Many people can tell you that the U.S. is now the fourth-largest Spanish speaking country in the world -- with Hispanics accounting for 15% of the population. But, for our money, the more insightful
statistic is that Latino population growth in the new century has come more from the existing population than from new international migration.
This means that, when marketers talk
about "U.S. Latinos," they cannot simply fall back on images of first-generation, Spanish-speaking immigrants. The Hispanic population in the U.S. is assimilating and transforming much faster than the
speed of stereotypes, acquiring complexity as it blends old and new.
But assumptions still have a habit of rearing their ugly heads when marketers and researchers are planning their
Hispanic work, from strategy to surveys to advertising execution. Even subtle stereotypes can undermine the effectiveness of your efforts, and create a negative reputation for your company in this
all-important community.
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During this time of economic contraction, firms that can see beyond stereotypes have a chance to identify anew who and where the profitable Hispanic customers are --
and prioritize the most effective marketing efforts for reaching them. To make sure you do not fall prey to the assumption trap, you need to start with an understanding of the full spectrum of the
Latino market. In short, your market research needs to be sound -- and that is harder to achieve than it might appear to be.
The Pew Hispanic Center and the Pew Internet & American Life
Project found that 56% of Spanish-speakers are not on the Internet and do not receive even occasional emails. This means that more than half of this important population is missing from essentially
all Internet surveys; that is potentially a big "miss" for marketers trying to figure out how to make launch effective marketing campaigns targeting U.S. Latinos.
The problem, Pew found, was
more lack of access than lack of interest. To provide an alternative, Knowledge Networks began giving laptops and Internet access to all Spanish- and English-speaking Latinos who were selected for our
new online panel.
A recent survey of 2,970 members of KnowledgePanel Latino panel -- from across the spectrum of acculturation, income, and English/Spanish dominance -- provided some
striking views on assimilation and culture. From these results, we can derive important lessons on how to market to Hispanics with sensitivity and efficiency:
- Hispanics are committed to
assimilating: While the majority (75%) of foreign-born U.S. Hispanics feel that their real homeland is their country of origin, most are in the U.S. to stay, with 82% aspiring to become citizens. Most
Hispanics feel it is important to maintain their culture (72%); but 62% also feel that they need to "change to blend into the larger society" and 85% say that anyone who comes to the U.S. to stay
needs to learn English. Lesson: Latino marketing needs to incorporate their new, U.S. identities, not just their loyalty to homeland.
- Tastes in food are
transformed by time in the U.S.: Sixty percent indicate that their favorite foods are from their country of origin -- but the results vary greatly from those who are least assimilated (73%) versus
most (33%). Lesson: Hispanic taste buds will be allured by much more than salsa and habanero.
- Advertising in Spanish may not be a deal breaker: Less than one-third
(29%) of all U.S. Latinos prefer brands that advertise in Spanish. We see here, as well, a similarly high variation in results by assimilation level -- 48% among those with a low assimilation level,
versus 4% among the most assimilated. Lesson: Spanish is not the catch-all for speaking effectively to Latino consumers.
- Family and friends trump many other
priorities: While many seem willing to make sacrifices in order to live a successful life in the U.S., only 38% of all U.S. Latinos said they would give up time with family and friends to be
successful. Lesson: Advertising and marketing that highlights group dynamics -- from social TV viewing to family-centered promotions -- has a strong advantage.
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Spanish-language TV is still a commonality: Nearly all Hispanics (91%) report having access to Spanish-language television stations at home, and even highly assimilated Latinos (46%) say they watch
Spanish-language programming. But for English-language media, time spent each week varies greatly by assimilation -- 9 hours among the less assimilated, versus 22 hours for the more assimilated.
Lesson: Spanish-language TV offers an opportunity to reach across the assimilation spectrum.
With a respect for nuance and access to the right resources --
representative, accurate research being one of the essentials -- making wise bets in the Hispanic marketplace can offer a source of growth and profitability in difficult times. But failing to see this
diverse community clearly, in all its variations, could be inviting disappointment for marketers and researchers alike.