ENGAGING

ASIAN AMERICAN
CONSUMERS AT THE
DAWN OF A NEW DECADE
The Asian American Diverse
Intelligence Series 2020

Copyright © 2020
2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
FOREWORD
As Nielsen’s thought leader on Asian-American consumer insights, I have often heard marketers say that Asian Americans are
too diverse and thus too hard to reach. That may have been the case in the past when Asian Americans represented disparate
immigrant groups, but that has definitely changed. For marketers, this is the moment to seize the opportunity.

Asian Americans are a diverse community, who has found its footing. After decades of being perceived as the foreigners, Asian
Americans now represent a galvanized and influential community that is helping to shape the American mainstream. Through
their creativity, hard work, determination, and patriotism, Asian Americans are contributing to the strength of the democracy of Mariko Carpenter
this country and enriching its cultural landscape. No longer a disparate community of immigrants, but a growing cultural entity VP, Strategic Community Alliances
with its own preferences and needs, marketers and content creators must overcome their paralysis by analysis, and take action. Nielsen
In an era of amplified consumer power and voice, the emotional connection and trust between brands and their customers have
never been more important. Gone are the days when having the best product, the best price or the best customer service alone
was enough for brands to thrive. We see this ever so clearly navigating the world-changing corona virus pandemic that we face
today. Brands have had to shift from selling to people to caring for people; sending messages of hope, donating goods, producing
masks, and other unprecedented measures. It has been the brands that have authentic connections with their customers that
have been successful at staying relevant, top-of-mind, and well positioned for the recovery.

Brand marketers of today are pushed to go beyond the traditional measures of customer segmentations and invest in
understanding their customers as people. What are their values? Who is their trusted source of information? What societal
issues do they care about? Answering these questions will be important as America becomes more diverse and customer loyalty
becomes more elusive.

Engaging Asian-American Consumers at the Dawn of a New Decade serves as a resource for marketers to recognize the
opportunities within Asian-American consumer segment. This report leverages Nielsen’s vast consumer data, offering exclusive
insights in combination with the cultural context that will help brands to successfully engage with this community in a relevant EDITOR’S NOTE
way. The study explores Asian-American consumer behaviors that are setting the pace for two important industry trends: First, For the purpose of this report, Asian American is defined to include all
the media platforms that are winning among Asian Americans amid The Streaming War and the content that is capturing their who identify on the U.S. Census as Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific
attention. Second is the gaming industry that is breaking boundaries as entertainment, and how Asian Americans are integral to Islander, whether alone or in combination with some other race. Also,
in this report, Asian American is only hyphenated when it is used as
its ecosystem as gamers, spectators, and content creators. The trajectory of growth on all fronts signals Asian Americans to play a
a compound adjective preceding a noun; Asian Americans, as a noun
dynamic role in shaping American culture in 2020 and beyond.
phrase, is not hyphenated.

Nielsen Measurements: As noted in the methodology section of this

report, the sample design of our research is not managed in Asian
languages; however, as a result of our efforts to accommodate non-
English-speaking respondents, our panelists include English- and non-
English-speaking populations.

Copyright © 2020
2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ASIAN AMERICANS ARE POPULARIZING NEW PLATFORMS FOR CONTENT ASIAN AMERICANS ARE AT AN INFLECTION POINT: THE OPPORTUNITY
THEY WANT....................................................................................................................................... 4 FOR MARKETERS IS RIPE......................................................................................................... 18
Asian Americans are leading cord-cutters..................................................................................... 6 A sea change of how Asian Americans are perceived in America........................................... 19

Asian Americans are supporting streaming platforms for their diverse content................. 6 Asian Americans have found a voice that can be heard .......................................................... 20

Asian-American audiences boost show popularity through social engagement.................. 7 Reaching Asian Americans through culturally relevant content............................................ 20

Asian Americans are going beyond live TV to get the News...................................................... 8 Connecting through Asian-American digital publications ....................................................... 21

Other points of engagement for marketers................................................................................ 21

Q&A...................................................................................................................................................... 9
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................. 22
ASIAN AMERICANS ARE BIG PLAYERS IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY,
MARKETERS’ BIG FRONTIER.................................................................................................. 12 ASIAN AMERICANS BY THE NUMBERS........................................................................... 23
Esports is a global industry with strong ties to Asia.................................................................. 13

Asian-American gamers are young................................................................................................ 14

METHODOLOGIES........................................................................................................................ 24
Prominent gaming influencers are Asian Americans................................................................ 16

Asians and Asian Americans are well represented among professional gamers................ 17
CONTRIBUTORS........................................................................................................................... 25

Copyright © 2020
2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
ASIAN AMERICANS ARE
POPULARIZING NEW PLATFORMS
FOR CONTENT THEY WANT.
Nothing has been more disrupting to the media industry
in recent decades than the proliferation of streaming
services, which has led to what’s become known as the
Streaming Wars. For consumers, it means more content
than they can ever imagine; 646,153 unique content
programs to be exact in 2019. Luckily for content creators
and distributors, Americans are spending more time with
media than ever before. During the third quarter of 2019,
time spent with media for Americans increased by 1 hour
and 24 minutes a day versus the prior year.

No doubt, as the Streaming Wars continue the battle

for audiences will only intensify. As early adopters of
technology, Asian Americans are more digitally connected
and trying new platforms and services, making them
a valuable audience segment to content creators and
distributors alike.

