Marketing to the diverse ethnic markets in Australia : the case of Halal foods

Despite the potential of diverse ethnic markets in Australia, the majority of companies do not see the potential. This paper reviews the development of ethnic marketing in Australia and looks in-depth on the successful ethnic marketing strategies of McDonald’s Punchbowl in introducing Halal foods targeting the Muslim population in New South Wales. It is hope that this case example will help marketers gauge the potential of the diverse ethnic markets in Australia and demonstrate that, if perceptively practiced, ethnic marketing could develop new approaches that respect the diversities of Australians, while celebrating their similarities. The effort by McDonald’s Punchbowl to have the restaurant accredited by the Halal Certification Authority has paid off. Now, the first Halal McDonald’s in Australia is proving popular with Sydney’s Muslim community; with many of them travelling across Sydney to eat Halal Big Macs or Cheeseburgers the first time. Marketing to diverse ethnic groups in Australia is a challenge; however, it also provides potentially huge rewards. As more marketers see the potential of ethnic marketing and gradually gain experience and confidence in pursuing this alternative to mainstream marketing, we envisage that ethnic marketing would become an integral part of any marketing campaign in the long run