Hispanic Marketing

Executive Summary

"Latinos are changing the way the country looks, feels, and thinks, eats, dances, and votes. From teeming immigrant meccas to small-town America, they are filling churches, building businesses, and celebrating this Latin heritage.... In America, a country that constantly redefines itself, the rise of Latinos also raises questions about race, identity, and culture - and whether the United States will ever truly be one nation." (Larmer, pg. 50) This passage aptly describes the dawning of a new 'enlightenment' era in the United States. Marketers are beginning to focus on an emerging market known as the Hispanic/Latino community. The sheer strength of the Hispanic market can no longer be avoided as marketers are realizing that traditional methods of reaching a generalized market segment do not apply to the complex Hispanic culture.

In the last half of the 20th century, the size of the Hispanic market in America grew exponentially. Traditional attempts to capitalize on the Hispanic market failed in large part to stereotypes and cultural myths. A new focus was necessary to attract, reach and retain the market. In order tackle this potentially lucrative market, marketers need to understand the cultural attributes that define the Hispanic market.

Their primary focus is to understand the statistical values that characterize the group. Census figures over the last thirty years clearly illustrate a pattern of growth, not only in population, but in wealth and education as well. Clearly, this is becoming a stronger, savvier and better-educated market. As marketers become better acquainted with the Hispanic market, they have found several attributes that are typical of the Hispanic culture and influence in America.

They first need to understand that the term "Hispanic" is a broad generalization of several cultures and races, each with distinct characteristics and values. Once an understanding that many subcultures encompass the Hispanic community, marketers can disseminate the target market and address those characteristics shared amongst the Hispanic community. Level of acculturation, brand loyalty, language, religion and a strong sense of family are those shared traits that need further study in order to properly understand what Hispanics believe, care for and personify. Once a deeper comprehension of the Hispanic culture and their philosophy is reached, marketers can use those tools to direct their efforts into winning strategies.

By understanding that Hispanics have a deep devotion to family, strong religious ties and a shared language, marketers can focus their campaigns towards addressing those traits and tap into an enormous market that wants, needs and listens to those who address their culture. Time will only tell if their efforts will produce the desired results, but they have surely discovered a sound foundation to begin with.

Introduction

"Today 50% of all bookings at Radio City Music Hall are

Hispanic artists. Salsa outsells ketchup in the Midwest.

Nachos beat hot-dogs at movies. What's happening?

Simple: A cultural and marketing phenomenon known

as the U.S. Hispanic market."

- Bromely Aguilar Associates, media kit, 1999

With the changing face of America and the proliferation of the 'cultural melting pot', it's more important than ever to accurately pinpoint your audience. While many leading scholars have acknowledged the fact that Hispanics would become a hyper market within the next 20 years, the Hispanic revolution in America was triggered from the most unlikely of sources: the entertainment industry. In 1999, the incredible success of Ricky Martin into the mainstream pop music industry sparked a nationwide interest in the size and purchasing power of the Hispanic market. That Hispanics are hot is not at all surprising, it is becoming increasingly common to see aspects of the Hispanic culture popularized in the mainstream culture, with salsa outselling ketchup and taking over dance floors, and a growing number of corporate sponsors interested in Hispanics as a target market.

This 'phenomenon', which was relatively overlooked by marketers during the last two decades, has sparked a marketing 'enlightenment' era in which marketers are now more keenly aware of the purchasing power and growing market size of minorities in America, especially Hispanics. Surprisingly, marketers are becoming aware that yes, there is a Hispanic market. Over 35 million Hispanics live in the United States alone. Every minute, the U.S. Hispanic population grows by 2.5 people. From a marketing perspective, that is another 150 potential customers "arriving" every single hour or 3,600 per day. With the release of the latest U.S. Census information confirming that Hispanics are here to stay (by passing African Americans as the largest minority group in the country), marketers would be foolish to ignore them. (Census, 2000)

How does all of this translate into the realm of today's marketing arena? Several questions must be answered to effectively understand Hispanic targeted marketing. What is a Hispanic? Does this term effectively describe the target market or does it, by definition, provide a grossly underestimated generalization of this sector of the market. What demographics should marketers understand about the market to effectively campaign and sell to Hispanics? How has marketing to Hispanics changed over the last thirty years? What are the creative strategies that marketers need to address to successfully reach the market? What is the future of Hispanic oriented marketing? By the end of this paper, I hope to provide an insightful look into the forces and direction that affect and mold marketing to the Hispanic culture.

Am I Hispanic or Latino?

This is probably the million-dollar question that marketers would most like to be answered. In fact, there is general confusion and great debate amongst the Hispanic community as to the proper definition of the culture in America. The terms 'Hispanic', 'Latino' and 'Chicano' are used interchangeably by marketers and by consumers in specific regions of the country. Webster's Tenth New Collegiate Dictionary defines Hispanic as any person "of Latin American descent living in the United States, especially one of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin." The proliferation of "Hispanic'