A Beginner’s Guide to Hispanic Digital Marketing: The Top 16 Key Terms you Need to Know
Maya Rector • Jun 06, 2023
Brands and businesses everywhere are adapting to an increasingly diverse U.S. population by engaging with target audiences of all backgrounds. With tons of technical terms in the world of Hispanic and multicultural digital marketing, it can be easy to get confused. We compiled a list of commonly asked questions and terms to help you get started on your Hispanic digital marketing journey - because it shouldn’t have to be daunting.
When to use Hispanic, Spanish, or Latino?
With so many variations, which is which?
1. Latino: Latinos are an ethnic group who are of Latin American origin or descent. Latin America spans several continents including Mexico, Central and South America, and parts of the Caribbean. Latinos can be of any race, and there’s plenty of cultural nuances among Latinos.
While there are universal cultural components, it’s important to note that there are also key differences across Latino groups. For example, someone from a Mexican background and someone from a Cuban background would have grown up eating different foods, using different Spanish slang, and carrying out their own unique customs and traditions
2. Hispanic: Hispanic refers to Spanish-speaking individuals. This includes Latinos as well as spanish-speakers from countries like Spain.
3. Spanish: Aside from being a language, Spanish is also used to refer to people who are from Spain.Keep in mind that there can be a difference between being Spanish and Hispanic, and that people can also be both.
4. Latinx: This is a newer term that is sometimes used in place of Latino or Latina, although they have the same definition - other than that the “x” is meant to make it gender neutral.
How does language factor in?
How can you know your audience’s language preference? What about bilingual preferences? The truth is out:
5. English dominant: A person who primarily uses and communicates in English in their day-to-day life. These individuals usually prefer to be advertised to in English, though there can be exceptions.
6. Spanish dominant: A person who primarily uses and communicates in Spanish in their day-to-day life. Spanish-dominant individuals most often prefer ads in Spanish since they are more comfortable and familiar with the Spanish language.
7. Bilingual: As you may already know, bilingual simply means the ability to speak two languages. When it comes to bilingual Hispanic ads, contrary to popular belief, they aren’t necessarily 50/50 English and Spanish. For instance, the ads often utilize Spanglish or have Spanish words sprinkled in. Keep in mind that bilingual individuals can be English or Spanish-dominant, or they may not have a preference. However, it’s important to note that bilingual ads can sometimes come across as trying too hard if they aren’t done with a deep enough knowledge and background of the prospective audience, so it’s key to have an experienced team with a thorough understanding to run them.Take this real-world situation for example:
Misunderstandings of a group’s culture on a mass scale can lead to bad press, which was recently seen surrounding a popular novel that was released
detailing the Latino immigration experience.
Adding to its controversy were claims that it misconstrued key cultural nuances, like the use of Mexican phrases in Spanish. Commenting on the issue, Domingo Perez, an English professor at the University of Texas at Austin's Center for Mexican American Studies, told the BBC,“When writing about a community to which one does not belong, authors have an obligation to think about the social and cultural politics of what they are doing.”
While you may not be a novelist, you are the author of your business and business image - so it’s important to recognize how you’re telling your company’s story with careful consideration of your audience.
8. ELF (English-language first) Latino: ELF Latinos
are bilingual, but tend to be English dominant. Most were either born in the U.S. or arrived in the U.S. at a young age. That being said, preferences vary and some ELF Hispanics may favor bilingual ads instead of English-only ads depending on the context.
What’s the difference between Hispanic marketing vs. multicultural marketing?
Are they one in the same? Well, yes and no.
9. Hispanic Marketing: Hispanic marketing is a segment within multicultural marketing. Important factors to take into account in this category are language (English, Spanish, or bilingual), cultural relevance, demographics (age, income, education, etc.), and location.
10. Multicultural marketing:
Hispanic marketing falls within the multicultural marketing category, but it’s also important to note that other segments fall into this category too (e.g. African American, Asian, etc.). The word “multicultural” simply refers to the use of multiple cultures or ethnic groups within society.
You may have heard this term more frequently recently, which would make sense since multicultural marketing is a growing category within modern-day marketing and advertising. However, despite the fact that African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latino/Hispanic Americans make up nearly 37% of the U.S. population, many members of these groups don’t feel properly represented in the media. For instance, according to a recent Adobe study, 53% of U.S. Latinos feel their ethnic identity is portrayed stereotypically in ads. That being said, working with a team of experienced experts is key to avoiding any multicultural misunderstandings or faux pas.