Copyright © 2020
2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE POPULARIZING NEW PLATFORMS FOR CONTENT THEY WANT

Asian-American households spend significantly more time

on digital devices than on live TV compared to the total
AVERAGE HOURS PER DAY SPENT PER ADULT
population. In fact, 66% of time spent is on computers,
smartphones and tablets for Asian Americans, the highest 12
ratio among all consumer segments.
10:48
This is also the group that is engaging more on TV- 0:51
connected devices that require internet connection like 9:36
Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku at 49% versus 44% of the
total population. The variance in the usage is particularly 8:24 0:54
true for older Asian Americans, ages 55+ that over 4:03
index by 33% versus the U.S. average. Asian-American 7:12
households are 40% more likely to be multigenerational,
where elders living in those households are more likely to 6:00 4:05
use the technology shared by others in the households. 0:34
4:48 0.13 0:40 0.04
0.04 0.32
3:36 0:44
0.02 0:45 0.07
2:24 0.02
3:42 0:15
1:12 1:50
0
TOTAL ASIAN-AMERICAN

LIVE TV INTERNET CONNECTED DEVICE

TIME-SHIFTED TV INTERNET ON A COMPUTER
DVD/BLU-RAY DEVICE APP/WEB ON A SMARTPHONE
GAME CONSOLE APP/WEB ON A TABLET

Source: Nielsen Total Audience Report April 2020

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2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE POPULARIZING NEW PLATFORMS FOR CONTENT THEY WANT

ASIAN AMERICANS ARE LEADING CORD-CUTTERS. TV SERVICES COMPARISON: TOTAL US VS ASIAN AMERICANS
While traditional cable still dominates as the live TV option, Asian Americans are cutting the cord at a rate that is
almost twice that of the total population and are relying more on broadband-only. Broadband is growing across 100% ASIAN INDEX TO TOTAL
88
all customer segments year over year. Asian Americans are trying newer virtual multichannel video programming
80% 71%
distributors (vMVPD) services like Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and AT&T TV Now to access live TV. These 62%
internet-based alternatives and supplements to live TV are appealing to Asian Americans who are open to 60%
exploring new ways to access content. For marketers and content creators alike, understanding the shift
40% 187
towards these new services to access TV programming is important to fully understand how and where to 110
reach Asian Americans. 20% 17%
9% 7% 8%
0
Traditional Cable Broadband Only Virtual Multichannel Video
(no vMVPD) (no vMVPD) Programming Distributors

ASIAN AMERICANS ARE SUPPORTING STREAMING

(vMVPD)
Source: NPOWER TV Access Q4 2019

PLATFORMS FOR THEIR DIVERSE CONTENT. TOP STREAMED PROGRAMS FOR ASIAN AMERICANS
The Asian-American community has shown strong support of culturally-relevant content on streaming
TOP SCRIPTED SERIES TOP MOVIES & SPECIALS
platforms. Likewise, streaming platforms like Netflix have shown more commitment and investment in
producing diverse content that is representative of the U.S. population compared to Hollywood studios. Notable 1 WITCHER, THE 1 IRISHMAN, THE
Asian American-led content on include Netflix comedy specials featuring Asian American comedians like Ronny
2 LOCKE & KEY* 2 6 UNDERGROUND
Chieng, Jo Koy and Ken Jeong and episodic series like Ugly Delicious (Netflix), Wu Assassins (Netflix) and Pen 15
(Hulu), feature Asian American leads. The top most-watched episodic series among Asian Americans on Netflix 3 VIRGIN RIVER 3 SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL
also reflect a diverse lead cast, such as V Wars, Lost in Space and I Am Not Okay With This.
4 STRANGER, THE* 4 RONNY CHIENG ASIAN COMEDN

5 CROWN, THE 5 EL CAMINO

6 V WARS** 6 KLAUS

7 LOST IN SPACE** 7 MARRIAGE STORY

82% OF ASIAN AMERICANS SUBSCRIBE TO AT LEAST ONE STREAMING 8 I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS** 8 CHAPPELLE: STICKS & STONE

SERVICE, COMPARED TO 72% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION 9 MINDHUNTER 9 TALL GIRL

10 OCTOBER FACTION** 10 KNIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

** Diverse Lead Cast * Diverse Cast

Source: Nielsen NPOWER. Nielsen’s SVOD Content Ratings, Netflix Originals, P+18, 09/01/2019 - 03/15/2020

Copyright © 2020
2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE POPULARIZING NEW PLATFORMS FOR CONTENT THEY WANT

ASIAN-AMERICAN
AUDIENCES BOOST SHOW
POPULARITY THROUGH
SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT.
As an audience that’s savvy in social media, with 84%
of Asian Americans on social media daily (versus 75%
total population), Asian Americans are fueling social
engagement around their favorite programming.

With the fragmentation of media and proliferation

of content, social media engagement has become an
important driver for success for programs. Beyond
the platform’s power of word-of-mouth, which is the
most effective channel for content discovery, social
engagement today is also a measure incorporated SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO POPULARITY RECOMMENDATION AUDIENCE GROWTH
into a show’s popularity, such as in Gracenote’s video
popularity score that is used to promote content. This
ENGAGEMENT SCORE
is particularly important on streaming platforms where
content popularity, along with other data points such
as view history, is used in recommendation algorithms.
This makes Asian-American viewers more influential and
valuable to content creators, and more desirable for
advertisers seeking an engaged audience. It is also true
that some Asian-led programs that are relatively small in
audience size yield high popularity scores – with stars like
Sandra Oh and Awkwafina leading social conversations
among their massive social network along with their
Asian-American fans.

