The annual Association of National Advertisers Multicultural Conference opened on Sunday, with over 700 attendees in attendance for the three-day meeting, including broadcasters, agencies and key marketers. Taking center stage this year were Tom Joyner, Rickey Smiley and Arbitron. The event focuses on advertising to the African American, Asian, Hispanic and LBGT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) audiences. On hand were marketers from brands such as AT&T, The Home Depot, Yahoo, Walmart, Miller-Coors and others. Here’s more on the conference:

Monday’s panel, “The Brand Executive’s perspective on Committing to Multicultural Marketing,” was hosted by syndicated morning man Tom Joyner. His passionate statement to the audience summed up the conference's overall message to advertisers: “We are an incredibly loyal audience and consumers. When a brand shows they're speaking directly to us as African Americans and shows a commitment to the community, we respond and it will show in sales to our advertisers.”

Here are some key quotes and observations from the various panels at the conference:

Rob Jackson, U.S. Marketing Director for McDonalds, highlighted that McDonalds has made more black millionaires in the U.S. through their franchisees and their commitment to the community. He added that they have a commitment to franchisees that advertising money will be spent in multicultural marketing (note that over 40% of McDonald's business is multicultural).

In addressing the debate on whether marketers can and should advertise specifically for multicultural consumers, or use general marketing, Jackson stated: “Yes, I can integrate you (as an African American) into my general market ad, but I can also target the African American consumer with targeted marketing… the knockout punch is with the targeted ad for the African American consumer.”

Raquel Daniels of Camelot Communications, the agency for Southwest Airlines and a long time sponsor of Tom Joyner as “the Fly Jock,” noted that “you need to be persistent no matter what the budget is. Your creative approach, even with a small budget, will get you to that million dollar budget result. It’s effective work on your part, [that] will be the proof for greater investment.”

Jamie Jones, Senior Director at Novo Nordisk, provided the sad fact that there are many diseases that affect African Americans disproportionately. Bringing diabetes awareness to the African American community, it makes even more sense to invest there. While your station is assisting in listeners' health, it also becomes a business plan and a strategy, which management has to pay attention to.

Georgina Flores, Director of Multicultural Integrated Marketing Communications for the All state Insurance Company, noted that their high involvement with community, including their eight years of sponsorship of “the Allstate Tom Joyner Family Reunion” as well as their support of education with their “Quotes for Education” program, which has had favorable response and conversion rates for the African American consumer.

Flores also cited their ability to even do radio ads with their popular “Mayhem” character featured in their current general market campaign, who is able to speak in targeted ads to the African American consumer.

The conference also celebrated Excellence in Advertising, sponsored by Arbitron and hosted by Rickey Smiley. The night’s festivities included an opening segment by syndicated personality Doug Banks and WGCI’s Nina Chantele, in which the duo had the ballroom lights and power turned off intentionally and then used various audio sounds and jingles to create theater of the mind and the power of radio. It illustrated how a little creativity could go a long way in radio advertising.

Learn more about the Association of National Advertisers.

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Notes on this event courtesy of Marty Raab, Sr. Vice President Marketing, Communications, and Events REACH Media Inc.