Are diversity and inclusion the same thing?
...So what exactly is the difference here?
11. Diversity: By definition, diversity is simply the state of being diverse or containing variety. When it comes to advertising, diverse marketing campaigns feature options among their varying audience segments. For Hispanic audiences, this could mean running a Spanish version of your ad campaign or alluding to your audience’s culture through your messaging.
12. Inclusion:
Inclusion goes a step further than diversity by ensuring that all audiences not only are accounted for, but that they also feel included and welcome. For example, Denny's, the American diner chain, recently upped their diversity and inclusion initiatives
by recognizing the commonalities among different groups in the U.S through inclusive marketing campaigns.
To foster a community where all people belong, they aimed to position the restaurant as a welcoming environment - and not just a place to stop for food. In an effort to include Hispanics, who otherwise felt they missed out on the cultural context behind the American diner experience, the chain spoke to the Latino demographic through a Spanish-language commercial with English subtitles. They also expanded their menu to be more diverse and include Latino inspired dishes. With 53% of their consumers being multicultural, Denny’s has seen the firsthand results of how inclusive strategies can fuel business growth.
How do audiences differ by generation?
Why do generations matter? Is there any real evidence behind these terms?
While you’ve probably seen exaggerated examples of each generation in the media - like the infamous “OK, boomer” phenomenon or depictions of tech-obsessed millennials - having a general idea of each audience can play an important role in your marketing strategy to inform the most effective way to reach your target market. You may also be surprised to find out that each of these generations are active digital users - and their preferred platforms vary.
When it comes to Hispanic marketing, keeping younger generations
such as Millennials and Gen Zers in mind is vital considering that the majority of U.S. Hispanics fall into these two categories.
13. Millennials: Also referred to as “Generation Y,”
Millennials are individuals who were born between the 1980s and the mid 1990s. Millenials are known for reaching adulthood in the time of the Information age (the 21st century millenium - hence the term “Millennial”), which lends itself to their tech savviness and willingness to adopt new technology. That being said, Millennial audiences are best reached via digital through social media, OTT streaming, and newer media forms as opposed to traditional TV.
30%
of them engage with brands on social media at least once a month, and a whopping 97%
read online reviews before choosing a business or service. Because they make up a huge percentage of the American workforce, they’re also increasingly buying homes, starting families, and making financial gains - making them a prime marketable audience.
14. Gen Z: Gen Z
are Millennials’ younger counterparts, having been born in the late 1990s to around 2010. Also tech savvy and receptive to new technology, Gen Z is a digital-first audience composed of always-connected social media connoisseurs. It’s important to note that while they’re similar to Millennials in this way, Gen Z also differ from them since they have only ever known a world where technology is king.
Born into the information age, digital mediums come naturally to them. While many are still in grade school, the oldest members of this population have started to graduate college. Gen Z are a key audience to watch out for in coming years, since they’re not only digital-first, but they’re also the most diverse group of each generational audience - making them the largest multicultural demographic.
15. Baby Boomers: While baby boomers are often stereotyped as being old-school and traditional, they’re more tech savvy than people might think. By the numbers, 96% use search engines, 95% use email, and 92% shop for products and services online
rather than in-store. 70%
of them enjoy watching videos about products and services, and many are active social media users on Facebook.
That being said, they’re also avid TV viewers, despite the fact that TV is a declining medium among younger generations.
16. Gen X: As a less commonly discussed “in-between” generation, Gen X
is another vital audience to keep in mind. Preceding Millennials but younger than Baby Boomers, this generation was born between the mid-1960s and the early 1980’s. Currently, Gen Xers tend to be around the middle of their working years as they approach their peak earnings.
They’re known for being self-sufficient and entrepreneurial, and are savvy when it comes to using technology as a helpful tool. 64% of Gen Xers say that online reviews matter to them, and 83% use technology as a tool
for services such as financial planning. Case in point, this is a largely digital audience worth considering.
Now that you’ve made it this far…
Hopefully these terms were able to answer any of the lingering questions or confusion you may have had about Hispanic and multicultural digital marketing.
If not, feel free to contact us to learn more - we’re just a quick email or phone call away.
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