Spanglish: the language of Hispanic television

The youth is on the rise          

According to Neilson Company estimations, television viewership habits of the U.S. Hispanic community are growing more rapidly than that of the general population. Findings from the media consumption research group found that the growth of Hispanic viewership has grown by 2.3 percent as opposed to the 0.3 percent of the general population.

Based on these statistics, it would seem that the need for Spanish language programming would be on the rise as well, however, the adverse is true. Today, Hispanics are growing up with more English exposure. With 23 percent of U.S. minors identifying with the term Hispanic, it is clear that Hispanic youth being raised in the U.S.is growing exponentially.

Research from Encusta of Miami found that 23 percent of Hispanics prefer to watch television in English as well as 23 percent in Spanish. The preferred method of television viewing was in “Spanglish,” or a mixture of English and Spanish integrated into the same programming. This method was preferred by 47 percent of Hispanics in the U.S.

  

Spanish TV competitors

Hispanics are mostly bilingual, 54.7 percent according to Census data, and this broadens their reach for multiple media outlets. Hispanics can now be reached from both English and Spanish language programming, making them a lucrative target for television advertisers.

The bilingual capacity of the Hispanic community is creating a shift for the future of Hispanic programming, and network giant Univision feels the shift profoundly.  Univision broadcasts in Spanish only, therefore threatening to limit viewers to the 23 percent that prefer Spanish only broadcasting. Univision currently remains the clear giant, however, the bilingual dexterity of smaller yet competing networks like Telemundo and Mun2 pose a great threat to the solely Spanish network.

A bilingual advantage

Telemundo and sister network Mun2, are both targeting bilingual Hispanics ages 18-34. Their programming consists of Spanish and English languages and therefore reaches a larger audience and appeals to the younger generations that may want to watch U.S programming, while maintaining their cultural roots.

When advertising to the Hispanic market via television, bilingual networks may be the ideal outlet for communication. Broadcastingcable.com states that advertisers only pay 70 percent of what English-language television networks charge. Less expensive pricing, along with the majority of Hispanics that prefer bilingual television, make advertising on these stations an effective way to reach U.S. Hispanics.

Although Television advertising is one of the most expensive mediums, there are clear advantages of utilizing it to reach the Hispanic market. There are over 12.1 million Hispanic viewing homes in the U.S, or 85 percent of the population. Additionally, Hispanics, on average, watch 4 more hours of television than the general population, according to Nielsen. With the majority of Hispanics watching bilingual programming, reach becomes exponential to this group. If marketing budgets can withstand television advertising, Spanish and English combination language networks may be a very profitable way to cultivate ad dollars.

What Medium Reaches Hispanics Most Effectively?

In a world of countless marketing mediums, it can be a challenging task to choose the media outlets that will garner the greatest reach. The importance of choosing a target market is clear, yet delivering your message through the appropriate medium is equally as vital to ensure your message is delivered in the most profitable way.

The media consumption habits of each demographic vary and those habits will to dictate the success of your campaign. The Hispanic market, although very lucrative, is also very diverse. They are composed of men, women, adults, children, and teens and they all have different interests and media consumption habits. They key to choosing the appropriate medium to carry out your campaign is determined by which type of media your target market is consuming. Therefore, research is imperative in segmenting your target market. Applying this extensive research to Hispanics specifically will yield considerable benefits in your Hispanic marketing campaign.

In the Hispanic community, one medium has statistically risen above the rest in terms of universal reach. According to a study by Arbitron, radio has a 95 percent reach among Hispanics. Radio has reached men and women equally and maintained high impact among ages 18 through 54. This significant reach penetrates the majority of the Hispanic community, proving to be an obvious medium for any marketer marketing to adult Hispanics.

Don’t be fools, use your tools

Fortunately, the web provides tools to aid your analysis such as www.compete.com which allows you to research websites and find demographics of its viewers.  Additionally, www.Arbitron.com allows you to view radio ratings by demographic to determine who is listening to which stations. Additionally, www.nielson.com conducts thorough research about consumer viewership habits. Both websites posts articles, statistics and webinars related to consumer demographics, giving you tools to help improve your campaign.

Ideally, utilizing every media outlet would be the best way to universally reach your market; however, due to the high cost of advertising, this doesn’t make sense financially for most companies. This is why choosing one or two outlets, depending on your budget, is more feasible to help disseminate your message to the mass of your target demographic.

Arbitron (2010). Hispanic radio today: how Hispanics listen to radio. Radio today series

Digital or Die

The widespread use of social media has forever changed mainstream communication, as well as the approach marketers take to engage consumers. Since a large portion of the general population spends an extensive amount of time on social media sites (about 4.6 weekly hours according a TNS “Digital Life” survey), advertisers have discovered there is ample opportunity to utilize these sites for marketing purposes. Not only can word of mouth spread like wildfire in the social media realm, but tens of millions of people are susceptible to any given advertisement at any given moment.

When marketing to the U.S. Hispanic population, social media can be a premium environment for marketers to capitalize on. Hispanics greatly rely on the Internet as a source of information and access it daily. According to Google Analytics from 2011, 23 million Hispanics in the U.S are currently “plugged in,” which is almost half of the total U.S. Hispanic population. With 22 million Hispanics on Facebook and 6 million on Twitter, both sites are key portals for delivering a message to this community.

