Insights Into Hispanic Marketing
With 58 million Hispanics living in the United States, Latinos now make up almost 18% of the total U.S. population.1 Hispanic buying power increased to $1.5 trillion in 2015–an increase of 50% in just five years.2 In fact, if it were a standalone country, the U.S. Hispanic market buying power would make it one of the top 20 economies in the world.3 Yet, despite this fact, many health systems are failing to create a concerted, targeted marketing plan for Hispanics–the largest ethnic or racial minority in the U.S.
Source: Hispanic Population Reaches Record 58 Million, Census Bureau, June 26, 2017
This article will share some statistics that will help highlight the importance of targeting the Hispanic market and help you tailor your messages in a way that resonates with the Hispanic market.
U.S. Hispanic Population Stats
Between 2000 and 2011, Hispanics made up more than half of the U.S. population increase with slightly greater growth than that of all other non-Hispanics combined.4
- There is an expected 163% increase in the Hispanic population between 2010 and 2050 which would by then make up 30% of the total population.5
- However, the number of U.S. born Hispanics have been steadily decreasing since 1960 (1960 – 86%, 2015 – 65%) while the number of foreign-born Hispanics in the U.S. have more than doubled in the same time period.6
- Half of all second-generation Hispanics are bilingual, while only 23 percent of third generation are.7
- 54% of Hispanic children under the age of 18 currently live in a household with at least one foreign born parent.8
- The percentage of Hispanics with a household income greater than $50,000 has increased from 30% in 2000 to 43% in 2014.9
Source: Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population in the United States, April 19, 2016.
Hispanic Media Habits
It is important that your Hispanic marketing strategy utilize multiple tactics to generate interest, and then ultimately have that interest translate into action. The younger Hispanic consumers (under 35) have different media habits than the 35+ Hispanic age group. The younger group leans more towards digital assets and in particular social media whereas the older age group relies heavily on traditional TV and radio.
- Overall, U.S. Hispanics are ahead of the curve when it comes to digital. They lead in adoption of new devices. They are power users of mobile and over-index in video consumption.10
- Hispanics 35 and older have a higher reach for broadcast, newspaper and cable TV than younger Hispanics.11
- When it comes to all self-reported online activity, Hispanics aged 18–34 have a reach higher than both older Hispanics and the total non-Hispanic white counterparts, which includes going online to a broadcast TV website, internet radio and local radio station websites; and listening to radio online.12
- In terms of time spent on media, however, both age groups, and particularly those 35 and older, spend more time watching TV than engaging with other media.13
- Those 35 and older spend an average of 55 hours each week on TV, radio and online.14
Hispanic Messaging
It is important to remember when marketing to today’s Hispanics that they think of themselves as Americans, but are proud of their Hispanic heritage and those meta messages are at the heart of their culture. Family, faith and celebrations are central in the Hispanic culture. If you are seeking to peak their interest, it is important to approach your messaging around one or more of these themes. It is no longer enough to simply translate an ad that was previously developed in English to Spanish. Today’s Hispanics are expecting more from brands who want their business. They want you to speak to them as if you are familiar with their culture and communicate with them as a trusted neighbor or family member would. They want you to speak to them in a reverent tone that illustrates empathy for the challenges they face balancing work and home. They expect that your communication efforts were developed with them in mind first and not an afterthought. This approach of showing them the respect given to a family member and not a targeted group will go a long way.
Hispanic Health Facts
The following are the leading causes of death in Hispanics for 2014. The top 5 causes accounts for 58.7% of Hispanic deaths.15
- Cancer
- Heart Disease
- Unintentional Injuries
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis
- Alzheimer’s
- Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease
- Influenza and pneumonia
- Kidney Disease
Cancer and heart disease are the top 2 for both Hispanics and non-Hispanics, but their placement is switched (heart disease is first with non-Hispanics). Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis is unique to Hispanics and do not appear in the non-Hispanics top 10. Understanding the top health concerns of the Hispanic population can help you narrow your focus on your Hispanic marketing efforts with addressing one or two key servicelines at a time.
It is imperative that you have an understanding of today’s Hispanics culture as you begin to design your marketing plan. However, digging deeper into you’re your own market data and identifying their specific trends and needs will allow you to be able to focus on targeted, tailored messaging that will feel genuine to your Hispanic neighbors and will garner better results.
Sources:
1 Hispanic Population Reaches Record 58 Million, Census Bureau, June 26, 2017.
2 Think with Google, Your Next Big Opportunity: The US Hispanic Market, Lisa Gevelber, June 2014
3-4 State of the Hispanic Consumer: The Hispanic Market Imperative, Nielson Report, Quarter 2, 2012.
5 Hispanic Population Reaches Record 58 Million, Census Bureau, June 26, 2017
6 Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population in the United States, April 19, 2016.
7 Marketing to Hispanics: Why It’s Not Just About speaking Spanish, Entrepreneur online.
8 U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 American Community Survey, 1-year estimates.
9 U.S. Census Bureau, 2000, 2004, 2009, and 2014 American Community Survey, 1-year estimates (not adjusted for inflation).
10 Think with Google, Your Next Big Opportunity: The US Hispanic Market, Lisa Gevelber, June 2014
11 – 14 Nielsen Scarborough Hispanic DST Multi-Market 2015 Release 2, August 2014–October 2015. Surveys conducted in English and Spanish (self-reported)
15 National Vital Statistics Reports Volume 65, Number 5 June 30, 2016 Deaths: Leading Causes for 2014 by Melonie Heron, Ph.D., Division of Vital Statistics
Jason Brown
Jason is CEO & Chief Strategy Officer of Brown Parker & DeMarinis (BPD), an internationally-recognized advertising agency that is on a mission to make health systems and hospitals the most beloved brands in the world. A pioneer in hospital marketing, BPD works with clients to unlock the power of their Purpose inside and outside their organizations, resulting in highly engaged employees and physicians and dramatically higher brand preference and service-line volumes.