There once was a time, way back in the 80s and early 90s when a major national brand could just plant its flag in the middle of the Hispanic community – via television, radio, and other vehicles – and the Latino Consumer Market would flock to it in droves!
Not any more, mi amigos!
The Hispanic Consumer Market is sparking a revolution, my friends. The United States government recently announced that the U.S. Anglo population will be the minority by 2042, and the Hispanic population will comprise 30% of the new ethnic majority. This dramatic shift will happen within many of our lifetimes. I personally will be a young 71 with a slew of grandkids…God willing!
All that said, brands need to be bold. They need to plant their flags in new arenas – not simply rely on the traditional venues they’ve used over and over in an attempt to attract the Latino Consumer Market. Not only should these arenas be more culturally relevant – which is a buzz term we have all used – they need to be relevant to a lifestyle that is very cultural in its nature. Brands must ASK consumers to try their products.
Make no mistake, U.S. Hispanics DO:
- Surf online
- Watch general market TV – not just Telemundo and Univision
- Listen to Hip Hop which many find more relevant to their lifestyle than Ranchero
Family Guy, NFL Football, Chingo Bling, MySpace (Latino) and iPods are all high impact, highly-viewed outlets for both Spanish-dominant and bicultural Hispanics. Bicultural Hispanics are becoming a force to be reckoned with in the U.S.
The funny thing is, biculturalism is a two-way street. Americans as a group, not just Latin Americans, are literally eating, drinking and having fun – Latin style.
One of the largest bread makers in the world, BIMBO, is from Mexico. Mexican food is a staple now, not just a specialty, once-in-a-while dining choice. From beers to soft drinks, more labels from Latin America are filling shelf space at many supermarkets. And Cinco de Mayo is just as popular as St. Patrick’s Day!
So next time you go to a barbeque or a club, look around and see how many guayabera shirts there are, or how many dudes are wearing FCB and Chivas jerseys. Chances are you’ll be able to enjoy an icy cold Mexican brew and the DJ will be spinnin’ a hot reggaeton mix.
Also…can Javier Bardem be in any more movies? Really!
Saludos!
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