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2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE POPULARIZING NEW PLATFORMS FOR CONTENT THEY WANT

ASIAN AMERICANS ARE DISTRIBUTION OF PROGRAM MINUTES MARCH 2020

Share of program viewing by type

GOING BEYOND LIVE TV 120%

TO GET THE NEWS. 100%

80% 51% 41%
59% 53%
As one would expect in any crisis, Americans all tuned 60% 10%
2%
7% 2%
into the news as soon as the corona virus pandemic was 8% 6% 9%
40% 28% 8%
declared and Asian Americans were no exception. In 22%
20% 23%
fact, the time spent watching the news grew by 27% for 20%
18% 21% 15%
Asian Americans during the three weeks in March, versus 12%
0
15% for Non-Hispanic Whites. Asian Americans were
WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4
also armed with information about the severity of the
pandemic through Asian news outlets that contributed to STREAMING NEWS FEATURE FILM SPORTS ALL OTHER
their eagerness to stay informed. In-language over-the-air
Source: Nielsen National TV Panel, Total Day, all measured programming across Broadcast, Cable, Syndication, and SVOD (Subscription Video On-Demand)
(OTA) broadcasting plays an important role in Asian-
American communities, as they are the trusted source for
local information at no cost to their viewers.

Even prior to the pandemic, Asian-American viewers were

TOP 10 CABLE AND BROADCAST SHOWS FOR ASIAN AMERICANS
keen on the news and seeking it across their preferred
CABLE BROADCAST
media channels. As a content genre, News ratings rank
higher for Asian-American viewers than Sports Event and 1 CNN/UNI DC DEM DEBATE 1 AGT CHAMPIONS
Drama. Andrew Yang’s run for Presidency as the first 2 CNN/NYT COL DEM DEB CLOSE 2 AMERICA’S GOT TALENT-WED
Asian-American Democrat probably contributed to more
3 CNN/NYT COL DEM DEB OPEN 3 AMERICA’S GOT TALENT-TUE
interest among Asian-American viewers. While support for
4 CNN/DM REG DEM DEB CLOSE 4 VOICE
Andrew Yang among Asian Americans may have varied, his
presence on the debate stage signaled the possibility for 5 CNN/DM REG DEM DEB OPEN 5 VOICE-TUE
all Asian Americans in the public sector. 6 CNN/NYT COLUM DEM DEBATE 6 MASKED SINGER, THE

7 STATE OF THE UNION 2020 7 AMERICAN IDOL

8 DEMOCRATIC DEBATE 8 THIS IS US

9 CNN/DESMOINES REG DEM DEB 9 SATURDAY NIGHT

10 SOTU DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE 10 60 MINUTES

Source: Nielsen NPOWER. P2+, 9/24/18-9/22/19, Live+7 Days, excluding Sports, Specials and Awards Shows.

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2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE AT AN INFLECTION POINT: THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MARKETERS IS RIPE

Q&A
VIETNAMESE AMERICANS ARE THE FASTEST GROWING ASIAN-AMERICAN POPULATION.
MEET THERESA WRIGHT, VP MEDIA SALES & MARKETING, LITTLE SAIGON TV, A VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE MEDIA OUTLET
Q: What role do you play within the Asian American Community? Q: What type of news and information does your outlet offer that advertisers cannot get
A: Little Saigon TV (LSTV), established in 1999, is the top Vietnamese-language television channel serving the from general market American news sources?
largest concentration of Vietnamese in the U.S. We broadcast 24 hours throughout Los Angeles, San Bernardino, A: We provide more news from Vietnam, as well as current events, global and local, from the
and Orange County, California. We also livestream on littlesaigontv.com and selectively on Facebook and Vietnamese American perspective. The Vietnamese diaspora is far-reaching. As the culture is
YouTube, reaching other Vietnamese communities throughout the U.S. Besides broadcasting, we also host very family-centric, they want to know what’s happening in the world, how their loved ones are
culturally relevant festivals and events to build the Vietnamese American community. being affected and how they can help. LSTV coverage includes community news associated with

With COVID-19, our viewers are relying on LSTV more than ever to provide culturally-relevant information Vietnamese communities in the U.S. and abroad.

while sheltering in place. We’ve been seeing an increase in phone calls, emails, and in viewership on YouTube, Vietnamese communities have their own cultural nuances that affect how they understand
Facebook, and online. Without Vietnamese-language television broadcasting, our community will lose critical marketing messages. Translating English messaging into Vietnamese is notoriously difficult and
firsthand information to stay healthy and safe. expertise is required to do so correctly. Vietnamese Americans also have a different vocabulary
than their counterparts abroad. We can ensure that the right Vietnamese American-specific
Q: Asian Americans are consuming more digital media. How are you transforming your business to stay language is used to correctly convey a translated message.
relevant?
Little Saigon TV also provides live coverage of many Vietnamese American community cultural
A: We are growing our use of social media platforms such as Facebook Live and YouTube to reach an audience
festivals and events, and we’ve connected advertisers with local celebrities with greater appeal to
beyond our immediate broadcasting area in California.
Vietnamese Americans to be brand ambassadors.

Q: For marketers looking to engage with the Vietnamese American Community, how would in-language
Q: As we sit at the dawn of a new decade, what are you most excited about?
media channels enhance their marketing plan?
A: Traditional broadcast is changing and the Vietnamese American community is turning more to
A: Many Vietnamese American consumers are more comfortable buying products in their native language,
online/digital outlets. Our move to using more social media platforms, allows us to provide real-
especially those who speak limited English. Advertising on Vietnamese language media channels will help you
time updates as the viewers are looking for information quickly.
reach a bigger market. The Vietnamese diaspora comprises about 2.2 million individuals who were either born
in Vietnam or reported Vietnamese ethnicity or ancestry*. Vietnamese immigrants are less likely to be proficient Older Vietnamese Americans are also changing their lifestyle. They are using more electronic

in English than the overall foreign-born population. In 2017, 66% of Vietnamese reported limited English devices such as tablets, laptops, and mobile devices to look for news and information; and

proficiency, compared to 42% of all immigrants. also trying new food and exploring American culture. We’re excited about their influence in
strengthening our community with values like a strong belief in family, frugality, community and
Marketers should also advertise in both Vietnamese and English, as many Vietnamese live in multigenerational
education.
households speaking both languages. We’ve found that adding subtitles has proven to be successful — some
older Vietnamese Americans use subtitles to learn English and vice versa for the younger generation.

