Aspiring marketers can choose from a variety of classes to take in college, such as Intro to Advertising, Consumer Behaviour, and Essentials of Brand Management. But for the next generation of CMOs, the most important class may have nothing to do with advertising or sales. As marketers of the future plan out their course schedule, they should make sure to enroll in Spanish 101.
From 2010-2015, half of all U.S. population growth came from Hispanics. Today, U.S. Hispanics have $1.5 trillion in purchasing power. By 2022, that figure is projected to increase by another $400 billion.(i) This sizable, growing, and economically powerful market represents an incredible opportunity for any brand—but few are seizing it. The biggest problem? Marketers aren’t speaking the right language.
Of U.S. Hispanics aged 18-49, 43 percent exclusively watch Spanish-language content.(ii) For marketers looking to reach U.S. Hispanics, Spanish-language television is a must-have, not only because of the increased reach, but also because speaking to consumers in their language drives engagement and cultural connection. And this is true not only for people who speak primarily Spanish, but also for bilingual audiences. Spanish-language television builds a relationship and starts a conversation in a way that English-language television quite literally can’t.
Consider the Confederations Cup—a major, international soccer tournament recently broadcast both in English, on Fox, and in Spanish, on Telemundo. A study of audiences across both networks found that peak attention levels were 32 percent higher, and that viewers were 44 percent more engaged, during Telemundo’s Spanish-language broadcast than Fox’s English-language broadcast. The trend even carried over to the bilingual audience as well, which paid more attention to, and was more engaged with, the Spanish-language broadcast relative to English-language broadcast.(iii)
Beyond sports, the numbers tell the same story (math is, after all, the universal language). Nielsen data reveals that Spanish-language television consistently delivers stronger ad effectiveness for Hispanics aged 18-34 across a variety of measures—memorability, brand recall, and likeability, just to name a few. What’s more, those metrics consistently translated into real results for brands. Nielsen’s recent meta-analysis of marketing mixes found that Spanish-language television was four-times more effective in driving sales than English-language television.(iv)
The key to tapping into the valuable, growing U.S. Hispanic market is to find a network that is growing right alongside them. In this complex, shifting marketplace, Telemundo has not only been growing—it’s been winning. Telemundo closed out the 2016-2017 season as the #1 Spanish-language network among Adults 18-34 and 18-49, and was the #1 broadcast network for social engagement regardless of language.
The ratings only tell the first half of the story. Yes, Telemundo is beating the competition and its audience is growing—but that audience is also spending more money relative to the U.S. Hispanic population as a whole. Compared to last year, U.S. Hispanics’ discretionary spending for retail, as well as dining out, each increased by 8 percent. Telemundo viewers’ increased by 17 percent and 20 percent respectively. In the travel category, the difference was even more marked—Telemundo viewers outspent U.S. Hispanics at large by 300 percent.(v)
To speak with the U.S. Hispanic market in an authentic, compelling way, NBCUniversal’s Hispanic Group—which includes Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes, and Universo—is investing in high-quality content that makes a real impact on audiences, especially bilingual and Millennial fans. From blockbuster series like El Señor de los Cielos; to sports like the Super Bowl, FIFA World Cup, and English Premier League; to music programming and social-first content for Buzzfeed and Snapchat; the NBCUniversal Hispanic Group is doing more than reaching Hispanic audiences—it’s connecting with them. And when that edge-of-your-seat programming is combined with NBCUniversal’s unique capabilities—like advanced targeting and custom creative—brands can quickly become fluent in what matters most to U.S. Hispanics.
Marketers have long known that in order to reach consumers, they have to go to where they are. For U.S. Hispanics, that means Spanish-language television. With Telemundo, brands can leverage the most compelling Spanish-language content on television, and have a meaningful conversation with a growing, engaged market.
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[i] Selig Center for Economic Growth, Terry College of Business, University of Georgia, The Multicultural Economy 2017 (1990-2017 estimates, 2022 projections)
[ii] Nielsen, C3 reach, M-Su/7p-11p, August 2017 by Week, Hispanic A18-49
[iii] Custom Neuro study
[iv] Nielsen TV Brand Effect SSN16-17 TD through 9/17/17, Standard Ad; Hispanic Age 18-49 Primetime programming only
[v] Simmons OneView, Spring 2017 NHCS Adult 12-Month study vs Spring 2015 Adult 12 Month Study, Base A18-49; viewed networks in the last 7 days; amount average spent in the last 12 months.
