Middle America: The Diamond in Flyover Country

Middle America: There are many ways to define it. It’s a geography, a demographic and a cultural label. It skews rural and suburban, and, to little surprise, it’s middle-class and primarily located in the middle of the country. And while living in the middle may initially seem to lack differentiation, almost by its very definition we find that middle Americans have a distinct cultural language and expectations of brands.

But for decades, middle America has been overlooked by advertising and marketing that glorifies the more upscale, urban lifestyle and consumers of the coasts. When people outside of America’s heartland think of middle America, it is often in negative terms: empty, boring, unambitious, flyover country. This dismissive thinking is particularly dangerous to brand-building, as middle Americans make up nearly half of the population and reflect the average in terms of household income and level of education. (1) These are not fringe consumers to be easily written off; they’re the average American. Marketing must start focusing on the values, realities and undercelebrated successes of living in the middle.

Since we’ve researched, lived with and marketed to this population for decades, we see a few big trends impacting how brands should engage with middle Americans.

Mindsets motivating middle Americans

Not defined just by geography or income, middle America has a cultural fingerprint all its own. So, what are the hallmarks of middle American values that brands need to keep in mind?

1.    Community: At the core of values that differentiate middle America from coastal regions is the importance of community. Midwesterners rank community-centric values like courtesy and belonging higher than the rest of the U.S. (2) And this focus on community-building has a tangible impact on life in middle America. According to the latest U.S. News Best States report, half of the top 10 states ranked on quality of life are Midwestern, and this is primarily due to the value placed on community involvement, close family ties and robust social support systems.

2.    Hard work: The desire to build consensus and community doesn’t stop middle Americans from making progress. Dedication and commitment to hard work is almost a cliché of the Midwest. But there’s more to it than just unthinking dedication. There’s a deeply engrained belief in overcoming barriers and obstacles that is uniquely Midwestern. According to Iconoculture, Midwesterners value tenacity more than the general U.S. population. (2) We see this dedication play out in many facets of middle American life, but approach to work is one of the most tangible. As we see it, one of the core differences in the mentality of workers and business owners in the heartland versus the coasts is the emphasis on creating something that withstands adversity. When it comes to building something that will last, the Midwest excels; six of the top 10 states for new business survival rates are in the Midwest. (3)

3.    Legacy: Given middle Americans’ dedication to creating that which will endure, it should come as no surprise that they greatly value and respect legacy. According to Iconoculture, respect for the past and tradition is a core Midwestern value. (2) One way we see the importance of legacy playing out for brands is the value placed on products that have a meaningful heritage, such as those made in America. According to a Harris Poll, the Midwest is the most likely of any U.S. region to place importance on American-made products, with two-thirds of Midwesterners saying they’d be more likely to purchase a product if it was made in America. We attribute that not only to middle America being the historical center of manufacturing, but also to the importance this audience places on provenance and heritage. Brands should consider other ways to tap into their heritage to connect with this audience.

Brand value: sliding the scale to the middle

Due to the increasing influence of the American middle, we expect to see more brands recalibrating their value equation to meet the demands of the middle. As Mintel explains, “brands that have traditionally played in only low-end or high-end markets are adjusting their offerings to better reach consumers in the middle.” (1)

Take, for example, the Whole Foods acquisition by Amazon. Whole Foods, commonly known for its high grocery prices, was pushed into the sphere of middle American consumers by partnering with Amazon’s bargain-centric ethos. Another way to redefine value is through a unique or curated approach that pairs low price with high aesthetic, essentially netting in the middle ground. Our local retail hero, Target, was one of the first to introduce this strategy years ago by curating high design with accessible prices for the masses. As it turns out, companies and brands could learn a lot from this strategy.

Untapped creative energy

According to Steve Case, entrepreneur and former CEO of AOL, we’re about to enter the third wave of technological innovation. Unlike the first and second waves, which took place nationally and on the coasts, respectively, the third wave of innovation will have its epicenter in the Midwest.

“People thought the idea of the internet was crazy, just like many think the idea of a multi-billion-dollar company popping up in Des Moines, Iowa, is crazy. Look what happened to the internet,” says Case. (4)

We couldn’t agree more. Middle America’s invisible innovations are about to shine. In the next few years we expect to see an explosion of interest in the innovation of the heartland.

Working with agriculture clients such as CHS, WinField United and Land O’Lakes means that we see firsthand the innovations coming out of America’s middle. Advances in farm technology have huge potential for the food production chain, and yet these innovations go seemingly unnoticed by venture capitalists. And they’re all but ignored in the cultural consciousness, greatly overshadowed by news coming from Silicon Valley.

From Microsoft and IBM focusing on innovations in America’s farmland to venture capitalists finally taking note of the untapped inventive energy of the Midwest with new seed funds like Rise of the Rest that focus on the heartland, we’re excited to be in the midst of the next wave of innovation.

Middle America represents the heart and heartland of our country. This is an audience that deserves to be respected, understood and celebrated for their contributions by people on the coasts and marketers across the country. We will continue to evolve our perceptions and look for new strategies and approaches to build connections.

Sources:

1. Mintel, Marketing to Middle Americans, 2018

2. CEB Iconoculture Consumer Insights, Values & Lifestyle Survey, Wave 7, 2016

3. https://venturebeat.com/2017/04/09/the-midwests-healthy-fear-of-failure-beats-silicon-valleys-fail-fast-mantra/

4. “On the Road with Rise of the Rest”, Aspen Ideas Festival, 2018