Target Marketing for U.S Hispanic Lifestyles

The U.S. Hispanic lifestyle is diverse like the many cultures living in the U.S., although Hispanics typically spend more collective “family time” together. According to a study by Child Trends Data Bank, 54 percent of Hispanic teens and 66 percent of Hispanic children were likely to eat six to seven meals with their family per week. This is compared to 39 percent of Caucasian teens and 53 percent of Caucasian children. The data represented here suggests that U.S. Hispanics value family time spent together, and they are usually gathered together for dinner. This is beneficial to remember in marketing campaigns. For example, if you specialize in direct telemarketing, evening would be a very inconvenient time to contact them because they would likely be gathered for family time and not want to talk on the phone. It would however be a good time for television advertising because the family could all be gathered around the television.

 The U.S. Hispanic market is very diverse so U.S. Hispanic generations will have very different lifestyles. Understanding the lifestyle of the individual you are marketing to is important to determine what motivates them to buy, which is a vital component to any marketing campaign.

The Generations

First generation U.S. Hispanics for instance have a lifestyle similar to that of the one they had in their place of origin. However, they have resources applicable to the United States and they are likely to practice the same traditions and habits that they became accustomed to before they immigrated to the United States.

Second generation U.S. Hispanics generally have a culturally integrated lifestyle. They can strongly identify with their roots, yet they have lived in U.S. society since birth so it becomes part of their culture. Typically second generations are proud of their heritage and incorporate it into their personal identity which affects their lifestyle, interests, and consumer trends.

Third generation U.S. Hispanics have fully assimilated to U.S. lifestyle. They grow up speaking English, watching English T.V and they are the group of U.S. Hispanics most likely to deny or disassociate themselves with their Hispanic Heritage.

Country of Origin and Lifestyle

Lifestyle also differs through ethnicity. U.S. Hispanics come from many different countries and races which greatly affects lifestyle. For example, on Christmas, Puerto Ricans celebrate for the full month of December and participate in a form of caroling called “prarrandas.” Mexicans, on the other hand, only celebrate Christmas Eve and Day while they gather with family and eat the festive food of tamales. They participate in “posadas,” or annual recreations of the night Jesus was born as well. Different countries have a variety of traditions and lifestyles to be cognizant of when reaching out to U.S. Hispanics.

Although it may seem like an overwhelming amount of work to research each U.S. Hispanic generation and race within the Hispanic community, it is imperative. Once there is a clear understanding of how the U.S. Hispanic culture operates, it will be simple to maintain an understanding. Think of it as your own culture. Your culture has much diversity within it, and so does the U.S. Hispanic community.

Generalizing Generations

We have discussed how culturally diverse the Hispanic population is, but have not yet tackled the generational differences Hispanics face. There are three generations of Hispanics living in the United States and they are all diverse, therefore require different approaches to yield a successful marketing campaign.

As Easy as 1, 2, 3

First generation Hispanics are immigrants who came to the states from their country of origin. This group, although living in the U.S., is still strongly connected to their home country and maintains strong cultural roots.They usually continue speaking Spanish and partake in traditions they grew up with in their country of origin.

Second generation Hispanics are usually born in the U.S., but raised by first generation Hispanics so they grow up experiencing both American and Hispanic cultures. They are usually bilingual and bicultural and they develop their own sense of cultural identity based on the two cultures they grow up with.

Third generation Hispanics are born in the U.S. and raised by second generation Hispanics who were also born in the Sates. This makes third generations fully assimilated into U.S. culture and they prominently speak English.

From Culturally Immersed to Fully Assimilated

When marketing to U.S.  Hispanics, it is important to keep these three generations in mind. Each one has many similarities, but has a specific set of characteristics and a unique identity. First generation Hispanics for instance, speak mostly Spanish, 74 percent according to Pew Research Center, so their second generation children usually have to translate. As a marketer, if you do not have bilingual capabilities, then your marketing campaign is completely irrelevant to the first generation U.S. Hispanic demographic.

