I've been getting approached more and more these days by executives and brand managers of Fortune 500 companies about the best way to connect with and market their brands and products to urban consumers. But what I find most interesting is that many of them immediately ask me to define or profile the urban consumer for them AFTER they have indicated that they want to pursue this consumer. Across a wide range of consumer categories, the quest to attract this influential group is clearly growing, but across the boardrooms - they're all seeking a better understanding on who this consumer is. Questions arise - What role does hip hop play? What role does race or ethnicity play, if any at all? These are all worth discussing. But, I think the underlying question I haven't been asked and I greatly suspect they want to ask is -"Do I really need an agency that focuses on African Americans to effectively resonate with an urban lifestyle audience?

My answer is a resounding - YES! Why? Although the urban lifestyle DOES transcend