth with the launch of its Parents & Kids Cultural Intelligence Program. This new consumer research offering, created with input from nearly a dozen leading Collage Group member brands, is designed to cover the insights brands need to engage and activate parents and kids across race and ethnicity. This is the first syndicated resource available that offers full coverage of parents and kids with race and ethnicity overlays.

February 14, 2022

Collage Group, the leading source of cultural intelligence about diverse consumers to America’s iconic brands, continues to focus on growth with the addition of Jose Puyol as Chief Revenue Officer. Jose oversees companywide commercial function, including new business, renewals, account expansions and more. He is a seasoned SaaS executive with 20 years of experience leading high-growth sales organizations, with a well-established record of building customer-first sales teams and developing impactful strategies that disrupt the marketplace.

2021 Press Archive

November 9, 2021

One in four Gen Z Consumers will stop buying from brands that do not take a stance on an important issue.

Collage Group ranks Lysol, Netflix, Google, and Band-Aid as among the most Culturally Fluent brands in analysis of more than 500 brands and 200 ads across the last 18 months.

A prominent consumer insights leader, Randi will head Collage Group’s custom insights department and oversee the development of tailored, diverse consumer insights for more than 200 of America’s leading brands.


Currently supporting more than 200 leading brands with consumer insights and marketing best practices, Collage Group added 20+ new clients in the first half of 2021 alone.



June 3, 2021

A conversation with diversity, marketing and insights leaders from Google, AARP, E. & J. Gallo Winery and U.S. Bank.



February 4, 2021

CVS Health, McCormick & Company, U.S. Bank, TVOne and Diageo leaders discuss efforts to support the Black community.



January 6, 2021

New consumer intelligence platform centers on the LGBTQ+ community and women, while covering transgender, non-binary and other segments where applicable.


2020 Press Archive

June 29, 2020

Collage Group leads a panel discussion on how great brands are taking action to support Black Americans.


2019 Press Archive

December 6, 2019

Second annual event, co-hosted at Univision, will continue to demystify new fact-based approach for deciphering cultural variation.



October 28, 2019

A subscription-based consumer research and strategic advisory company that helps brands understand culture and generations, is co-hosting “How to Decipher, Influence, Engage and Win The New Wave of Today’s American Consumer.”


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