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Hispanics account for nearly one-fifth of the U.S. population and, with many different communities identifying as Hispanic, they are the single largest and highest-spending minority group in the country. Yet, despite being one of the most diverse markets, we tend to take a “one size fits all” approach when it comes to how we market to and engage with this multidimensional demographic.
As a Hispanic American with roots in the Dominican Republic, my experience is likely very different from other Hispanic Americans. While some experiences unite our diverse population, there are many differences among Hispanic consumers that shouldn’t be ignored, such as country of origin, first, second or third generation, language preference, acculturation level, the metropolis they call home or their reasons for settling in the United States. The makeup of the Hispanic population varies widely and not only needs to be appreciated across brand communications, but celebrated as well.
As brand leaders and culture shapers, it’s important to recognize that the market is not a monolith and to therefore stop marketing to us as a homogeneous segment of people defined in broad strokes. Brands need to recognize the differences within our incredibly diverse Hispanic community and reset the ways in which their creative content engages with this powerful sub-culture. One of the biggest opportunities to achieve this is for brands to rethink traditional segmentation models and instead identify a wide range of consumer “cohorts” that exist within the Hispanic community.
Different customers require different messaging
Cohorts are defined as addressable groups of current and potential consumers, thoughtfully identified and designed to maximize relevance for the brand. The better we can define the many various cohorts for each brand, the better we can understand, create, target, design and have meaningful and consistent dialogue with them. This level of consumer centricity brings a layer of humanity and empathy that allows for stronger innovation, utility and impact, and it can help brands find significant ways to communicate with their audience.
When thinking about cohorts for the U.S. Hispanic market, we always start with our client’s business objectives. Once we are clear on what we are trying to achieve, we look at all of the variables that allow the brand to connect in an authentic way. For example, an imported Mexican beer brand could have up to 10-15 cohorts that leverage regional, cultural or even product consumption differences, from “U.S.-born Latinos in the sunbelt wanting to reconnect with their culture” to “Miami hard-seltzer-drinking Latinas done with the Seltzer craze” to more of an interest-based cohort like “third culture music fans.”
The makeup of the Hispanic population varies widely and not only needs to be appreciated across brand communications, but celebrated as well.
By looking at the audience via a cohort approach, brands are able to understand that different consumers engage with brands for a variety of reasons, and thus allows them to produce creative that is truly contextual and therefore more compelling. It is crucial that when addressing the Hispanic community—we speak to the different cohorts within that community. By truly understanding the diversity of the consumer, we can then deliver tailored messages that speak directly and authentically to these specific groups.
I am deeply proud of my Hispanic heritage and I’m passionate about how we, as an industry, can better understand this demographic in order to generate more meaningful engagement. We want to be seen, heard and celebrated for our cultural differences, and brands can play a big part in that. By using cohorts to better understand the complexities of the Hispanic population, brands can build authentic relationships with our community, cultivate long-term cultural impact and ultimately drive brand growth as a result. Take it from someone who knows.
