It is no surprise the sheer size of the Hispanic population and its growth over the years. However, it may be a revelation to know that there is a sub-segment of this group that is becoming quite attractive to marketers.
Think of this as dating. One should always attempt to put the best face forward while cultivating the other person’s interest level. The same applies to marketing when targeting specific ethnic groups, and in this case, a sub-segment of Hispanics. This sub-segment of Hispanics straddles worlds. They tend to speak English by day and Spanish-language by night. In effect, this makes them “bi-cultural.” They embrace both cultures, and will switch depending upon the situation they find themselves in.
Marketers should take note of the below important facts about this sub-segment:
- Highly educated and earn a higher income
- Tech savvy with a high consumption of content via a range of devices
- Represent a large portion of Hispanics who tend to be younger than the average Hispanic population
- Extremely engaged in a variety of entertainment options
- Maneuvers well in a variety of non-Hispanic settings
From a marketing perspective, those who are “bi-cultural” are very attractive sub-segments of any vital minority group. However, like the marketplace overall, reaching sub-segments could pose a problem given the immensity of the marketing landscape.
Learning cultural clues will assist in developing messaging that can be relevant to this sub-segment. Keep in mind that English-language media can capture this audience as well as messaging in their native language. Just remember their strong heritage ties to their culture and community.
Be authentic when creating message strategies in English. Don’t pigeonhole them in what you may perceive as their consumer behavior. As with other strategies, do your homework and test before you go all in.
Adele Lassere is a marketing/advertising consultant with 20+ years experience, freelance writer and author of “Elements of Buying” (self-help advertising guide); available at Amazon.com. Adele was listed as Black Enterprise’s 2011 Top Execs in Marketing & Advertising and Black Enterprise’s 2013 Top Women Executives in Advertising & Marketing. Contact: [email protected]