*U.S. Census Bureau 2016 9

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2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE POPULARIZING NEW PLATFORMS FOR CONTENT THEY WANT

WAYS USED INTERNET/APPS IN PAST 30 DAYS

With Asian Americans spending a significant amount
of their day on social media, where over half spend ASIAN 18+ ASIAN INDEX TO US TOTAL
more than one-hour per day social networking, it is not
surprising that they are 15% more likely to use social
media for their news versus the average. 46% GENERAL/POLITICAL NEWS 134

Streaming of radio and podcasts are also other ways that 37% SPORTS SCORES/NEWS 140
Asian Americans are getting the news. In general, Asian
Americans are streaming radio at a rate 42% higher than
the average (35%), and downloading audio podcasts at a 34% TECH NEWS 173
rate that is 69% higher (20%).
33% BUSINESS/FINANCIAL NEWS 152

Source: Scarborough Research PRIME Lingo 2019 Release 2 Total (Jul 2018-Nov 2019)

APPS/WEBSITES/PLATFORMS USED TO LISTEN TO PODCASTS

ASIAN NEWS PODCAST LISTENERS INDEX TO TOTAL

SPOTIFY 143

OVERCAST 172
ASIAN AMERICANS ARE
15% MORE LIKELY TO USE SOCIAL ITUNES/APPLE PODCASTS 121

MEDIA FOR THEIR NEWS NPRONE 104

0 50 100 150 200
Source: Scarborough Podcast Recontact Study (Listeners Only) 2019 Release 1 Total (Jan 2018-May 2019)

10

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2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE POPULARIZING NEW PLATFORMS FOR CONTENT THEY WANT

Asian Americans’ high level of engagement with the news reflects a community whose perception and behaviors are influenced
by the news media. A source that is also important to the community is the over-the-air (OTA), in-language local news. Moreover,
showing interest in issues impacting our society is fundamental to playing a role in community life and civic engagement. With a
rapid increase in U.S. born Asian Americans, representing 86% of those under the age of 18, who understand the privileges and
responsibilities that come as American citizens, there is a growing representation of Asian Americans at all levels of the political
process from community service to elected office.

U.S. BORN ASIAN AMERICANS BY GENERATION

100%

80% 86%

60%

40% 51%

20% 25%
18% 17%
0
UNDER 18 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
Source: 2018 American Community Survey, 1 Year Estimates Asian alone or in Combination

The community is also supported by great non-profit organizations such as APAICS, OCA and LEAP that are focused on driving
civic engagement and cultivating a pipeline of leaders to be the voice for Asian Americans. As we approach the 2020 presidential
election, courting Asian-American voters will be very important to political advertisers. Asian Americans experienced a record
increase in new voters during the last presidential election cycle and are poised to make a strong showing at the ballot box in 2020.

GROWING UP IN THIS COUNTRY, U.S. BORN ASIAN

AMERICANS HAVE A CLOSER CONNECTION TO THE
CURRENT ISSUES IN THE NEWS.
11

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2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
ASIAN AMERICANS ARE BIG
PLAYERS IN THE GAMING
INDUSTRY­—MARKETERS’
BIG FRONTIER.
Asian influence is particularly strong in the U.S. gaming industry,
which is experiencing exponential growth as so many Americans
are sheltered in place, hungry for sports and entertainment.
The U.S. saw a 45% increase in time spent playing video games
over a week in late March 2020 when most of the country was
shut down. With professional sports also at a halt, NASCAR
held its first ever eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race
that was broadcasted on Fox Sports 1. The broadcast drew
903,000 viewers (P2+), making it the most watched linear esports
broadcast in history. With uncertainty on what may come of
spectator sports post COVID-19, esports presents an opportunity
for sports leagues to engage with their fans, opening up new
opportunities for advertising sponsors.

12

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 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE BIG PLAYERS IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY

ESPORTS IS A GLOBAL
INDUSTRY WITH
STRONG TIES TO ASIA
By 2021, esports viewers in the U.S. are projected to
surpass all American sports league viewers except the
NFL, which will ope n up tremendous opportunities for
brands to connect with engaged audiences at scale.
Asia has been the driving force in growing the industry,
with the largest game company in the world, Tencent,
headquartered in Shenzhen, China. Tencent is full or
partial owner of many top American game developers,
such as Riot Games, Epic Games and Activision Blizzard,
creators of massively popular games in the U.S. like
Fortnite, Call of Duty, Overwatch and World of Warcraft.

For marketers, the gaming industry is already attracting

big brands that aim to engage with younger audiences.
Traditionally, more gamers are male, but this has started
to shift with the increas e in women and the age of gamers
today. What began as a field of mostly endemic advertisers
now reflects broader advertising partners – from Panera
Bread partnering with NBA 2K League and Coca Cola
partnering with the Pittsburgh Knights for the launch of
their new drink Coke Energy, to U.S. Air Force partnering
with the Call of Duty League. Much like sponsors of
mainstream sports teams, the reach for these partners
is massive and includes exposure at live events that take GLOBAL ESPORTS REVENUE IS PROJECTED
TO REACH $7 BILLION BY 2023.
place in arenas and stadiums, as well as live streaming on
channels like Twitch and YouTube.

