The Hispanic market in the U.S. is growing at an impressive rate. The U.S. Census reports that Hispanics are the fastest-growing demographic segment in the U.S . By 2050 Hispanics will account for 30% of the nation’s population. It’s no wonder that companies are putting a significant amount of their budgets towards engaging them in a meaningful way. Companies like Old Navy with their interactive Telenovas, T-Mobile and Lowe’s are all examples of big brands looking to reach the Hispanic population in the U.S.
Here are some tips for marketers looking to reach this growing segment:
Hispanics are mobile savvy. 44.7% of U.S. Hispanics use smart phones compared to 31.9% of the non-Hispanic population. And, surveys show that Hispanics are quite receptive to marketing messages if they are done right. According to a consumer survey published in Ad Age, 42% of Hispanics said they are more loyal towards companies that show appreciation for the culture by advertising in Spanish. During the 2010 World Cup, the iPhone World Cup app published by Hispanic network, Univision became the 13th most popular free application in the U.S. If you want to reach Hispanics, go mobile.
Hispanics come from 20 diverse countries.
The lack of sensitivity to different Hispanic cultures is especially detrimental to marketers trying to reach Hispanic communities and build brand awareness. Campaigns targeting Mexicans, which make up the largest segment of Hispanics in the U.S., should differ from campaigns aimed at South Americans or Spaniards. There are differences even between Hispanics of similar countries of origin residing in different areas of the U.S. Cultural sensitivity and a deep understanding of cultural taboos and how they are shifting are crucial when talking to the Hispanic market.
The recession has redefined value for everyone.
Like most Americans, Hispanics are smart shoppers. During the recession the use of coupons among Hispanics has grown 51 percent, according to a study by Synovate. The study also revealed that many Hispanics delayed purchases until a specific product was on sale. The explosion of both mobile and social media among Hispanics has accelerated use and sharing of special offers. According to Comscore August 2011 data, Hispanics overindex in the use of mobile coupons. Hispanics aren’t cutting coupons – they are downloading them from their mobile phones.
Keep the focus on the individual rather than the culture.
Mobile phones and tablets are very personal devices. Given the immersive experience provided by the mobile device, content providers and brands have a rare opportunity to form a meaningful one-to-one connection with mobile users. In addition to personalized content, people have come to expect personalized advertising. The personalization of advertising has never been more important than now because people expect a more personalized experience on such an intimate device. Both app developers and advertisers can reap significant advantages by enabling a relevant and respectful advertising user experience.
If you don’t have a plan to reach Hispanics on mobile – you should. Mobile is taking over as the way we communicate and access the Internet and Hispanics are ahead of this trend. This represents a clear opportunity for brands.
Companies targeting Hispanics have begun to take these insights and successfully apply them to the creation of innovative and relevant mobile marketing tools. Brands are even creating their own Spanish language apps to engage this mobile savvy audience. For example, the Swedish furniture brand IKEA recently launched a Spanish language catalog app.
One of the best examples of a campaign incorporating many of the above suggestions is the Cover Girl Mis Quince contest that ran on 10 different mobile content properties. The “sweet 15” known as Mis Quince is an important milestone for Hispanic girls. Procter & Gamble ran the Cover Girl campaign as a contest that tied together elements of social networking. Mobile, personalization, cultural sensitivity plus social networking seems to be the recipe for success when reaching this active market.
More recently, Dell and Babycenter have run mobile signup ad campaigns to acquire the contact information of Hispanic customers in the U.S. and Mexico and form long-term relationships with them.
Running a campaign targeting Hispanics goes well beyond having a Spanish version of your ad or having a Spanish Facebook page. But, you’ll find the effort is well worth it. The Hispanic opportunity is huge and it’s going mobile. ¡Vamonos!
