When it comes to advertising, the Hispanic market presents unique challenges. While they are one of the fastest growing segments of the American population and a lucrative target audience, marketing to Hispanics isn’t as simple as producing ads in Spanish. The group is extremely segmented and has a variety of sub-groups that each respond to advertising in different ways. Moreover, Hispanics tend to distrust advertisements and are more likely than other segments to ignore marketing messages completely or actively rebel against them. The key to successful Hispanic marketing is understanding their mindset and cultural values so you can create campaigns that speak directly to them rather than at them. Use these three proven strategies for targeting this elusive audience successfully.
Create Marketing Content in Spanish and English
When creating marketing content for the Hispanic market, you must be careful not to create “Mexican Ads”. This refers to the stereotypical, one-size-fits-all Mexican ads that were created for the Spanish-speaking population in the United States. Instead, create ads that are tailored to the specific needs and desires of the distinct sub-groups that comprise the “Hispanic” market. The best way to do this is to create marketing materials in both Spanish and English. Your Spanish-language materials should be a translation of your English-language materials. They should not be significantly rewritten, as this will cause your marketing to lose its impact.
Run Hispanic-Centered Ads
A mistake that many companies make when marketing to Hispanics is trying to fit the group into their existing marketing plan. The best way to reach out to the Hispanic market is to create a completely new ad campaign that is specifically tailored to their needs and desires. For example, Hispanic households watch significantly more TV than non-Hispanic households. In fact, Hispanic households watch over two and a half hours more television per day than non-Hispanic households. Create TV ads that speak directly to Hispanic households, and you’ll reach a large segment of your target audience. Another important advertising channel for the Hispanic market is radio. Radio ads are inexpensive and can be targeted to specific Hispanic sub-groups. Create ads that are targeted towards specific age groups, genders, and people with specific interests to reach the largest segment of your target audience.
Produce Engaging Video Marketing
Video is the most engaging form of online marketing. It’s also the best way to reach the Hispanic market. This is due in part to the cultural differences between Hispanics and the general population. Hispanics are a highly visual culture. This is due to the fact that most Hispanics are first-generation immigrants who come from cultures that are more visual than verbal. The reliance on pictures and videos makes the Hispanic market much more responsive to video marketing than non-Hispanic audiences. Hispanics are also extremely brand-loyal. They are five times more likely to remain loyal to their favorite brands than non-Hispanics. Create video marketing campaigns that promote your products, and you’ll put yourself in a great position to foster brand loyalty among this lucrative demographic.
Conclusion
When marketing to any group, cultural understanding is key. When marketing to the Hispanic population, it is even more important to understand their distinct culture. Successfully marketing to Hispanics requires going beyond the basics of language translation and marketing in different media channels. It means going beyond general Hispanic marketing strategies and creating campaigns that are tailored to the specific needs and desires of each sub-group within this diverse demographic.