13

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2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE BIG PLAYERS IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY

ASIAN-AMERICAN GAMERS ARE YOUNG.

With the industry’s strong ties to Asia, it is no surprise that Asian Americans are playing an influential role; both as gamers as well
as spectators. Asian-American households own more video game related products than the total U.S. population. In addition to
over-indexing on smartphones (+4%) and computers (+14%), Asian Americans are 14% more likely to own a gaming console and
37% more likely to own Virtual Reality (VR) headsets that are mainly used for gaming. Asian-American gamers are younger with
69% falling between ages 13-34 versus 44% of U.S. Gamers.

AVERAGE AGE OF TOTAL U.S. AND ASIAN AMERICAN GAMERS

100% 9% 2% 2%
7%
11%
80% 20% 65+
16% 55-64
60% 45-54
20% 22% 35-44
25-34
40% 18-24
20% 29%
13-17
20% 16% ASIAN AMERICANS ARE 14% MORE
18%
0 8% LIKELY TO OWN A GAMING CONSOLE
TOTAL U.S. GAMERS 18+ ASIAN AMERICAN GAMERS 18+ THAN THE TOTAL U.S. POPULATION
Source: 2019 SuperData General Consumer Survey: U.S. Gamers

14

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 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE BIG PLAYERS IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY, MARKETERS’ BIG FRONTIER

The types of games played by Asian Americans show the variety of devices that are used to play games. For example, 44%
have played puzzle games in the past three months like Candy Crush, which is primarily played on a smartphone. Additionally,
33% have recently played strategy games like Civilization and 19% have played online casino games, which are usually played
on a computer.

TYPES OF GAMES PLAYED BY ASIAN GAMERS IN PAST 3 MONTHS TOP GAMES PLAYED IN PAST 3 MONTHS
PLAYED IN PAST 3 MONTHS... ASIAN GAMERS TOTAL US GAMERS
Action-Adventure
(Assassin's Creed, GTA) 53% 118
MINECRAFT 33% 20%
Puzzle
(Candy Crush, Cut the Rope) 44% 82
CANDY CRUSH SAGA* 26% 34%
Fighting
(Steet Fighter, Super Smash Bros.) 37% 138
First Person Shooter
FORTNITE* 24% 21%
(Call of Duty, Fortnite) 34% 111
Strategy
POKEMON GO* 23% 15%
(Civilization, Clash of Clans) 33% 116
ASIAN INDEX TO TOTAL GRAND THEFT AUTO V 18% 21%
Role-Playing
(Final Fantasy, Elder Scrolls) 32% 139
Multiplayer Online Battle Arena
NBA 2K19 17% 13%
(League of Legends, SMITE) 31% 184
Sports
SUPER SMASH BROS. ULTIMATE* 17% 11%
(FIFA, NBA2k) 29% 134
Survival
SIMS 4 15% 12%
(Rust, ARK) 29% 147
Simulation
CLASH OF CLANS* 14% 10%
(The Sims) 25% 120
ROBLOX 14% 9%
0 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
*Fully or Partly Owned by Asian Companies
Source: 2019 SuperData General Consumer Survey: US Gamers

Source: Source: 2019 SuperData General Consumer Survey: US Gamers

15

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 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE BIG PLAYERS IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY, MARKETERS’ BIG FRONTIER

PROMINENT GAMING INFLUENCERS ARE ASIAN

AMERICANS.
Asian Americans are at the forefront as online influencers who have made a lucrative career streaming gaming content that
include playing video games. Two of the top ten highest-paid gamers in the world are Asian American, according to Forbes:
Mark Edward Fischbach, known as Markiplier, whose mother is Korean and Evan Fong, known as VanossGaming, whose father is
Chinese and mother Korean. Jeremy Wang, known as Disguised Toast, is another famous Asian-American gamer who has amassed
a huge fan base on Twitch and made headlines last November by signing an exclusive deal with Facebook Gaming. With new
platforms like Facebook Gaming and Microsoft Mixer entering into a market that was dominated by Amazon’s Twitch, it can be
said that there is another kind of streaming war taking place.

2 OF THE TOP 10
HIGHEST-PAID GAMERS IN THE WORLD
ARE ASIAN AMERICAN

15
16

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 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE BIG PLAYERS IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY, MARKETERS’ BIG FRONTIER

ASIANS AND ASIAN AMERICANS ARE WELL

REPRESENTED AMONG PROFESSIONAL GAMERS TOO
Asians and Asian Americans have also been well represented as professional competitive players in esports, which generated
$950.6 million in revenue in 2019, and expected to reach $1 billion this year. Three of the Top 10 highest earning U.S. professional
esports players are Asian American, with Saahil “Universe” Arora ranking number two as the second highest earning professional
gamer in the world. Strong representation at the professional level and notable increases in prize money are sure to fuel the
enthusiasm in gaming among young Asian Americans. Over 200 colleges in the U.S. are now participating in esports leagues with
many offering scholarships, as well as a growing number of high schools adopting esports programs.

Among Asian-American gamers, over 1 in 4 say they watched an esports tournament livestream in the last three months, and 53%
of Asian gamers say they have watched three hours or more of esports in a typical week. Asian Americans are leading the shift to
online and mobile gaming as they are 84% more likely to play multiplayer online games.