Additionally, second generation Hispanics are the fastest growing generation according to Pew Research Center and are citizens by birth in the United States. Since this group is bilingual and bicultural, they can emotionally relate to both Hispanic-centered marketing, as well as mainstream Anglo U.S. marketing. This makes them an optimal group to target because they can relate to both their heritage and their American identity. In addition, second generation U.S. Hispanics are typically more educated than first generation U.S. Hispanics with 77 percent attending institutions of higher education versus the 54 percent of first generations that did not even graduate high school.

In contrast, when marketing to third generation Hispanics, it is important to realize how they have assimilated into U.S. culture. These individuals will identify primarily with the general U.S. population and will not need to be catered to with bilingual dexterity. In fact, most third generation U.S. Hispanics speak only English. These individuals are the grandchildren of immigrants, so while they still may identify themselves with their ancestry, they are not as closely affiliated with it as their parents were. When executing a marketing campaign it is vital to be cognizant of the trends such as one generation identifying more with their United States culture than the culture of their ancestry. This generation identity crisis is a trend we have seen with third generation U.S. Hispanics.  

All Generations are Not Created Equally

While creating a marketing campaign to cater to all three generations is nearly impossible, it is important to gain the most reach. Since second generation U.S. Hispanics are currently the largest U.S Hispanic demographic and prefer both English and Spanish, they would likely be the best target for a national marketing campaign. If you incorporate language and trends that cater to the bilingual second generation Hispanics, you reach the most influential Hispanic generation on the market. Consequently, using bilingual content will garner your best chances to reach people in both first and third generations as well.

The Hispanic community is complex, but it helps to look at generational differences like the various demographics within the Anglo U.S. population. Marketers wouldn’t deliver the same message to a 65 year old the same way they would address a 12 year old. The age gap between a 12-65 year old is significant and their interests and lifestyles are so different that they may as well speak different languages. The U.S. Hispanic market is no different. Even though U.S. Hispanics fall under one name, they are just as diverse as the general U.S. population in age, lifestyle and consumer trends.

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month Everyone!

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we wanted to pick an individual who we believed has had a substantially positive influence on the Hispanic community. We researched many individuals and appreciated the accomplishments they have all made, but we chose one individual who has continuously united the Hispanic community through his global presence and influential voice.

Jorge Ramos, “The Voice of The Voiceless,” is an esteemed veteran journalist who has developed a long and respected career using the power of his voice to bring truth and justice to situations related to the Hispanic community. He began his career as a young 24-year-old journalist operating out of Mexico City, Mexico. Censorship by the P.R.I, the ruling party in Mexico, drove Ramos to seek more. He wanted the ability to deliver truth and justice, without being crippled by censorship.

In 1983, Ramos moved to Los Angeles, California to embark on a career with freedom.  He humbly began waiting tables, but due to his charisma and innate reporting skills, he swiftly landed a job at Univision and began to climb the ladder of success. Within two years he was the morning host for the show "Mundo Latino," and a year later he was the top CONNews anchor at Univision—just three years after his immigration to the United States. In 1986, at 28, he became one of the youngest national anchormen in the history of American television.

Ramos has since developed a distinguished reputation with the Hispanic community. As a public advocate for immigration and many other political issues related to the community, Ramos has interviewed many political leaders in his career. Such interviews include Presidents George H.W Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

Ramos has a responsibility that coincides with his vocal presence. He has climbed into a position of power where his voice speaks intelligibly and he has taken this priceless opportunity to speak for an entire community. He is famously called “The Voice of The Voiceless” because he dedicates his career to making sure the quiet sufferers are heard by the general population and given the same opportunities.

Ramos has written numerous books in his career including The Latino Wave: How Hispanics Are Transforming Politics in America and No Borders: A Journalist's Search for Home which is a memoir of his past, his journey to the U.S. and ultimately how Hispanics are reshaping U.S. culture.

Ramos has a passion for dignifying the Hispanic market and has paved the way for businesses to do the same. Listen Up Español for instance is a Spanish Language call center that works with companies wishing to tap into the Hispanic market. They share Ramos’ appreciation for the U.S. Hispanic community and passion to reveal their full potential. Ramos is an iconic Hispanic and we respect his tenacity and dedication to the causes that mean so much to him and the U.S. Hispanic community. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we raise up Jorge Ramos!

References:

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2008201_2008200_2008209,00.html #ixzz1Zq4QIB2V

http://www.jorgeramos.com/loquedicen1.htm