• March 15, 2011

Hispanic men not only associate the use of grooming products with personal confidence and attractiveness, but also believe that looking good is a way to get ahead in life and at work, according to a new study commissioned and released by Univision. The findings of the study - Why Latinos Look So Good - conducted by CBB Bilingual Qualitative and Simmons suggest that Latinos  celebrate "vanidad" over "machismo;" that personal care rituals go beyond the basics; and they want marketers to "speak my language, speak my culture."

Said Ruth Gaviria, SVP of Corporate Marketing, Univision Communications, in a statement, "Latinos derive a significant amount of self-esteem from smelling, looking and feeling their best and now routinely engage in more refined personal care, such as nail care, lotions and neat trimming, with more frequency than non-Hispanics. This makes Latinos part of an extremely strong and vibrant growth opportunity for male personal care brands."

Respondents believe that "the way people see you is the way they treat you" and identified themselves as "vanidosos." For Hispanic men, being "vanidoso" is just another way to say "I take care of myself." Seventy-six percent of Hispanic males said: "It is important to use grooming products to maintain my appearance in the work place."

The study says Latinos are on par with non-Latinos on the number of times per week they use "basic" grooming products like body wash and shampoo/conditioner, however they use "non-basics" like hair styling products, moisturizer and fragrance more often per week. Because of that, they spend $8 more per month than non-Latinos on personal care products. Manicures, pedicures and eyebrow grooming are also part of the Latino man's personal care ritual.

Respondents expressed a deeper, cultural connection with ads in Spanish and described them as more relevant and relatable. Latinos say ads also need to be more educational than for non-Hispanics. Spanish-language television and radio ads ranked directly behind in-store demos (the No. 1 factor) as leading factors driving brand purchases.

Hispanic men account for nearly 20% of all men aged 18-34 in the U.S. In key markets like Los Angeles, Houston, and Miami, 1 out of every 2 men aged 18 to 34 is of Hispanic origin.