ASIAN AMERICANS HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING ESPORTS FOR LONGER

WITHIN THE LAST YEAR
16%
40%
24%
21%
OVER A YEAR AGO 21%
TOTAL POPULATION
TWO YEARS AGO
25% ASIAN AMERICANS OF ASIAN AMERICAN GAMERS
16%
22%
SPEND MORE THAN 5 HOURS A
THREE YEARS AGO 14% WEEK WATCHING GAMING VIDEO
FOUR YEARS AGO
8%
7%
CONTENT.
14%
FIVE YEARS AGO OR MORE 13%
0 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Source: Nielsen Esports Fan Insights, 2018; Which of the following best describes when you started following esports?
17

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ASIAN AMERICANS ARE AT
AN INFLECTION POINT: THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR MARKETERS
IS RIPE.
There’s been a sea change in how Asian Americans are perceived
in the U.S. For a long time, Asian-American characters were
mainly a martial artist or the awkward nerd; and when it wasn’t
a speaking character, an owner of a convenient store or a
laundromat – and always the foreigner.

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 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE AT AN INFLECTION POINT: THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MARKETERS IS RIPE

There were some notable moments along the way, like Connie Chung’s appointment as the co-anchor of the CBS Evening News in
1993 and the all-Asian cast feature, The Joy Luck Club in 1994. But a pivotal time came in the early 2000s. When Harold and Kumar
demolished the image of Asian Americans as nerdy and sexless at the box office, the world was also introduced to YouTube. This
was a defining moment for Asian-American content creators and our community at large. Asian-American artists had the creative
freedom to tell their stories on the video-sharing network, void of gatekeepers found in Hollywood. Many of the original YouTubers
were children of immigrants and as diverse as the community was, we began to see a strong connection in our shared Asian-
American experiences; of being bi-cultural, longing to belong and calling upon a home country that was far away. Through this
content, Asian Americans began defining their own representation, shifting from self-interest to Asian-American interest.

As more Asian-American content creators were sharing their authentic and unabashed experiences on social media, the bigger their
audience grew of all backgrounds, capturing the interest of Hollywood. In 2007, the percentage of Asian-speaking characters in
U.S. films was 3.4%. By 2018, that number had grown to 8.2%. The success of the Korean movie, Parasite, making history as the first
non-English-language movie to win the Academy’s top award in 2020, also reflects American filmgoers’ comfort level with subtitles.
While there is a lot more work to be done in the area of inclusion in Hollywood, social media platforms democratized the art of
IN 2007, THE PERCENTAGE OF
storytelling, boosting Asian American representation along the way. ASIAN-SPEAKING CHARACTERS
While Asian-American content creators were cracking the code of storytelling on social media platforms, it is important to note that
IN U.S. FILMS WAS 3.4%.
Asian Americans were also behind the development of these social platforms. There are also ties to Asia, notably TikTok, that has
exploded among Gen Z. TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance and has already drawn big brands such as Mountain
BY 2018, THAT NUMBER HAD
Dew and Walmart to engage on the platform. GROWN TO 8.2%.

1995 2006 2011

JERRY YANG 2005 JUSTIN KAN 2009 ROBERT 2012
YAHOO! TWITCH MURPHY
STEVEN BEN SNAPCHAT APRUM, DAWOON,
SHIH CHEN SILBERMANN SOO KANG
YOUTUBE PINTEREST COFFEE MEETS BAGEL

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 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE AT AN INFLECTION POINT: THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MARKETERS IS RIPE

ASIAN AMERICANS HAVE FOUND A VOICE

THAT CAN BE HEARD
The recent success of Asian-led projects, notably Crazy Rich Asians, Bao, The Farewell, Always Be My Maybe, Parasite and Mira, Royal
Detective reflect the exceptional talent in their craft of storytelling, and the Asian-American community voting with their wallet
for more authentic stories to be told by us and played by us. We have also seen a rise in Asian-American activism, most recently
combatting the rise in anti-Asian racism that began through fear of the Coronavirus that was touted as the Chinese virus. Not
to mention, the Asian-American community condemning brands that have missed the mark on cultural nuances, resulting in
enormous financial consequences. What is clear is that Asian Americans are not the community that will stand quietly as once
perceived but a community that has a voice that will be heard.

REACHING ASIAN AMERICANS THROUGH CULTURALLY-

RELEVANT CONTENT
Asian Americans are not only watching culturally-relevant content on streaming platforms, but seeking the same on other
channels. Awkwafina’s Nora from Queens (Comedy Central) is a new series that is based on her real life as a twenty-something
Asian American in New York City’s outer borough of Queens, NY. The series premier has been heavily supported by Asian
American viewers.

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 >REACHING ASIAN AMERICANS BY UNDERSTANDING THEIR PREFERENCES

CONNECTION THROUGH ASIAN-AMERICAN DIGITAL

PUBLICATIONS
Authentic Asian-American narratives have not only been represented on screen, but also through digital content platforms
that provide opportunities for brands to extend their marketing and strengthen their relationships with the Asian American
community.

Examples include Goldthread - covering stories on Chinese culture, Hapa Mag - whose editorial explores the Hapa identity that
is representative of individuals with mixed racial heritage with Asian/Pacific Islander ancestry, and the Juggernaut that shares
authentic South Asian stories.

OTHER POINTS OF ENGAGEMENT FOR MARKETERS

Asian-American content creators have also been successful as social influencers that have become an impactful part of any
marketing mix today. Many of these influencers lean into their Asian-American identity and have amassed a fan base that extends
far beyond the Asian-American community. Marketers are taking note of this opportunity, with major brands like Sephora,
Tampax (P&G), Gucci and Calvin Klein collaborating with these individuals to reach a highly engaged, young audience. Lastly, while
the future of convention-size events are still to be seen, brands can engage with passionate Asian Americans at scale around their
passion point at Comic-cons, K-cons and Asian film festivals that take place in cities across the country.

