5 Ways Latinos Took Center Stage in 2020 (Plus Our Tips for Building Better Hispanic Marketing Campaigns)

1. Making A Mark in Music - Latin Music Rose to the Top of the Charts

2020 was a huge year for Latin music. Listeners everywhere flocked to Latin music artists’ songs and streamed them in record-breaking numbers. For instance, Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny (born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) was the most-streamed artist of 2020 worldwide, with 8.3 billion streams on the app this year.

This trend has continued from last year, with Spotify revealing that he was fifth in their list of top artists. From the Spotify app alone, Bad Bunny acquired about 20 billion total plays with over 50 million monthly listeners. The good news doesn’t stop there -- he also earned two Grammy nominations, took home two American Music Awards, and won a Latin Grammy for Best Reggaeton Performance. 

As if this doesn’t already signal a huge market for Latin music and Hispanic culture, Colombian reggaeton singer J Balvin also made Spotify’s top five most-streamed artists list this year. You may be wondering: what does this mean in terms of Hispanic advertising? 

The demand for Latin music is at an all time high, as is the popularity of  digital audio. For instance, 85% of Hispanics listen to audio content online, with 90% using digital audio platforms or services to stream radio or music. In comparison, 75% of U.S.  internet users listen to digital audio. 

Brands and businesses that are looking to make meaningful connections with Latino audiences can find exactly what they’re looking for by advertising via digital audio. For an in-depth review of why digital audio is crucial to Hispanic marketing, check out our full article here. Plus, feel free to see our digital audio products as well as our brand new El Boton offering to reach listeners on their favorite stations in-app.

2. Taking the Entertainment World By Storm - Latinos Stepped into the Spotlight 

Historically, Latinos have lacked access to major Hollywood roles and executive positions. Fortunately, things are starting to change. This year, a  brand new initiative   to combat this issue and provide Latino talent across the entertainment industry with opportunities was implemented with an overall goal to double Latino representation in Hollywood by 2030.

The star-studded list of proponents include Eva Longoria, J.J. Abrams, Zoe Saldana, and others -  plus initial funders including the Annenberg Foundation, WarnerMedia, and Endeavor Content have made it clear that major industry players are banking on Latinos.

In one of several examples of increased media representation, the Netflix original show Gentefied has been picked up for a second season thanks to its successful debut earlier in the year. The show, created by Chicano first-gen writers, is a half-hour dramatic comedy that follows three Mexican-American cousins who navigate modern-day dilemmas of Hispanic-American identity, class, and social media. 

Latino viewers are hungry for more content and representation like this across their favorite platforms. For instance: 

• While average TV viewers spend 43% of time with live TV and 35%  with streaming services, Hispanics split their time 40% on live TV and 40% on streaming, with the remainder of time on other devices. 
• In-language content that is culturally relevant is an opportunity for advertisers. For instance, almost 9 in 10 bilingual Hispanics watch some Spanish language television. 
• About half (50%) say it’s important to have access to content created for them.

Reaching Latinos as they watch their favorite movies and shows via online streaming is an excellent way to broaden your reach and increase awareness among this influential group. Don’t forget to include both English and Spanish language ad options to forge meaningful connections. 

Check out our article on the prevalence of online streaming among Latinos by clicking .

3. Performing in the Super Bowl Halftime Show - Latina Performers Delivered a Show Stopping Performance 

Each year, all eyes are on the Super Bowl halftime show as celebrated performers entertain millions of fans who tune in. This year, Latina singers Jennifer Lopez and Shakira took center stage in the first ever Latina-led halftime show. 

In an interview, Javier Farfan, the NFL’s Cultural Marketing Strategist, emphasized the importance of Latino consumers in the U.S demonstrated in the 2020 Super Bowl’s Hispanic focus. 

He explained, “We have to be culturally relevant. As you think about our fan base continuing to grow and look at the future, the growth is going to come from the Latino fan. The halftime show — we partnered with Roc Nation and Pepsi to pick these two Latina women because they talk about the spectrum of who a Latino is in this country. One sings in Spanish, another sings in English. One born here, one born in Colombia. It was the perfect mix.” 

Evidently, the NFL recognized the massive power and diverse nature of Hispanic culture and the Hispanic consumer, resulting in a successful and memorable show that was praised by fans everywhere. Although a large portion of viewers tuned in via traditional cable TV, growing audiences streamed directly on sports-related CTV/OTT apps. 

As a result of these insights, adding CTV/OTT components to your Hispanic marketing campaign is a great way to reach Latino audiences while they stream online. 

4. Voting in Record Numbers - U.S. Hispanics Took to the Polls in a Historic Voting Year

In a record-breaking election that had Americans and the world at large on the edge of their seats, both President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden benefited from a high turnout of Latino voters across the United States. If there’s anything that this election solidified in terms of the Latino vote, it’s that Latinos are an extremely diverse group with a wide range of political beliefs. Support for Biden or Trump among 32 million eligible Hispanic voters differed tremendously across various parts of the country.

For instance, according to a nationwide CNN exit poll, Biden captured 66% of Latino votes across the country, while Trump received 32%. 

Experts from prominent Latino political advocacy groups across the nation have used the results of this election to urge officials to recognize the immense power that Latinos hold in the U.S. These groups have emphasized that this election's results should send a resounding signal to both parties: connecting with Latinos and understanding their political identity is key.

5. Stimulating the Economy - Latino Influence and Consumption Continued to Grow

It’s currently estimated that Hispanics account for one out of every six Americans, and their aggregate buying power is larger than the GDP of Australia. That’s a lot of spending power!

In addition to their combined economic influence: 

• Relative to the overall U.S. market, Latinos have faster population growth, a high labor-force participation rate, and the increased ability to spend as consumers. 
• In less than a decade, product and services consumption among U.S. Latinos increased by 42%. 
• Consumption increased at a rate that is 72% faster compared to non-U.S. Latinos from 2010-2017.

Despite the massive influence that Latino consumers possess, research shows that brands typically only allocate 5% of their total media budgets toward multicultural media -- even though multicultural audiences (which include Hispanics) can oftentimes represent up to 40% of the total target audience universe. 

As key decision makers within their households, Latinas are also a major force that is often mistakenly overlooked.  Check out the facts below: 

How to Get Started with Hispanic Digital Marketing 

2020 was a major year in more ways than one -- and it also brought Latino culture and the importance of marketing to Hispanic audiences to the forefront. That being said, the need for a Hispanic digital marketing strategy has never been more crucial. 

Wondering how you can get started? Feel free to contact one of our expert digital marketing consultants or find a location near you. 

General questions? We’ll answer those too -- we look forward to speaking with you!