Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Marketing
The Asian American and Pacific Islander population is one of the fastest-growing and most diverse demographic segments in the United States — spanning dozens of nationalities, languages, and cultural identities.
According to the U.S. Census, the AAPI population surpassed 24 million people, growing over 35% in the last decade.
They represent significant consumer power, exceeding $1.6 trillion in annual buying power (Nielsen, 2023).
Concentrations are high in markets such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Chicago, Houston, and Honolulu, as well as growing communities in Dallas, Atlanta, and Minneapolis–St. Paul.
In short: it’s a highly influential, connected, and community-driven audience that values trust, authenticity, and cultural relevance.
Who is Considered Asian American and Pacific Islander?
The term "Asian American and Pacific Islander" (API) includes people from more than 20 different countries across East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific Islands. This covers countries in East Asia like China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Mongolia, along with Southeast Asian nations such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, and Indonesia. South Asia brings in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan. Pacific Islanders come from places like Hawaii, Samoa, Guam, Fiji, and Tonga. Altogether, the API community represents over 30 nationalities, each with its own culture, language, and history.
Media Solutions that Reach API Audiences
Traditional mass-media campaigns often struggle with cultural nuance or efficient targeting, but place-based OOH bridges that gap. It reaches people in the environments where they live, shop, gather, and receive care — allowing for authentic, community-rooted engagement.
Key benefits:
Cultural proximity: Placing creative inside Asian grocery stores, restaurants, community centers, temples, and health clinics naturally aligns with daily life and cultural identity.
Language access: Creative can be localized (e.g., Mandarin, Tagalog, Korean, Vietnamese) while remaining visually impactful.
Trust & relevance: Messages displayed in community spaces feel endorsed by the environment, not forced or overly commercial.
High recall: OOH in trusted neighborhood venues consistently outperforms generic media in message recall and favorability among multicultural audiences (OAAA, 2024).
We offer a range of solutions to help you reach API audiences, such as billboards, digital signage, and in-store displays, all designed to speak directly to your desired audience. Our solutions can be tailored to specific locations and languages, ensuring that your message resonates with the API community.
Whether you're promoting a product, service, or social cause, our API-focused media solutions can help you achieve your advertising goals. By delivering culturally relevant messaging in locations where API communities are likely to gather, you can build trust and connections between your brand and the community you serve.
So, if you're looking to reach API audiences, let us help you create a meaningful connection with your target audience through our targeted place-based media solutions.
Example Placements for API-Focused Campaigns
A place-based network like yours can reach API communities through:
Asian supermarkets (e.g., H Mart, 99 Ranch, Seafood City) — strong family traffic and cultural visibility.
Medical clinics & pharmacies serving multilingual populations.
Community centers, temples, and cultural organizations.
Higher-education campuses with large international or first-generation student populations.
Restaurants, cafes, and bubble-tea chains frequented by Gen Z and millennial audiences.
Campaigns might focus on public health (e.g., diabetes, mental health, preventive screenings), financial literacy, education, or civic engagement — all areas where cultural trust is essential.
Why is Public Health Marketing Important for Asian-Pacific Islander Audiences?
Asian/Pacific Islander audiences are considered a high-risk group for many public health challenges due to a combination of cultural, social, economic, and environmental factors that can lead to disparities in health outcomes.
Cultural factors: Asian/Pacific Islander communities may have cultural beliefs and practices that differ from those of mainstream society, which can affect their health behaviors and access to healthcare. Language barriers and lack of culturally responsive care can also contribute to disparities in health outcomes.
Social factors: Asian/Pacific Islander communities are more likely to experience social factors such as discrimination, lack of access to educational opportunities, and limited access to healthcare. These social factors can lead to stress, trauma, and poor health outcomes such as chronic disease, mental health problems, and substance abuse.
Economic factors: Asian/Pacific Islander communities are more likely to experience poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to affordable healthcare. These economic factors can contribute to negative health outcomes such as chronic disease, mental health problems, and substance abuse.
Environmental factors: Asian/Pacific Islander communities are often disproportionately affected by environmental factors such as air pollution, toxic waste, and lack of access to healthy food options. These environmental factors can contribute to negative health outcomes such as asthma, cancer, and other chronic diseases.
Public Health Challenges for the API Population
Some specific public health challenges that Asian/Pacific Islander audiences are at high risk for include chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension, mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, substance abuse, and hepatitis B.
Effective public health interventions for this demographic may include targeted education and outreach, access to healthcare and mental health resources, efforts to address environmental disparities, and initiatives to reduce cultural and linguistic barriers in healthcare and other systems. Additionally, providing opportunities for community-led initiatives and partnerships with trusted community organizations can help build trust and promote culturally responsive care.
Multilingual API Integration
In Place-Based Advertising campaigns at venues with a high volume of Asian populations, various API languages are utilized to enhance engagement and communication effectiveness. These languages include but are not limited to Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Tagalog. By integrating these languages into digital and print displays, advertisers can connect with the diverse Asian communities more authentically, addressing cultural nuances and ensuring the messaging resonates deeply. The use of multi-language APIs in these campaigns allows for real-time language adjustments based on demographic data, ensuring that the content is always relevant and accessible to the target audience. This strategy not only increases the reach of public health messages but also fosters inclusivity and community engagement.
Let’s Talk.
We are dedicated to embracing and engaging with the API community. If you are interested in exploring API marketing opportunities or have any questions regarding our services, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to discussing how we can collaborate to connect with the vibrant and diverse API audience.