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2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
 CONCLUSION
At the dawn of a new decade, Asian Americans will continue on their trajectory of growth in population size, cultural influence
and consumer power. This is a group that will lead brand conversations online, seeking and supporting businesses that will
invest in meeting their needs. As the bridge between the East and West, Asian Americans will be introducing new trends to
U.S. pop culture; no doubt, there will be many more new crazes that will make their way to us from Asia, just like bubble tea,
k-beauty, and Bollywood did.

This is the moment for brands to get in with the Asian-American community. This means understanding the Asian American
diaspora, recognizing the Asian-American cultural identity, and seeing this group as the Americans that they are: Contributing
to the economy — as taxpayers, business owners, employers, and consumers; engaging in civic activities that strengthen our
democracy; enriching the cultural landscape through the arts. The path forward for brands is to take the steps to actually reach
these customers; not saying they are included in the ‘general market’ or worse yet, they are too diverse to market to. We know
that in our ever-changing world, brands that are too late to the party risk becoming obsolete. So, it’s time to dance and engage
with the fastest-growing consumer group now, before it’s too late.

To learn more, visit Nielsen’s Asian American hub.

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2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
 >ASIAN AMERICANS ARE AT AN INFLECTION POINT: THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MARKETERS IS RIPE

ASIAN AMERICAN GROWTH IN BUYING POWER

GROWTH IN NUMBERS ASIAN AMERICAN

BUYING POWER
TOTAL U.S.
BUYING POWER
There are currently 23.1 million Asian-Americans and
Pacific Islanders (AAPI’s) living in the U.S. The Asian- GROWTH FROM
+314% +119% 2022 PROJECTION:
2000 - 2019
American population grew 46% in the past 10 years,
representing the fastest-growing ethnic or racial segment
PROJECTED GROWTH
$1.3 TRILLION
in the U.S. In comparison, the total U.S. population grew
8% and non-Hispanic whites saw a 1% decline in their
FROM 2019-2024 +38% +25% 2019 PROJECTION: $1 TRILLION
population during this same period. Continued
exponential growth is expected in the Asian-American Source: Selig Center for Economic Growth, Terry College of Business, The University of Georgia, June 2019.

population, as the U.S. Census projects a gain of 21% by

the year 2025.

GROWTH IN POPULATION
25,000
ASIAN AMERICAN POPULATION
22,613
TOTAL POPULATION TREND LINE

90%
20,000

90% POPULATION GROWTH 15,000

POPULATION GROWTH
SINCE 2000 FOR 10,000 11,899
SINCE 2000 FOR ASIAN AMERICANS
ASIAN AMERICANS
5,000

114 980
0
1900 1960 2000 2018

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2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
 >METHODOLOGIES

METHODOLOGIES
DIGITAL METHODOLOGY (COMPUTER, SMARTPHONE, TABLET) TELEVISION METHODOLOGY
Digital data is based on Nielsen’s Total Media Fusion, which is reflective of both panel and census measurement. Television data are derived from Nielsen’s National TV Panel that is based on a sample of over 40,000 homes
It leverages the most granular and comprehensive cross-platform respondent-level data from our panels, that are selected based on area probability sampling. Live+Time-shifted TV (PUT) includes Live usage plus any
along with census data from Nielsen’s Total Audience Measurement solutions, to provide the highest quality, playback viewing within the measurement period. Timeshifted TV is playback primarily on a DVR but includes
representative sample of digital media consumption. Data for this was sourced from Nielsen Media Impact playback of encoded content from video on demand, DVD recorders, server based DVRs and services like Start
(Nielsen’s cross platform planning solution). Data used in this report is inclusive of multicultural audiences. Over. Total Use of Television (TUT) includes Live TV + Timeshifted TV as well as TV-connected devices (DVD,
Game Console, Internet Connected Device). TV-connected devices include content being viewed on the TV screen
LITTLE SAIGON TV Q&A through these devices. This includes when these devices are in use for any purpose, not just for accessing media
content. For example, Game Console also includes when it is being used to play video games. Internet Connected
Little Saigon TV (LSTV) is the first Vietnamese television network in the United States to broadcast live news
reports. Little Saigon TV has broadcast since 1999 with its first appearance on KSCI (Channel 18). LSTV strives Device usage includes Smart TV app usage. Reach for television and TV-connected devices includes those
to deliver quality and unique programming between Southern California and Vietnam. Watch them on channel viewing at least one minute within the measurement period. Data used in this report is inclusive of multicultural
56.10 in Southern California. The question and answer (Q&A) section of this report was gathered by a member of audiences.
Nielsen’s Diversity & Inclusion Communications team with permission to publish and circulate. The responses are
the personal opinions of respondents, and should not be interpreted as a scientific analysis of Asian American TIME SPENT AMONG U.S. POPULATION, TIME SPENT AMONG USERS, REACH OF
consumer sentiment as a whole. Rather, the responses can be read as a contextual background to the Nielsen
data in the report. LSTV was not compensated. USERS, REACH %
Total Use of Television, Live+Time-shifted TV, Live TV, Time-shifted TV, TV-Connected Devices (DVD, Game

