2007年VOA标准英语-American Companies Aim Advertising at Muslim Am

By Mohamed Elshinnawi
Washington
19 September 2007
 

A recent study by the nation's largest advertising¹ firm shows that the Muslim American community has an estimated purchasing power of about $170 billion. JWT Advertising conducted the study, and it is now working with a wide variety of companies to develop strategies to attract Muslim American customers. VOA's Mohamed Elshinnawi examined the new trend in Dearborn, Michigan, near Detroit, where there is a dense² population of Muslims.

JWT Advertising says companies in the Detroit area are leading the way in using the cultural aspects of the Muslim faith to expand their share of the Muslim American market.

Ann Mack is JWT's director of trends spotting. "Some marketers -- I am not going to name them specifically -- are having Ramadan advertisements," she says, "and because they are speaking specifically to these populations, they will appeal, they will resonate and those consumers will tend to gravitate towards these brands."

The study shows that the six to eight million Muslims in the United States are looking for recognition and respect, and that companies should make sure they are not neglecting or offending their community.

One company that is not is the Swedish furniture company IKEA. It has a store near Dearborn that initially³ attracted few Muslim shoppers. So the company consulted with Nasser Baydoun, Chairman of the American Arab Chamber⁴ of Commerce. He recalls, "What we were able to do was to teach them how to market to our community -- how does our community get its information, how do they choose which store they go to and how does IKEA create a working staff that is friendly to the community."

Ikea staff benefited from the diversity training, and became familiar with the Muslim community's needs. Lisa Allen is IKEA's public relations director. "When we are speaking to Arab Americans," she says, "we can connect with them on that level, talk about their needs. For IKEA, it is all about how our product solutions fit your needs and your life style."

A team of the company's designers and marketers visited Muslim Americans' homes to see how to adapt the stores' products to customers' customs and preferences. One plan is to offer decorations for the holy month of Ramadan and to add halal meals to the store's food menu. Muslim American shopper Ismail Hakki says he is looking forward to seeing such offerings. "Like decorations for Ramadan, for the Eid [celebration after Ramadan] too, like some [halal] food or some cloth for the Eid.

Other companies are planning innovative⁵ approaches to cater⁶ to Muslim Americans' needs. Amal Berry is the vice⁷ president of Comerica Bank. "Currently we are underway in a research project to understand exactly what Sharia law [Islamic law] says and whether the bank will be able to provide true Islamic bank products and services."

McDonald's in Detroit is offering halal chicken, Rite-Aide drug stores have Arabic signs and Comcast cable network is carrying the first nationwide Muslim American TV channel.

Fred Eaton is Comcast's director of corporate⁸ affairs. "Comcast offered Bridges TV the opportunity for carriage on our cable system. In fact, Detroit was the market where Bridges TV was first launched," he explained.

Marketing⁹ experts say advertising for the Muslim American community is a win-win situation. They say American companies will use it to expand their market share, while Muslim Americans will enjoy recognition and respect.

1 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

2 dense   

a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。

3 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

4 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

5 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

6 cater   

vi.(for/to)满足，迎合；(for)提供饮食及服务

参考例句：

• I expect he will be able to cater for your particular needs.我预计他能满足你的特殊需要。
• Most schools cater for children of different abilities.大多数学校能够满足具有不同天资的儿童的需要。

7 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

8 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

9 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。