The U.S. Hispanic consumer audience is a fast growing and thriving pulse of American culture, boasting 63.6 million consumers with over $1.7 trillion in buying power. But despite this consumer segment’s size and influence, this audience is often underserved by marketers that fail to create campaigns that truly resonate—or fail to specifically target this audience at all.
Why you should focus on the Hispanic market
The Hispanic market in the U.S. is substantial, continuously expanding, and holds significant purchasing power that is set to increase further. Currently, there are 62 million Hispanic consumers in the U.S., and this number is projected to represent 30% of the population by 2050. These consumers possess a significant buying power of $1.7 trillion, expected to surge to $2.6 trillion by 2025, as reported by the Hispanic Marketing Council. Surprisingly, only 6% of industry investment is directed towards this demographic, presenting a golden opportunity for savvy marketers to tap into this underrepresented audience through innovative advertising and authentic communication.
In short, marketing professionals have been overlooking a vastly underserved market at their own risk. The time is ripe to embark on a targeted Hispanic marketing strategy, considering the market’s substantial size, ongoing growth, and the limited competition from other brands. Investing in this untapped demographic could yield more favorable outcomes compared to saturating demographics already inundated with targeted advertising.
Read next: 6 Ways to Create Authentic and Engaging Hispanic Advertising Campaigns
So now you know why marketing to Hispanic consumers is valuable to your brand… but the question remains: How should you approach it?
1. Focus on making a real connection
Consumers, in general, can tell when an organization isn’t being genuine in their attempts to reach out and it can cause your marketing to fall flat—potentially even damaging your brand. The best practice you can have for your advertisements is to involve the Hispanic community in your advertising creation process and avoid stereotyping and clichés. Cultural literacy is the key here—and involving Hispanic professionals in your decision-making process will not only help you avoid gaffes—it will help you genuinely engage with your target audience from a place of shared knowledge.
Read next: The Importance of Focusing on the Hispanic Demographic for Your Marketing Efforts
2. Understand targeting and segmenting
When targeting these consumers, it’s also important to remember to hyper-segment them by age and subsection of Hispanic identity. The country of origin for 62% of the U.S. Hispanic population is from Mexico, with Puerto Rico and Cuba coming in second and third respectively at 9.6% and 3.9%.
On top of that, different generations take in different media. The older generations tend to consume mostly Spanish-only media, whereas younger consumers tend to consume mostly English-speaking media. At the end of the day, it’s important to recognize that the Hispanic experience in America differs for everyone based on country of origin and age. Being cognizant of that will help ensure that your messaging lands.
3. Hyper-target your audience with localized media
Localized advertising offers significant benefits when targeting Hispanic consumers. Firstly, it enables marketers to tailor their messages to resonate with specific cultural nuances and preferences within different Hispanic communities, creating a deeper and more meaningful connection with the audience.
Secondly, localized advertising ensures that the content is presented in the language and context familiar to the target audience, enhancing comprehension and engagement. By acknowledging and celebrating the diversity within the Hispanic market, marketers can build trust and authenticity, fostering a stronger brand-consumer relationship.
Moreover, localized campaigns can address regional interests and events, allowing brands to align with local values and traditions. Adopting a localized approach in advertising to Hispanic consumers is a powerful way to tap into the community’s rich diversity and unlock untapped potential for business growth.
At Refuel Agency, our proprietary media networks and exclusive publisher relationships offer you the ability to hyper-target your target audience with localized print and out-of-home media in high-traffic areas. Weaving your campaign into these high-traffic areas of Hispanic consumers’ lives increases trust in your brand and brand exposure in strategic, targeted locations.
Read next: 3 Examples of Successful Hispanic Marketing Campaigns that Hit the Mark
4. Integrate Spanish into your campaigns
For a bicultural or second-generation audience, consider integrating Spanish into your primarily-English Hispanic advertising campaigns. Use Spanish words, phrases, or quotes to appeal to an audience that speaks both Spanish and English fluently.
Patrick Carver, CEO of Constellation Marketing, shares that, “A key strategy we’ve used for numerous clients is to create bilingual content. There are thousands of people searching in foreign languages on a daily basis. Bilingual search keywords are also much less competitive than English keywords!”
However, if you do choose to incorporate Spanish into your campaigns, you need to make sure it’s consistent. Your campaign will fall flat if your out-of-home media is in Spanish, but your landing pages are in English. The same goes for a phone number associated with a campaign – if you’re going to advertise a phone number in Spanish, there needs to be fluent Spanish-speakers on the other line to get results.
Read next: Recession-Proof Your Marketing with the Latino Market
5. Support Hispanic culture and aligned causes
By recognizing and celebrating cultural events and traditions, brands can demonstrate genuine respect and understanding for the Hispanic community, fostering a sense of inclusivity and belonging. Embracing these aspects of Hispanic culture in marketing campaigns shows that your brand values diversity and is willing to engage authentically with the target audience.
Additionally, the landscape of customer relations is shifting. People want brands to be aligned with causes that they’re interested in and are likely to stop buying if they aren’t meeting their standards. Our research shows that around 63% of Hispanic consumers care about racial equality, while 52.7% care about mental health. Aligning your brand with one of these causes can help the authenticity of your message.
Read next: Marketing to the Hispanic Audience During Hispanic Heritage Month
6. Utilize an omnichannel marketing approach
By adopting an omnichannel strategy, brands can reach this multifaceted audience through multiple touchpoints, tailoring messages to resonate with different segments.
Additionally, Hispanics are known for being highly active on social media and mobile platforms, making a cohesive omnichannel presence crucial for engaging them effectively. Seamlessly integrating messages across digital, traditional, and social channels ensures consistent brand exposure and reinforces the brand’s authenticity and credibility.
Moreover, an omnichannel approach allows for personalized and localized messaging, catering to the cultural nuances and language preferences of various Hispanic communities. By providing a holistic brand experience, an omnichannel marketing strategy strengthens brand recall and fosters stronger connections, resulting in increased loyalty and advocacy within the vibrant and rapidly expanding Hispanic market.
Read next: What Is An Omnichannel Marketing Strategy, and How Can It Help You Drive Sales?
Conclusion
Marketing to the Hispanic audience is not only a business opportunity, but also a celebration of diversity and inclusion – and leveraging an omnichannel approach to reaching this audience maximizes exposure, impact, and results. The fusion of Out-of-Home advertising with our 1:1 first-party digital solutions serves as a powerful solution to engage the Hispanic audience effectively, capturing their attention in their everyday environments and generating brand awareness.
By incorporating cultural relevance, language considerations, and community engagement into OOH campaigns, brands can build meaningful connections and drive long-term success. Embrace the cultural richness of the Hispanic community, leverage OOH advertising, and measure the impact to create impactful campaigns that resonate with the Hispanic audience. Let us embrace diversity, celebrate Hispanic culture, and unlock the immense potential that lies within the Hispanic market.
If you’re looking to advertise to the Hispanic consumer audience in the U.S. – consider this your one-stop resource. At Refuel Agency, we’ve been reaching multicultural audiences through omnichannel strategy for over three decades – and we’re here to help you make a true impact.
