The New Mainstream

It’s no longer enough to know who people think they are; we need to understand who they want to be. New Mainstreamers seek brands, products and services that affirm their sense of self-worth and well-being and validate their personal definition of the American Dream. –Guy Garcia, The New Mainstream


What we buy says a lot about who we are, and who we are often defines what we buy. In his book The New Mainstream: How the Multicultural Consumer is Transforming American Business, Guy Garcia explores the impact that the multicultural consumer has had on American business in recent years. Garcia presents convincing evidence that Hispanics, African Americans, Asians and other ethnic consumers have profoundly influenced and changed today’s American economy. Also interesting is Garcia’s assertion that these groups have led many consumers, including non-Hispanic whites, to reevaluate the significance of their purchase decisions. Instead of simply buying products which fulfill basic needs, American consumers are now looking towards the brands they choose as a source of meaning and identity.

Garcia points out that immigrants and members of the various ethnic groups which make up the US population have been able to adapt to US mainstream culture while still retaining their own unique cultural values and traditions. He notes that these groups have a “dual desire to assimilate while also maintaining cultural identity, priorities and pride” which is “not dissimilar from other groups who came here as immigrants” (132). It is this duality, Garcia states, which has allowed our country to flourish. “From the Scottish family whose fifth-generation American men wear a kilt on their wedding day, to the Chinese American family who celebrates Chinese New Year, maintaining cultural traditions while assimilating is what has made this country such an incredible, diverse place” (132).

These cultural traditions now serve as more than just a way for ethnic groups to remember and celebrate their heritage. In today’s society, these traditions, including food, music, film and dress, are being appropriated by members of other ethnic and cultural groups. The “New Mainstreamers,” as Garcia names them, are now constructing their identities out of the cultures of many different ethnic groups. “Members of this group…tend not only to be tolerant of communities and cultures that are not their own, but are more likely to find value in—and actively seek out—experiences and customs that add flavor, variety and diversity to their lives” (xii, Introduction). These consumers look to brands and products from other cultures as a means for “personal enlightenment and growth” (xiii, Introduction).

One easily seen manifestation of this cultural exchange is food. Garcia notes that food has historically been a way of expressing and preserving culture in the United States. He gives the example of some of the early settlers, such as the English, Dutch and Germans, who brought their own culinary traditions to the United States. These “foreign” foods are now considered quintessentially “American” and include hot dogs, hamburgers and apple pie. As U.S. culture becomes more diverse, so does its palate. Garcia reflects on this phenomenon, stating that “if we really are what we eat, then the blue plate special now comes in every possible color and flavor, including some that never existed before” (241).

The use of brands and products as a means to create an identity is related to the “postethnic” perspective of young Americans. Garcia explains this way of thinking as the “assumption that identity and ethnicity are optional and flexible, as opposed to preordained and fixed” (107). In the past, identity depended on family, social class, and skin color, among other factors. However, today’s New Mainstreamers believe that they have the power to choose who they are, regardless of race or ethnicity. In many cases, this means choosing to identify on some level with an ethnic group or culture that is not their own. This self-image is inextricably related to consumer behavior. Garcia notes that

“Multicultural consumers are influenced by how they see others, but even more by how they see themselves. Self-image—and the way they define that image—determines what people choose as careers, where they live, whom they vote for, what kind of car they drive, where they shop, eat and vacation. Consumers gravitate to brands, products, and activities that reinforce their established sense of self or allow them to test drive a new persona. At a time when identity is becoming recognized as a key driver of consumer behavior, understanding how people see themselves…is imperative for corporations, organizations, and institutions” (217).

The beauty of this process is that it creates a reciprocal exchange of ideas, beliefs and traditions. While immigrants continue to adopt parts of American culture, what was once considered mainstream culture is also morphing to incorporate pieces of many different cultures into its fabric.

In addition to choosing brands for their ethnic diversity, New Mainstreamers also tend to choose brands and services which represent and support their values. Garcia characterizes this group as valuing “social responsibility, protecting the environment, civil and women’s rights” (xiii, Introduction) among other things. Therefore, companies should attempt to discover not only how their product is perceived, but also how their organization is seen in the community.

Currently, the United States economy can be described as “experiential,” meaning that the importance of a product or service is not in its extrinsic value, but rather in the experience that it provides users. Garcia concludes The New Mainstream with the proposal that we are moving beyond the experiential economy into what he calls a “transformational economy” in which products and services will “make each consumer a different, better person” (265). It is this transformational economy which marketers will have to keep in mind when reaching out to the New Mainstreamers, who expect not only to enjoy a product, but to be transformed by it.