NIELSEN SCARBOROUGH Console, Internet Connected Device) 09/30/2019 – 12/29/2019 via Nielsen NPOWER/National Panel; Radio
01/03/2019 –12/04/2019 via RADAR 144; Computer, Smartphone, Tablet via Total Media Fusion sourced from
Nielsen Scarborough USA + 2019 Release 2 Total (Jul 2018 - Nov 2019) (Base: Age of respondent summaries: Nielsen Media Impact. For digital data, weeks that cross calendar months are not included. Weeks included for
Adults 18+—Projected 251,818,036, Respondents: 213,360). GfK/MRI Attitudinal Insights Module: By integrating digital – 10/07/19,10/14/19, 10/21/19, 11/04/19, 11/11/19, 11/18/19, 12/02/19, 12/09/19, 12/16/19, 12/23/19.
400+ attitudinal statements and segmentations with Nielsen Scarborough’s syndicated data set, this analysis Digital data was produced on 03/09/20 and slight variations in data processed after this point reflect ongoing
reflects consumer psychographics in the studied categories. updates.

NIELSEN SOCIAL CONTENT RATINGS Note: Time spent among U.S. population includes whether or not they have the technology, and data sources
can be added or subtracted as appropriate. Time spent among users of each medium would include different
Nielsen Social Content Ratings® (SCR) is the first standardized third-party measurement of program-related
social media activity across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. With the continued fragmentation of media and bases by source, and data sources should not be added or subtracted. Time spent among U.S. population
consumer choice, social TV data, which measures the social media response to television content, is a valuable includes visitor viewing and time spent among users excludes visitor viewing resulting in occurrences of reported
way for industry players to better understand how fans are engaging with television and brands. SCR delivers one time spent for U.S. population to be higher than users. Some amount of simultaneous usage may occur across
comprehensive solution to help networks, agencies and advertisers measure, understand and act on social TV. devices. Sum of individual sources may vary slightly from total due to rounding.

SUPERDATA METHODOLOGY TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION STATUS, DEVICE OWNERSHIP

SuperData questionnaires are written using survey science best practices and are reviewed by industry experts Based on scaled installed counts for December, 2019 via Nielsen NPOWER/National Panel.
for accuracy and validity. All questions are worded clearly and provide actionable data. Data is collected from
quantitative web surveys and all respondents are sourced from industry-leading survey panels. SuperData
screens panel partners to ensure that they can offer robust targeting criteria in order to collect data from the
general population as well as niche subgroups. Data collection is monitored daily to ensure that incoming survey
data meets Nielsen standards for quality and accuracy.

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2019 The Nielsen Company (US), LLC. All Rights Reserved.
 >CONTRIBUTORS

CONTRIBUTORS
Thank you to all the contributors to this report: Lucy Melbinger – Account Executive, Media Analytics
Chris Quick – Senior Research Executive
NIELSEN
Gorki De Los Santos – Senior Director, Media Communications
Laura Nelson – Chief Communications Officer
Michelle Zweig – SVP, Client Consulting
Cheryl Grace – SVP, U.S. Strategic Community Alliances and Consumer Engagement
Katie Hazlett – Associate Client Manager
Bashel Lewis – Emerging Leader Associate
Sarah Jones – Associate Client Manager
Patricia Ratulangi – VP, Global Communications, Diversity & Inclusion
Thomas Dorsey – Client Support Associate
Danielle Reed – Analyst, Global Communications, Diversity & Inclusion
Christine Paolucci – Client Support Associate
Nicanor Aldana – VP, Global Creative Director
Lisa Boudreau – Client Support Associate
Anni Annunziata – Senior Art Director
Jenny Lu – Client Solutions Executive
Brittany Mart orella – Creative Project Manager
Christina Or – Research Analyst
Kaitlyn Misovski – Art Director
Taylor Maloney – Research Manager
Alex Guaglianone – Art Director
Nathan Cha – Research Analyst
Bill Quinn – Editor-in-Chief
Veronica Hernandez – Research Analyst
Katie Olsen – Director, Digital Marketing
Benjamin Gillo – Research Analyst
Kyle Rondeau – Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications
Raymond Gutt – Research Manager
Julie O’Donnell – VP, Product Specialist
Victoria Stevens – VP, Consumer Analytics
Arica McKinnon – VP, Client Consulting
NIELSEN EXTERNAL ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Sharmila Fowler – Director, Global Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement,
Erika Faust – SVP, Client Service
McDonald’s Corporation
Maria Puccia – Emerging Leader Associate
Bill Imada – Founder, Chairman and Chief Connectivity Officer, IW Group
Nicole Collida – SVP, Brand Effectiveness
Frank Washington – CEO and Owner, Crossings TV
Kaleigh Theriault – Client Manager
Danelle Kosmal – Vice President, Strategic Initiatives
ETHNIFACTS
Daniel Silver – Manager, Insights, SuperData
Mike Lakusta
Ziming Wang – Marketing Manager, SuperData
Sarah Park
Ginny Barrett – Research Executive, Media Analytics
Daniela Kayser
Kim Main – VP, Research, Media Analytics

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ABOUT NIELSEN
Nielsen Holdings plc (NYSE: NLSN) is a global
measurement and data analytics company that
provides the most complete and trusted view available
of consumers and markets worldwide. Our approach
marries proprietary Nielsen data with other data sources
to help clients around the world understand what’s
happening now, what’s happening next, and how to best
act on this knowledge. For more than 90 years Nielsen
has provided data and analytics based on scientific rigor
and innovation, continually developing new ways to
answer the most important questions facing the media,
advertising, retail and fast-moving consumer goods
industries. An S&P 500 company, Nielsen has operations
in over 100 countries, covering more than 90% of the
world’s population. For more information,
visit www.nielsen.com.

ONE MEDIA TRUTHTM

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