Growing up as a Filipino American kid in the ’90s, I rarely saw people who looked like me in commercials, on packaging, or in the boardrooms of the brands I interacted with every day. Today, that invisibility still echoes, even as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) consumers have become one of the most powerful economic forces in the country.
According to the 2025 Nielsen Diverse Intelligence Series and the Asian American Advertising Federation (3AF), AANHPI consumers currently represent $1.4 trillion in buying power, projected to grow to $1.9 trillion by 2026. They are a cultural and commercial powerhouse that many brands have yet to fully recognize and engage in meaningful ways.
That same Nielsen report, developed in partnership with Gold House, states that AANHPI audiences also over-index in key sectors like beauty, tech, finance, and entertainment. They are 53% more likely to be streaming-first, highly digital, multigenerational, and deeply responsive to emotionally resonant, culturally relevant messaging. This is a business opportunity that we can’t ignore.
AANHPI representation has had moments throughout the years, which have been fleeting, often offensive, and rarely consistent. There were, and still are, ideas and biases about who was allowed to be seen—whose stories were told, which communities brands really invested in, and whose faces were allowed to represent “Asian American.”
Today, the stakes are even higher. AANHPI consumers are growing faster than ever across all industries. Yet even with all the progress we’ve made, the multicultural and inclusive marketing landscape still has a clear hierarchy when it comes to investment.
Other major cultural groups are prioritized, and rightfully so, given their undeniable influence and demographic strength. However, the AANHPI community often remains an afterthought—a community that brands celebrate during specific moments but rarely invest in year-round.
That said, some strides have been made. More brands are acknowledging Lunar New Year in meaningful ways, featuring AANHPI talent in creative campaigns, and including creators in influencer programs. But this inclusion is still often reactive with campaign-specific outreach rather than embedded in infrastructure.
