U.S. Hispanic consumers continue to grow in numbers. And as predicted, they aren't shy about flexing their spending muscle. One group in particular, Affluent Hispanics, whose earnings top $100K+ per year, are really tipping the scale. While they currently only represent about 12.2% of Hispanic earners, they punch above their weight as compared to non-Hispanic Affluents when it comes to contributing to overall spending.

While it's not news that sales during the Christmas holidays can make or break a retailer, it is important to study those sales as a barometer of how shoppers feel heading into the new year. That's because shopper marketers have already begun planning for the 2015 holiday season - yes, a year in advance. Naturally, clients want to learn what they can do to develop more effective holiday programs for the Hispanic demographic. So, marketers often ask if Latino shoppers see holiday shopping from a different perspective.

President Obama's recent immigration reform initiative received significant media attention and overwhelming approval from Hispanics, whose political and purchasing power continues to increase. Hispanics, of course, are the fastest-growing demographic in the U.S., so it is only logical that brands and agencies are continually working to find the most effective ways to market to them. Many companies have increased their Hispanic marketing budgets, particularly in the mobile and social arena - there are 22 million Hispanic daily active users on Facebook, and 14% of the Hispanic population is active on Twitter - but most don't invest the money, time and …

As we approach the end of 2014, it is always a good time to reflect on what transpired through the year, analyze what happened, and apply that analysis to the future. Overall, it was a great year for Hispanic online marketing; more research substantiated the importance of the Hispanic digital consumer, powerhouse digital companies made significant investments in the space, and the World Cup proved that Hispanic online consumers will engage with digital content that engages them.

Atlanta seldom comes to mind when most marketers think about the future of Hispanic marketing or the dynamic Hispanic millennial segment. It's usually far down the list in discussions of the growing Hispanic population. However, it shouldn't be.

Recently, a 30-second AT&T television ad, "Vivir Sin Compromisos," caught my attention. It shows young, appealing, Latinos talking about themselves and reacting to the company's cellular service.

If by "clubbing" you think I refer to a Friday evening trendsetter or Saturday midnight music lover, actually I was referring to that apple of the CPG manufacturers' eye, Hispanic shoppers. That is, the regular weekend Latino customers at Sam's Club, Costco Wholesale, BJ's Wholesale Club, and other shopper club stores across America.

This time of year is particularly exciting for me as I get to work on my true passion: developing Hispanic digital strategies for our clients. As we wrap up 2015 planning, five key themes have emerged that I expect to come to life in the Hispanic online market next year.

Most marketers are behind when it comes to investing in the Hispanic market. Of the $171 billion spent on paid media in 2013 (according to eMarketer), Hispanic media spending totaled just $8.3 billion (according to Kantar and Advertising Age). Hispanic media spending represents less than 5% of total paid media spending, while Hispanics represent 17.1% of the U.S. population. While paid media doesn't capture the entirety of marketing activity targeted to Hispanics, it provides a good barometer.

The Hispanic market reminds me of the stock market. Both are filled with loud noise from its participants that make it very hard to understand clearly how to best capitalize on it.