MARKETERS ARE utilizing dedicated online communities such as AsianAvenue.com and BlackPlanet.com to reach new customers.

   The online communities, along with MiGentc.com, a Latino site which launched earlier this month. were created by Community Connect and are proving to be fertile hunting grounds for attracting consumers.

   In recent weeks,Community Connect has closed deals with Hewlett-Packard Corp., Amazon.com, Microsoft Corp. and Miramax, all of which are tapping into its expertise in reaching urban minorities.

   "The [computer] industry has failed to recognize the needs of people of color, H-P sees this both as an issue and an opporrunity," said Art Price, multicultural marketing manager, for H-PÕs consumer business organization, North America. "Look at their numbers, theyÕve gone with in a year on BlackPlanet from 500 people at soft launch to more than a million a year laterÉ thatÕs phenomenal growth.

"We are profile based, so if you want to reach an urban ethnic populationÉwe segment by age, geography and psychographics," said Arul Sundaram, who oversees business development and strategy for Community Connect. It offers targeted e-mail lists and other direct marketing opportunities.

MORE THAN A MILLION USERS
   Community Connect Launched AsianAvenue, its firs site. dedicated to Asian Americans in 1997, BlackPlanet, the popular African Amencan site followed in 1999. At press time, the Web sites had more than a milllion registered users a piece; MiGente.com, whichlaunched on Oct. 2, has more than 14,000 users.

   He said Community Connect is also mulling the possibility of launching a global community to reach English-speaking Indian populations, particularly those in the U.K.

   In the U.S., H-P is running integrated on- and offline marketing efforts on AsianAvenue and BlackPlanet in a new emphasis to attract minorities to its products. And services. For example, H-P participated in the AsianAvenue college tour, and has a significant presence on the site sponsoring a contest and giving away digital cameras to winners.

   However, H-P isnÕt the first technology marketer to jump onto the minority bandwagon. Gateway last year embarked on an ambitious co-marketing alliance with Univision Communications and its online portal.

   Unlike UnivisionÕs broadcast content-based push, Community Connect is more about building grassroots communities and marketplaces by word of mouth and viral marketing. The company expects to sign more deals in coming weeks, Mr Sundaram said.

   Amazon has a prominent position on both AsianAvenue and BlackPlanet. except for BlackPlanet books, which has deal with Doubleday.

   "When Amazon is trying to find new customers, the best place they can come is to AsianAvenue and BlackPlanet," Mr. Sundarim said.

   Miramax has bought microsites, banners and integrated content sponsorships on both sites "African-Americans tend to go to the box office on opening weekend more than any one else, and wc can deliver really specific promotions for specific movies," Mr Sundaram said.