Middle-class black consumers and intensity of ethnic identification

This article reports on an empirical study analyzing the differences between black (buppies) and Anglo (yuppies) middle-class consumers responding to advertising featuring celebrity endorsers. Particular attention is given to variability within the black consumer segment by examining intensity of identification and socioeconomic status. Using a laboratory experiment, 160 subjects were drawn from a large metropolitan area. The implications are that while black consumers who have moved up the socioeconomic ladder have similar responses to their Anglo counterparts, they should not necessarily be viewed as having lost strong ethnic identity.