Word of Mouth Matters

According to cultural research expert Geert Hofstede, Hispanics are collectivists, which means they value the needs of others, such as family, before their own. Nevertheless, this means they value the opinions of others as well. Hispanics are more likely than non-Hispanics to read and trust online reviews of products, ultimately influencing their purchasing behavior according to Google research.  Having a product rated by fellow customers online is a great way to drive sales within the Hispanic market and utilize virtual word of mouth in your favor.

In addition to word of mouth optimization, advertising online and simply having a virtual presence will greatly enhance your campaign. Google Analytics proves 53 percent of Hispanics use Search Engines to gather information about products and shop. Hispanics like to research what they buy to guarantee they are buying the best brand, so developing online credibility is vital. Additionally, 61 percent make in-store purchases as a result of an online advertisement. This is 22 percent more than the general population. If you have a product that you wish for the Hispanic market to see, utilize online advertising as frequently as possible.

The Mobile Connection

Mobile media is another useful medium to get connected with the Hispanic market. Google claims 45 percent of Hispanics own a smart phone and the majority of them are using their mobile device as their primary access to the Internet (65 percent). If marketers can connect with Hispanics through their phone, they can literally be in the consumers back pocket. Social and mobile media are becoming more widely used and while marketing to the Hispanic community so there is a greater reason to capitalize on these portals of communication.

The bottom line is that digital marketing a top contender for ad dollars. No matter which market you wish to tap into, it is vital to utilize social and mobile media as a new component of your marketing mix.

Mobile and social: reshaping hispanic marketing. (2011, August 01). The hispanic weekly special report, http://www.hispanicmarketweekly.com/article.cms?id=11149.

Quayat, R. (2010, March 01). Reshaping hispanic marketing through social media [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.hispanicmpr.com/resources/articles/reshaping-hispanic-marketing-through-social-media/

Google/ OTX, (Producer). (2010, October). Four truths about the us hispanic market [Powerpoint].

More time spent on social media than email worldwide [Web log message]. (2010, November 4). Retrieved from http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1008025

Understanding Your Target Audience First

In the world of marketing, understanding the core identity of your target demographic is imperative. Consider the Hispanic market for example. This community is brimming with culture and has a steadily rising population. When marketing to Hispanics, it is important to know what makes them tick, rather than their interests alone. The Hispanic population is shifting. Now the community comprises primarily of youth and young adults. If you have a general product and are looking to reach out to the entire demographic, then a youth dominated medium such as the Internet would be the most successful tool. It’s vital to know what drives individuals to possess certain purchasing behaviors; however, understanding sheer numbers will help to drive sales.

Breaking down the market

Once the target market is established, the next point of action is to segment it into a more narrowed demographic. Usually products or service are used by a specific group. Therefore, a more targeted market will prove to yield a successful campaign because it reaches that specific group rather than the entire community. This conveniently excludes those that may not relate to the product.   

Segmenting your target market includes doing extensive research about the product to discover who can best relate to it. For example, a Barbie doll will target young girls ages 3-9. The marketer will not worry about targeting young boys or teenage girls because young girls are the ones that desire the doll.

Why it matters

Segmenting your target market is vital because it concisely breaks down your marketing campaign and allows you to focus on one specific group of individuals- the ones buying your product.

Although this target market segmentation may seem like an obvious step, it is paramount. Once you decide on your target market, you must perform extensive research to determine the most effective way to communicate with them and develop a customer relationship. The Hispanic market is no different. This community is just as diverse as any other market, if not more so. When targeting them it is vital to not generalize the entire population and break down the market accordingly.

What the Future Holds

It is no secret; the Hispanic market is exploding into the mainstream. This group is not only the largest minority in the US, but accounts for 16 percent of the overall population. Typically Hispanic families are larger than non-Hispanic ones and the number of youth born in the US is growing rapidly. This market is living in a bilingual media world and that affects the way they are marketed to.

Second and third generations Hispanics are using more English, but there still are many older Hispanics that are linguistically isolated from the English speaking world. It is important to have bilingual capabilities when marketing to this group so no one is left out of the marketing loop. Listen Up Español, a Spanish-language call center, is an example of a great way to reach the Hispanic market. They employ bilingual individuals with neutral accents to cater to the culturally diverse demographic.

The future is bright for the Hispanic market. With population skyrocketing and employment on the steady rise, the state of this market is only projected to improve. One way to bring this market into the future is with digital marketing. Hispanics are living in the digital age now more than ever and Direct Response Television is one way that marketers can capitalize on the newly digital demographic. 78 percent of Hispanics have used the internet to find something they saw on television which shows that Hispanics are being influence by Direct Response Television now more than ever. Listen Up Español for instance, is skilled in Direct Response services. Direct Response television requires a response from the customer in order to buy the product, so being able to provide your customers with Spanish-speaking representatives increases your reach to the entire Hispanic market.

Overall, there is no denying that the Hispanic market is growing exponentially and gaining massive power in the consumer market. The future for the Hispanic consumer is getting even brighter and it is vital to start reaching out NOW. Digital marketing is fast, cost effective, and beneficial to your campaign. The important thing to realize is the complexity of the market as well. Make sure you have bilingual capabilities and you fully understand the specific culture you are marketing too.